title: Borrelia miyamotoi is widespread in Ixodes ricinus ticks in southern Norway.
abstract: From April to October 2007, host-seeking Ixodes ricinus ticks were collected from four locations in southern Norway; Farsund, Mandal, Søgne and Tromøy, respectively. Larvae (n=210), nymphs (n=1130) and adults (n=449) were investigated for infection with Borrelia miyamotoi by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of part of the 16S rRNA gene. Results were verified by direct sequencing of the PCR amplicon generated from the rrs (16S)-rrl (23S) intergenetic spacer. B. miyamotoi was detected at all sites and throughout the period of questing activity, with infection prevalence (≤1.26%) similar to what has been seen in other European countries. Detection of the relapsing fever spirochete at all locations indicates a wide distribution in southern Norway. This is the first report of B. miyamotoi prevalence in ticks collected from Norway. As not much is known about the spatiotemporal dynamics of this relatively recently discovered pathogen, the conclusions of this study significantly add to the knowledge regarding B. miyamotoi in this region.
authors.affiliation: University of Agder, Department of Engineering and Science, Kristiansand, Norway; Sørlandet Hospital Health Enterprise, Research Unit, Kristiansand, Norway. Electronic address: vivian.kjelland@uia.no.
authors.forename: Vivian
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kjelland
authors.affiliation: University of Agder, Department of Engineering and Science, Kristiansand, Norway.
authors.forename: Rikke
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rollum
authors.affiliation: University of Agder, Department of Engineering and Science, Kristiansand, Norway.
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Korslund
authors.affiliation: University of Agder, Department of Engineering and Science, Kristiansand, Norway.
authors.forename: Audun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Slettan
authors.affiliation: Stavanger University Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway.
authors.forename: Dag
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tveitnes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001898:Borrelia / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D005260:Female; D018884:Ixodes / Q000145:classification / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009664:Norway; D009758:Nymph / Q000382:microbiology; D010802:Phylogeny
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial
keywords: Borrelia miyamotoi; Infection prevalence; Ixodes ricinus ticks; Real-time PCR; Sequencing