title: Ixodes ricinus ticks (Acari: Ixodidae): vectors for Lyme disease spirochetes in Romania.
abstract: In this study 1,868 questing Ixodes ricinus ticks (nymphs and adults), collected in six sites from three counties--Giurgiu, Sibiu, and Tulcea--in Romania, were examined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by reverse line blot (RLB) for detection of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato presence. The bacteria were found in 18% of the investigated ticks. The prevalence of infection did not differ significantly between nymphs (19.1%) and adults (15.4%). Three B. burgdorferi s.l. genospecies were detected: B. afzelii (61.1%), B. garinii (31.2%), and B. valaisiana (7.7%). No mixed infections were detected. The highest infection prevalence in nymphs was detected at Cristian (Sibiu County)--22.0%, whereas in adults it was at Comana (Giurgiu County)--19.8%. This preliminary study provides evidence that Lyme disease spirochetes are present in various regions of Romania, and at a relatively high prevalence in their vectors, thus posing a risk of infection to human subjects in the areas infested by ticks.
authors: National Institute of Research-Development for Microbiology and Immunology Cantacuzino, 103 Splaiul Independenţei, 050096, Bucharest, Romania. elenaclaudiarv@yahoo.co.uk
authors: Elena Claudia
authors: EC
authors: Coipan
authors: Alexandru Filip
authors: AF
authors: Vladimirescu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001096:Arachnid Vectors / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000502:physiology; D025065:Borrelia burgdorferi / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D018884:Ixodes / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000502:physiology; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D009758:Nymph / Q000382:microbiology / Q000502:physiology; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012383:Romania