title: Human seroprevalence against Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in two comparable regions of the eastern Alps is not correlated to vector infection rates.
abstract: Seroprevalences were determined by testing sera of 1607 blood donors from North, East, and South Tyrol. In the Tyrols, the continental divide delimitates areas with high seroprevalences of IgG antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in the North (7.2%) from areas with low seroprevalences in the South (1.5%). To determine Borrelia prevalences in unfed Ixodes ricinus ticks, 755 questing ticks were tested by PCR. Prevalences in nymphal and adult ticks were found to be 19.7% (n=132) and 21.5% (n=205) in North Tyrol and 23% (n=43) and 23.7% (n=376) in South Tyrol, respectively. Sequencing of 46 Borrelia-positive ticks yielded 74% Borrelia (B.) afzelii, 11% B. garinii, 7% B. lusitaniae, 7% B. burgdorferi sensu stricto, and 2% B. valaisiana infections. Distinct genetic clusters could not be delimitated on either side of the continental divide. This study describes occurrence and geographic dispersion of Borrelia spp. in the Tyrols, discusses possible reasons for significant differences in human seroprevalence, and indicates that prevalence of Borrelia in vector ticks is not a direct predictive factor for the local seroprevalence in humans.
authors: Section for Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria; Dr. Gernot Walder GmbH, Außervillgraten, Austria. Electronic address: sissyson@gmx.at.
authors: S T
authors: ST
authors: Sonnleitner
authors: Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down, UK.
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Margos
authors: Section for Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria.
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Wex
authors: Department of Health of the Autonomous Province of South Tyrol, Bozen, Italy.
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Simeoni
authors: Research Center for Agriculture and Forestry Laimburg, Pfatten, Italy.
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Zelger
authors: Clinics of Neurology, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Schmutzhard
authors: Section for Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria.
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Lass-Flörl
authors: Section for Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria; Dr. Gernot Walder GmbH, Außervillgraten, Austria.
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Walder
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D025065:Borrelia burgdorferi / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood*; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D018884:Ixodes / Q000382:microbiology*; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009758:Nymph; D058974:Phylogeography; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G
keywords: Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato; Epidemiology; Phylogenetics; Prevalence; Tyrols