Prevalence of Borrelia Burgdorferi Sensu Lato Genomospecies and of the Human Granulocytic Ehrlichiosis (HGE) Agent in Ixodes Ricinus Ticks Collected in the Area of Monti Lepini, Italy

2003 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 105-108 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Santino ◽  
A. Iori ◽  
M. Nicoletti ◽  
S. Valletta ◽  
C. Cimmino ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Borrelia Burgdorferi ◽  
Pcr Amplification ◽  
Sensu Stricto ◽  
16S Rrna Genes ◽  
Rrna Genes ◽  
Borrelia Burgdorferi Sensu Lato ◽  
Granulocytic Ehrlichiosis ◽  
Ehrlichia Phagocytophila ◽  
Human Granulocytic Ehrlichiosis ◽  
Ixodes Ricinus Ticks

Ticks are obligate hematophagous arthropods that are parasites in every class of vertebrates in most regions of the world. They are also considered to be important vectors for the transmission of human infectious diseases. In the present study we used polymer chain reaction (PCR) amplification analysis to determine the prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi and Ehrlichia phagocytophila, the agents of, respectively, Lyme borreliosis and human granulocytic ehrlichiosis, among ticks inhabiting the area of Monti Lepini, a wild area located in the Latium Region of Italy. A total of 141 I. ricinus ticks (125 nymphs and 16 adults) were collected in the studied area. Total DNAs were extracted from I. ricinus nymphs (pooled in groups of five) and from individual adults. The DNA samples were examined for the presence of B. burgdorferi sensu lato and E. phagocytophila by PCR using two specific pairs of oligonucleotides that specifically amplify distinct DNA regions of the 16S rRNA genes of the two species. The prevalence of vectors infected with B. burgdorferi s. 1. was 16% in pooled nymphs samples, and 12.5% in adult ticks, while E. phagocytophila was found only in pooled nymphs samples (8%). Three genomospecies were identified, namely Borrelia afzelii, Borrelia garinii, and Borrelia valaisiana, in samples found positive for B. burgdorferi s. 1. No sample was found positive for Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto.

scholarly journals Detection of four Borrelia burgdorferi genospecies and first report of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis agent in Ixodes ricinus ticks collected in central Italy

2002 ◽  
Vol 129 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. SANTINO ◽  
M. DEL PIANO ◽  
R. SESSA ◽  
G. FAVIA ◽  
A. IORI
Keyword(s):  
Borrelia Burgdorferi ◽  
Ixodes Ricinus ◽  
Protected Area ◽  
Central Italy ◽  
First Report ◽  
Granulocytic Ehrlichiosis ◽  
Ehrlichia Phagocytophila ◽  
Human Granulocytic Ehrlichiosis ◽  
Ixodes Ricinus Ticks ◽  
Male Tick

The presence of Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. and of Ehrlichia phagocytophila group was sought by PCR in Ixodes ricinus collected in a protected area of central Italy. Nymphs (n = 1475, gathered in 295 pools of 5 nymphs each) and adult ticks (n = 28) were examined. B. burgdorferi s.l. was detected in 13.8% of the nymph pools; of these, 63.4% were infected by B. valaisiana, 26.8% by B. afzelii, 7.3% by B. garinii, and 2.5% by B. burgdorferi s.s. Only a single adult male tick proved to host B. afzelii. The agent of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (HGE) was detected in 2.7% of the nymph pools. Two HGE agent-positive nymph pools were also found to be positive for B. garinii and for B. afzelii, respectively. This is the first report from central Italy of the finding of the HGE agent in ticks.

scholarly journals Far-Reaching Dispersal of Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato-Infected Blacklegged Ticks by Migratory Songbirds in Canada

Healthcare ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 89 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Scott ◽  
Kerry Clark ◽  
Janet Foley ◽  
Bradley Bierman ◽  
Lance Durden
Keyword(s):  
Lyme Disease ◽  
Borrelia Burgdorferi ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Ixodes Scapularis ◽  
Pcr Amplification ◽  
Sensu Stricto ◽  
Borrelia Burgdorferi Sensu Lato ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Northern Areas ◽  
Migratory Songbirds

Lyme disease has been documented in northern areas of Canada, but the source of the etiological bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (Bbsl) has been in doubt. We collected 87 ticks from 44 songbirds during 2017, and 24 (39%) of 62 nymphs of the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis, were positive for Bbsl. We provide the first report of Bbsl-infected, songbird-transported I. scapularis in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia; Newfoundland and Labrador; north-central Manitoba, and Alberta. Notably, we report the northernmost account of Bbsl-infected ticks parasitizing a bird in Canada. DNA extraction, PCR amplification, and DNA sequencing reveal that these Bbsl amplicons belong to Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (Bbss), which is pathogenic to humans. Based on our findings, health-care providers should be aware that migratory songbirds widely disperse B. burgdorferi-infected I. scapularis in Canada’s North, and local residents do not have to visit an endemic area to contract Lyme disease.

scholarly journals Differential Transmission of the Genospecies of Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato by Game Birds and Small Rodents in England

1998 ◽  
Vol 64 (4) ◽  
pp. 1169-1174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Klaus Kurtenbach ◽  
Mick Peacey ◽  
Sjoerd G. T. Rijpkema ◽  
Andrew N. Hoodless ◽  
Patricia A. Nuttall ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Borrelia Burgdorferi ◽  
Lyme Borreliosis ◽  
Sensu Stricto ◽  
Rrna Genes ◽  
Borrelia Burgdorferi Sensu Lato ◽  
Internal Organs ◽  
Borrelia Garinii ◽  
Game Birds ◽  
5S Rrna Genes ◽  
Pcr Targeting

ABSTRACT The genetic diversity of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato was assessed in a focus of Lyme borreliosis in southern Britain dominated by game birds. Ticks, rodents, and pheasants were analyzed for spirochete infections by PCR targeting the 23S-5S rRNA genes, followed by genotyping by the reverse line blot method. In questingIxodes ricinus ticks, three genospecies of B. burgdorferi sensu lato were detected, with the highest prevalences found for Borrelia garinii and Borrelia valaisiana. B. burgdorferi sensu stricto was rare (<1%) in all tick stages. Borrelia afzelii was not detected in any of the samples. More than 50% of engorged nymphs collected from pheasants were infected with borreliae, mainly B. garinii and/orB. valaisiana. Although 19% of the rodents harboredB. burgdorferi sensu stricto and/or B. gariniiin internal organs, only B. burgdorferi sensu stricto was transmitted to xenodiagnostic tick larvae (it was transmitted to 1% of the larvae). The data indicate that different genospecies of B. burgdorferi sensu lato can be maintained in nature by distinct transmission cycles involving the same vector tick species but different vertebrate host species. Wildlife management may have an influence on the relative risk of different clinical forms of Lyme borreliosis.

scholarly journals Evidence of the Human Granulocytic Ehrlichiosis Agent in Ixodes ricinus Ticks in Switzerland

1999 ◽  
Vol 37 (5) ◽  
pp. 1332-1334 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicola Pusterla ◽  
Christian M. Leutenegger ◽  
Jon B. Huder ◽  
Rainer Weber ◽  
Ueli Braun ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ixodes Ricinus ◽  
Nucleotide Sequencing ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Granulocytic Ehrlichiosis ◽  
Ehrlichia Phagocytophila ◽  
Stage Of Development ◽  
Human Granulocytic Ehrlichiosis ◽  
Pcr Products ◽  
Ixodes Ricinus Ticks

A total of 1,667 Ixodes ricinus ticks were collected from five regions in Switzerland where there have been sporadic occurrences of granulocytic ehrlichiosis in dogs and horses. The ticks were examined for rickettsiae of the Ehrlichia phagocytophila group via nested PCR. Twenty-one ticks (1.3%) were positive; 3 (0.5%) were nymphs, 6 (1.3%) were adult males, and 12 (1.9%) were adult females. The number of positive ticks varied with the stage of development and with the geographical origin. Nucleotide sequencing of the isolated PCR products identified these products as part of the 16S rRNA gene of Ehrlichia. In addition, these products had 100% homology with the agent of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis. The occurrence of this agent in I. ricinus in Switzerland presents a potential danger of transmission of granulocytic ehrlichiosis to dogs, horses, and humans.

scholarly journals Genetic Heterogeneity of Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato in Ixodes ricinus Ticks Collected in Belgium

1998 ◽  
Vol 36 (11) ◽  
pp. 3352-3354 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie-Christine Misonne ◽  
Georges Van Impe ◽  
Philippe P. Hoet
Keyword(s):  
Lyme Disease ◽  
Borrelia Burgdorferi ◽  
Ixodes Ricinus ◽  
Single Species ◽  
Sensu Stricto ◽  
Borrelia Burgdorferi Sensu Lato ◽  
Ixodes Ricinus Ticks ◽  
Biogeographic Regions ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Comparison Of The Results

Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.), the etiological agent of Lyme disease, is transmitted by the bite of Ixodes ricinus. Four hundred eighty-nine ticks, collected in four locations of a region of southern Belgium where Lyme disease is endemic, were examined for the presence of the spirochete. In a PCR test with primers that recognize a chromosomal gene of all strains, 23% of the ticks were found to be infected. The species B. burgdorferi s.l. comprises at least three pathogenic genomospecies, B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.),Borrelia garinii, and Borrelia afzelii, which could be distinguished in PCR tests with species-specific primers that correspond to distinct plasmid sequences. B. garinii was most prevalent (53% of infected ticks), followed by B. burgdorferi s.s. (38%) and B. afzelii (9%). Of the infected ticks, 40% were infected with a single species, 40% were infected with two species, and 5% were infected with all three species. For 15% of the ticks, the infecting species could not be identified. No difference in rates of prevalence was observed among the four locations, which had similar ground covers, even though they belonged to distinct biogeographic regions. A greater heterogeneity of spirochetal DNA in ticks than in cultured reference DNA was suggested by a comparison of the results of PCRs with two different sets of species-specific primer sequences.

A Highly Selective PCR Protocol for Detecting 16S rRNA Genes of the Genus Pseudomonas (Sensu Stricto) in Environmental Samples

1998 ◽  
Vol 64 (7) ◽  
pp. 2545-2553 ◽  
Author(s):  
Franco Widmer ◽  
Ramon J. Seidler ◽  
Patrick M. Gillevet ◽  
Lidia S. Watrud ◽  
George D. Di Giovanni
Keyword(s):  
16S Rrna ◽  
Environmental Samples ◽  
Restriction Analysis ◽  
Phylogenetic Analyses ◽  
Pcr Amplification ◽  
Sensu Stricto ◽  
16S Rrna Genes ◽  
Rrna Genes ◽  
Human Pathogens ◽  
Soil Dna

ABSTRACT Pseudomonas species are plant, animal, and human pathogens; exhibit plant pathogen-suppressing properties useful in biological control; or express metabolic versatilities valued in biotechnology and bioremediation. Specific detection ofPseudomonas species in the environment may help us gain a more complete understanding of the ecological significance of these microorganisms. The objective of this study was to develop a PCR protocol for selective detection ofPseudomonas (sensu stricto) in environmental samples. Extensive database searches identified a highly selective PCR primer pair for amplification of Pseudomonas16S rRNA genes. A protocol that included PCR amplification and restriction analysis, a general cloning and sequencing strategy, and phylogenetic analyses was developed. The PCR protocol was validated by testing 50 target and 14 nontarget pure cultures, which confirmed the selectivity to 100%. Further validation used amplification of target sequences from purified bulk soil DNA followed by cloning of PCR products. Restriction analysis with HaeIII revealed eight different fragmentation patterns among 36 clones. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of 8 representative clones indicated that 91.7% of the products were derived from target organisms of the PCR protocol. Three patterns, representing only 8.3% of the 36 clones, were derived from non-Pseudomonas or chimeric PCR artifacts. Three patterns, representing 61.1% of the clones, clustered with sequences of confirmed Pseudomonas species, whereas two patterns, representing 30.6% of the clones, formed a novel phylogenetic cluster closely associated with Pseudomonas species. The results indicated that the Pseudomonas-selective PCR primers were highly specific and may represent a powerful tool forPseudomonas population structure analyses and taxonomic confirmations.

Prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in Ixodes ricinus ticks collected from southern Poland

2015 ◽  
Vol 60 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanna K. Strzelczyk ◽  
Jadwiga Gaździcka ◽  
Piotr Cuber ◽  
Marek Asman ◽  
Gizela Trapp ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Borrelia Burgdorferi ◽  
Ixodes Ricinus ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
Rflp Analysis ◽  
Molecular Study ◽  
Sensu Stricto ◽  
Borrelia Burgdorferi Sensu Lato ◽  
Southern Poland ◽  
Ixodes Ricinus Ticks ◽  
Human Infections

AbstractIn 2008-2011 ticks were collected from southern Poland. Out of 6336 individuals collected and identified as Ixodes ricinus, 768 (2 larvae, 84 nymphs, 417 females, 265 males) were included in molecular study. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and types of genospecies of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in ticks. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was applied to detect the presence of pathogens in ticks. Subsequently the amplified DNA was digested with TasI enzyme. The infection rate was 15% (116) of examined ticks. PCR-RFLP analysis allowed distinguishing three genospecies of B. burgdorferi s.l.: B. burgdorferi sensu stricto, B. afzelii, and B. garinii. RFLP analyses of 116 positive samples revealed 96 (83%) monoinfections and 13 (11%) coinfections, whereas unidentified genospecies were present in 7 (6%) of positive samples. In the case of monoinfections, B. burgdorferi s.s. was the predominant species of pathogen in infected ticks - 61.4%. Other genospecies: B. garinii and B. afzelii were detected in 22.9% and 15.6% of the samples, respectively. To sum up, 15 % of ticks were infected by B. burgdorferi s.l which increases the risk of human infections in the recreational areas of southern Poland. Furthermore, there is a need to increase public awareness and implement more preventive measures concerning Lyme disease.

