Prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi s.I. in Ixodes ricinus ticks from Styria (Austria) and species identification by PCR-RFLP analysis.
A total of 1163 I. ricinus ticks were collected in 3 different regions (15 localities) in Styria (Austria) in June 1997 and examined for the presence of spirochetes by dark field microscopy. The mean infection rate was 20.8%. Among 310 adults, 24.2% were positive and among 853 nymphs, 19.6% were positive. All 15 collection areas were shown to harbour infected nymphs with a positivity rate ranging from 5.8% (3/52) to 32.1% (18/56). Isolation attempts in BSKII medium resulted in 29 isolates. Species identification by PCR-RFLP analysis revealed 16 strains of B. garinii, 10 strains of B. afzelii and 2 strains of B. burgdorferi s. s. One isolate showed a mixed population of B. garinii and B. afzelii. In two collection areas, all three major Borrelia species were shown to be present in the tick population.
Stünzner
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D
Hygiene Institut d. Karl Franzens Universität Graz, Austria. doris.stuenzner@kfunigraz.ac.at
Hubalek
Z
Z
Halouzka
J
J
Postic
D
D
Pierer
K
K
Marth
E
E
D000818:Animals; D001096:Arachnid Vectors / Q000382:microbiology*; D001317:Austria; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D015748:Borrelia burgdorferi Group / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D020459:Genes, rRNA; D018884:Ixodes / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D009758:Nymph / Q000382:microbiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D012338:RNA, Ribosomal, 23S / Q000235:genetics; D012341:RNA, Ribosomal, 5S / Q000235:genetics