Borrelia lusitaniae in Immature Ixodes ricinus (Acari: Ixodidae) Feeding on Common Wall Lizards in Tuscany, Central Italy

2007 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 303-307 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giuseppina Amore ◽  
Laura Tomassone ◽  
Elena Grego ◽  
Charlotte Ragagli ◽  
Luigi Bertolotti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ixodes Ricinus ◽  
Central Italy ◽  
Borrelia Lusitaniae ◽  
Common Wall

Borrelia lusitaniae and Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiae in Ixodes ricinus (Acari: Ixodidae) in Tuscany, Central Italy

2006 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 159-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luigi Bertolotti ◽  
Laura Tomassone ◽  
Clara Tramuta ◽  
Elena Grego ◽  
Giuseppina Amore ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ixodes Ricinus ◽  
Spotted Fever ◽  
Central Italy ◽  
Spotted Fever Group ◽  
Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiae ◽  
Borrelia Lusitaniae

scholarly journals Approaches for Reverse Line Blot-Based Detection of Microbial Pathogens in Ixodes ricinus Ticks Collected in Austria and Impact of the Chosen Method

2017 ◽  
Vol 83 (13) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna-Margarita Schötta ◽  
Michiel Wijnveld ◽  
Hannes Stockinger ◽  
Gerold Stanek
Keyword(s):  
Borrelia Burgdorferi ◽  
Ixodes Ricinus ◽  
Target Genes ◽  
Wide Spectrum ◽  
Microbial Interactions ◽  
Reverse Line Blot ◽  
Detection Methods ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Borrelia Lusitaniae ◽  
Neoehrlichia Mikurensis

ABSTRACT Ticks transmit a large number of pathogens capable of causing human disease. In this study, the PCR-reverse line blot (RLB) method was used to screen for pathogens in a total of 554 Ixodes ricinus ticks collected from all provinces of Austria. These pathogens belong to the genera Borrelia, Rickettsiae, Anaplasma/Ehrlichia (including “Candidatus Neoehrlichia”), Babesia, and Coxiella. The pathogens with the highest detected prevalence were spirochetes of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex, in 142 ticks (25.6%). Borrelia afzelii (80/142) was the most frequently detected species, followed by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (38/142) and Borrelia valaisiana (36/142). Borrelia garinii/Borrelia bavariensis, Borrelia lusitaniae, and Borrelia spielmanii were found in 28 ticks, 5 ticks, and 1 tick, respectively. Rickettsia spp. were detected in 93 ticks (16.8%): R. helvetica (39/93), R. raoultii (38/93), R. monacensis (2/93), and R. slovaca (1/93). Thirteen Rickettsia samples remain uncharacterized. “Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis,” Babesia spp. (B. venatorum, B. divergens, B. microti), and Anaplasma phagocytophilum were found in 4.5%, 2.7%, and 0.7%, respectively. Coxiella burnetii was not detected. Multiple microorganisms were detected in 40 ticks (7.2%), and the cooccurrence of Babesia spp. and “Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis” showed a significant positive correlation. We also compared different PCR-RLBs for detection of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and Rickettsia spp. and showed that different detection approaches provide highly diverse results, indicating that analysis of environmental samples remains challenging. IMPORTANCE This study determined the wide spectrum of tick-borne bacterial and protozoal pathogens that can be encountered in Austria. Surveillance of (putative) pathogenic microorganisms occurring in the environment is of medical importance, especially when those agents can be transmitted by ticks and cause disease. The observation of significant coinfections of certain microorganisms in field-collected ticks is an initial step to an improved understanding of microbial interactions in ticks. In addition, we show that variations in molecular detection methods, such as in primer pairs and target genes, can considerably influence the final results. For instance, detection of certain genospecies of borreliae may be better or worse by one method or the other, a fact of great importance for future screening studies.

