First record of Lyme disease Borrelia in the Arctic.
The epidemiology and ecology of Lyme disease is very complex, and its reported geographical distribution is constantly increasing. Furthermore, the involvement of birds in long distance dispersal and their role as reservoir hosts is now well established. In this study, we have shown that sea birds in the Arctic region of Norway carry Ixodes uriae ticks infected with Lyme disease Borrelia garinii spirochetes. Interestingly, DNA sequencing showed that these isolates are closely related to B. garinii previously isolated from birds, as well as from clinical specimens in northern Europe.
Larsson
Christer
C
Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
Comstedt
Pär
P
Olsen
Björn
B
Bergström
Sven
S
D000818:Animals; D001110:Arctic Regions; D001179:Arthropod Vectors / Q000382:microbiology*; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000469:parasitology; D015748:Borrelia burgdorferi Group / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology*; D046091:Charadriiformes / Q000469:parasitology*; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000235:genetics; D004478:Ectoparasitic Infestations / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary; D018884:Ixodes / Q000382:microbiology*; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000382:microbiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009664:Norway
D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer