[Isolation of Borrelia burgdorferi in ixodes from four counties, in North Xinjiang].
OBJECTIVE
To identify ticks and determine the Borrelia (B.) burgdorferi genotype from four counties of northern Xinjiang.


METHODS
Sheep ticks were collected from 6 surveillance sites in four counties including Shihezi, Shawan,Yining and Chabuchaer. All ticks were initially screened out based on morphological methods and 16S rRNA sequence analysis. B. burgdorferi was detected and cultivated with BSK-H medium. Combined with nested PCR, silver nitrate staining was employed to detect B. burgdorferi. Genotype of isolated B. burgdorferi was determined by Sequencing and phylogenic analysis based on 11 conference sequences.


RESULTS
Hyalomma asiaticum asiaticum, Haemaphysalis punctata, Dermacentor marginatus and Rhipicephalus turanicus were identified from more than 900 ticks. Out of 24 tubes from 102 representative tick specimens, 16 tube were positive for B. burgdorfer. Sequencing of 5S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer showed 98.6%-99.5% identities to B. burgdorferi Sensu Stricto(B31). Results from the analysis of OspC genotype showed consistent with that of 5S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer.


CONCLUSIONS
16 strains of B. burgdorferi Sensu Stricto were isolated in four counties, from northern Xinjiang. Additionally, B. burgdorferi Sensu Stricto was isolated from Rhipicephalus turanicus first time in China.
Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, College of Medicine.
Lin
L
Zhang
Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, College of Medicine. Email: wyzshz@sina.com.
Yuanzhi
Y
Wang
Department of Veternary Medicine, College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832000, China. Email: ccf-xb@163.com.
Chuangfu
C
Chen
Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, College of Medicine.
Yongxiang
Y
Li
Department of Veternary Medicine, College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832000, China.
Ke
K
Zhang
Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, College of Medicine.
Jingyun
J
Du
Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, College of Medicine.
Yali
Y
Zhang
Department of Veternary Medicine, College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832000, China.
Zhaotang
Z
Che
D000818:Animals; D025065:Borrelia burgdorferi / Q000235:genetics*; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D005838:Genotype; D018884:Ixodes / Q000382:microbiology*; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control
D004269:DNA, Bacterial