Do demographic aspects of neighbouring lizard populations differ? A case study with the common wall lizard, Podarcis muralis

2008 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 443-448 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giulia Gracceva ◽  
Marco Bologna ◽  
Luca Luiselli ◽  
Pierluigi Bombi
Keyword(s):  
Central Italy ◽  
Morphological Characteristics ◽  
Archaeological Site ◽  
Podarcis Muralis ◽  
Morphological Aspects ◽  
Common Wall ◽  
Adult Sex Ratio ◽  
Size Population ◽  
The Common ◽  
Tail Condition

Abstract Demographic and morphological aspects of two nearby subpopulations of the common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis) were studied, by a capture-mark-recapture procedure, at an archaeological site in the surroundings of Rome, central Italy. In both sites, the births peak was observed in September. Adult sex-ratio was skewed towards males in one subpopulation, but was close to equality in the other. Morphological characteristics were consistent in the two sites, with males always exhibiting larger snout-vent-length and head size. Population size and density, computed by a Jolly-Seber index applied by using POPAN model revealed differences between subpopulations, with lizard density being much higher in the site with higher habitat heterogeneity and shelter availability. Tail condition was similar between sites. The general implications of these data are discussed.

scholarly journals Prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato in Ticks Collected from Migratory Birds in Switzerland

2006 ◽  
Vol 72 (1) ◽  
pp. 976-979 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie-Angèle Poupon ◽  
Elena Lommano ◽  
Pierre-François Humair ◽  
Véronique Douet ◽  
Olivier Rais ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Borrelia Burgdorferi ◽  
Ixodes Ricinus ◽  
Tick Species ◽  
Tick Infestation ◽  
Migratory Birds ◽  
Borrelia Burgdorferi Sensu Lato ◽  
Borrelia Garinii ◽  
Borrelia Lusitaniae ◽  
Reservoir Hosts

ABSTRACT The prevalence of ticks infected by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato on birds during their migrations was studied in Switzerland. A total of 1,270 birds captured at two sites were examined for tick infestation. Ixodes ricinus was the dominant tick species. Prevalences of tick infestation were 6% and 18.2% for birds migrating northward and southward, respectively. Borrelia valaisiana was the species detected most frequently in ticks, followed by Borrelia garinii and Borrelia lusitaniae. Among birds infested by infected ticks, 23% (6/26) were infested by B. lusitaniae-infected larvae. Migratory birds appear to be reservoir hosts for B. lusitaniae.

scholarly journals Perpetuation of the Lyme Disease Spirochete Borrelia lusitaniae by Lizards

2006 ◽  
Vol 72 (7) ◽  
pp. 4627-4632 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dania Richter ◽  
Franz-Rainer Matuschka
Keyword(s):  
Lyme Disease ◽  
Small Rodents ◽  
Podarcis Muralis ◽  
Central European ◽  
Borrelia Lusitaniae ◽  
Common Wall ◽  
Infected Adult ◽  
Questing Ticks ◽  
Lacerta Agilis ◽  
A Site

ABSTRACT To determine whether the Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia lusitaniae is associated with lizards, we compared the prevalence and genospecies of spirochetes present in rodent- and lizard-associated ticks at a site where this spirochete frequently infects questing ticks. Whereas questing nymphal Ixodes ricinus ticks were infected mainly by Borrelia afzelii, one-half of the infected adult ticks harbored B. lusitaniae at our study site. Lyme disease spirochetes were more prevalent in sand lizards (Lacerta agilis) and common wall lizards (Podarcis muralis) than in small rodents. Although subadult ticks feeding on rodents acquired mainly B. afzelii, subadult ticks feeding on lizards became infected by B. lusitaniae. Genetic analysis confirmed that the spirochetes isolated from ticks feeding on lizards are members of the B. lusitaniae genospecies and resemble type strain PotiB2. At our central European study site, lizards, which were previously considered zooprophylactic for the agent of Lyme disease, appear to perpetuate B. lusitaniae.

scholarly journals Detection of Anaplasma phagocytophilum genotypes that are potentially virulent for human in wild ruminants and Ixodes ricinus in Central Italy

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
pp. 782-787 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Di Domenico ◽  
I. Pascucci ◽  
V. Curini ◽  
A. Cocco ◽  
F. Dall’Acqua ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ixodes Ricinus ◽  
Anaplasma Phagocytophilum ◽  
Central Italy ◽  
Wild Ruminants

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.

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