title: Distribution and prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in Ixodes ricinus ticks of canton Ticino (Switzerland).
abstract: Free-living Ixodes ricinus ticks were collected from 12 different sites of canton Ticino, south of the Alps (Switzerland). Each tick was examined for the presence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (sl), the etiologic agent of Lyme borreliosis using direct fluorescent antibody assay, and isolation of the bacteria. Borreliae were characterized by PCR followed by RFLP. The abundance and infection rates of I. ricinus ticks varied greatly between the areas. Two localities were found free of Borrelia. The prevalence of infected ticks ranged from 5 to 19%. Most ticks (96%) were found infected by < 50 spirochetes. Three B. burgdorferi sl species were successfully isolated: B. garinii dominated, followed by B. lusitaniae and B. valaisiana. Additionally, a mixed infection with B. garinii and B. valaisiana was observed. The distribution of the various Borrelia species in the different areas was heterogeneous. This is the first report of the presence of B. lusitaniae in I. ricinus in Switzerland.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Zoologie, University of Neuchâtel, Emile Argand 11, Neuchâtel 7, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Fatima
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jouda
authors.forename: Mara
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Crippa
authors.forename: Jean-Luc
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Perret
authors.forename: Lise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gern
mesh_terms: D000531:Altitude; D000818:Animals; D001096:Arachnid Vectors / Q000382:microbiology; D015748:Borrelia burgdorferi Group / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D018884:Ixodes / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors; D013557:Switzerland; D013984:Tick Infestations / Q000382:microbiology*; D013995:Time
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial