title: Prevalence of ticks in relation to their role as vector of Borrelia burgdorferi under autochthone conditions.
abstract: A total of 59 (78.7%) of 75 areas were found to be inhabitated by ticks; all the 4335 collected ticks were identified as Ixodes ricinus. Both nymphs and adults were found to be more active during the late spring and early summer months. Ticks of 29 recreation areas were found to be carrying spirochaetes. Considering the total number of 75 recreation areas examined and the total number of 59 areas inhabitated by ticks the percentage was 38.7 and 49.2 respectively. The positivity rate by dark field microscopy was 16.7% in 653 tick samples (single nymphs 8.8%, pooled nymph samples 21.5%, single females 10.9% and single males 10.8%). Overall positivity rate by culture examination of 245 samples was 22.8%. It was maximal in nymphs (24.7%) followed by males (21.1%) and females (19.7%). 10.2% of the 177 samples, found negative by DFM, were positive by this method. A positivity rate of 23.9% in 96 tick samples was found by IFAT. A total of 56 spirochaete-strains were obtained of which 51 could be maintained further; 50 strains were identified as Borrelia burgdorferi.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Parasitologie und Tropenveterinärmedizin, Fachbereich Veterinärmedizin, Standort Mitte, Freie Universität, Berlin.
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schönberg
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hiepe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001096:Arachnid Vectors / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000382:microbiology; D015748:Borrelia burgdorferi Group / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D018884:Ixodes / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D009758:Nymph; D012621:Seasons