scholarly journals Acquisition of Coinfection and Simultaneous Transmission of Borrelia burgdorferi and Ehrlichia phagocytophila by Ixodes scapularis Ticks

2000 ◽  
Vol 68 (4) ◽  
pp. 2183-2186 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael L. Levin ◽  
Durland Fish
Keyword(s):  
Lyme Disease ◽  
Borrelia Burgdorferi ◽  
Ixodes Scapularis ◽  
The Other ◽  
Infection Status ◽  
Granulocytic Ehrlichiosis ◽  
Ehrlichia Phagocytophila ◽  
Human Granulocytic Ehrlichiosis ◽  
Previous Infection ◽  
Prior Infection

ABSTRACT The agents of Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi) and human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (Ehrlichia phagocytophila) are both transmitted by the tick Ixodes scapularis. In nature, ticks are often infected with both agents simultaneously. We studied whether previous infection with either Borrelia orEhrlichia in ticks would affect acquisition and transmission of a second pathogen. Ehrlichia-infectedI. scapularis nymphs were fed uponBorrelia-infected mice, and Borrelia-infectedI. scapularis nymphs were fed uponEhrlichia-infected mice. The efficiency with which previously infected nymphal ticks acquired a second pathogen from infected hosts was compared to that of uninfected ticks. An average of 51% ± 15% of ticks acquired Ehrlichia from infected mice regardless of their prior infection status with Borrelia. An average of 85% ± 10% of ticks acquired Borrelia from infected mice regardless of their prior infection status withEhrlichia. Also, we assessed the efficiency with which individual nymphs could transmit either agent alone, or both agents simultaneously, to individual susceptible hosts. An average of 76% ± 9% of Borrelia-infected ticks and 84% ± 10% ofEhrlichia-infected ticks transmitted these agents to mice regardless of the presence of the other pathogen. There was no evidence of interaction between the agents of Lyme disease and human granulocytic ehrlichiosis in I. scapularis ticks. The presence of either agent in the ticks did not affect acquisition of the other agent from an infected host. Transmission of the agents of Lyme disease and human granulocytic ehrlichiosis by individual ticks was equally efficient and independent. Dually infected ticks transmitted each pathogen to susceptible hosts as efficiently as ticks infected with only one pathogen.

scholarly journals Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato genospecies in Ixodes ricinus ticks feeding on passerine birds in southern Norway

Biologija ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 62 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jana Radzijevskaja ◽  
Olav Rosef ◽  
Vesta Matulaitytė ◽  
Algimantas Paulauskas
Keyword(s):  
Borrelia Burgdorferi ◽  
Ixodes Ricinus ◽  
Pcr Amplification ◽  
Borrelia Burgdorferi Sensu Lato ◽  
Passerine Birds ◽  
Direct Pcr ◽  
Turdus Merula ◽  
Questing Ticks ◽  
Ixodes Ricinus Ticks ◽  
Southern Norway

Birds are increasingly considered important in the  global dispersal of tick-borne pathogens. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato genospecies in Ixodes ricinus ticks collected on passerine birds from two ornithological stations (Jomfruland and Lista) in southern Norway. In both sampling sites a total of 608 (109 larvae and 499 nymphs) of immature ticks were collected from 157 infested birds representing 26 species. The presence of B. burgdorferi s.l. DNA in ticks was tested using direct PCR amplification of the ospA gene, localized on lp-54 plasmid in B. burgdorferi s.l. genome. Twenty one out of 157 infested (13%) birds carried B. burgdorferi s.l. infected Ixodes ricinus ticks. B. burgdorferi s.l. DNA was detected in 19.7% of the tick samples. In total, 6.4% of larvae (7/109) and 10% of nymphs (50/499) were positive. The vast majority of infected ticks were found on blackbird (Turdus merula). The most frequent genospecies was B. garinii (85.5%), followed by B. afzelii (9.0%) and B. valaisiana (5.5%). Five different B. garinii genotypes were identified. Our findings showed that the blackbirds may support the circulation and spread of B. garinii and B. valaisiana. B. garinii was not detected in questing ticks from investigated locations. B. afzelii genospecies, however, dominated in questing ticks, rodents and ticks from rodents.

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