PCR Detection of Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato, Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus, and the Human Granulocytic Ehrlichiosis Agent in Ixodes persulcatus Ticks from Western Siberia, Russia

Abstract

PCR assays were used to test adult Ixodes persulcatus ticks from Western Siberia, Russia, for Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), and the human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (HGE) agent. Of the 150 ticks that were studied, 38% were infected with B. burgdorferi, 46% were infected with TBEV, and 8% were infected with the HGE agent. These three pathogens were distributed in the ticks independently of one another.

First report of Anaplasma phagocytophilum and its co-infections with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in Ixodes ricinus ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) from Republic of Moldova

“…A. phagocytophilum infectious prevalence in ticks reported herein was very similar to the HGA infectious rate in ticks from some areas of Russia, ranging from 1 to 8% (Alekseev et al 2001;Morozova et al 2002). On the other hand, the HGA prevalence in questing Ixodes ticks reported from area near capitol town of Bulgaria has been shown to be higher (19.8%) (Christova et al 2001), what perhaps relates to the type of habitat and competent reservoir hosts.…”

“…Low infectious prevalence of A. phagocytophilum and B. burgdorferi s.l. mixed infections has been detected in ticks from western Siberia, Russia (6%) (Morozova et al 2002) and eastern Slovakia (5%) (Derdá ková et al 2003b). We have similarly detected co-infections of both pathogens in 2.5% of tested ticks only, what indicates that these bacteria are independently distributed within tick population.…”

Diversity of Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato in Russian Far East

“…Strains described in this manuscript are shown in bold letters and are underlined. (5,15). All 4 strains of B. afzelii studied were found to be identical based on the ospA gene comparison in spite of the quite different regions of the strains' isolation.…”

Epidemiological survey of tick-borne encephalitis virus and Anaplasma phagocytophilum co-infections in patients from regions of the Czech Republic endemic for tick-borne diseases

“…However, in a study of coinfection rates in Ixodes persulcatus in north-eastern Europe, the two pathogens exhibited mutually exclusive distribution, which suggests that they might circulate in nature in divergent ways, which would further reduce the risk of co-infections in humans [31]. However, another study of the same tick vector indicated no interaction between TBEV and A. phagocytophilum, though results were based on limited material [32]. Additional data will be needed to evaluate the 'entomological risk' of TBEV and A. phagocytophilum co-infections more objectively.…”