title: Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and co-infections with Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Rickettsia spp. in Ixodes ricinus in Hamburg, Germany.
abstract: To obtain initial data on Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (Spirochaetales: Spirochaetaceae) in Ixodes ricinus (Ixodida: Ixodidae) ticks in Hamburg, Germany, 1400 questing ticks were collected by flagging at 10 different public recreation areas in 2011 and analysed using probe-based quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The overall rate of infection with B. burgdorferi s.l. was 34.1%; 30.0% of adults were infected (36.7% of females and 26.0% of males), as were 34.5% of nymphs. Significant differences in tick infection rates were observed between the spring and summer/autumn months, as well as among sampling locations. Borrelia genospecies identification by reverse line blotting was successful in 43.6% of positive tick samples. The most frequent genospecies was Borrelia garinii/Borrelia bavariensis, followed by Borrelia afzelii, Borrelia valaisiana, B. burgdorferi sensu stricto, Borrelia spielmanii, Borrelia bissettii and Borrelia lusitaniae. Based on previously published data, co-infection of Borrelia and Rickettsiales spp. was determined in 25.8% of ticks. Overall, 22.9% of ticks were co-infected with Rickettsia spp. (Rickettsiales: Rickettsiaceae), 1.7% with Anaplasma phagocytophilum (Rickettsiales: Anaplasmataceae), and 1.2% with both pathogens. Study results show a high prevalence of Borrelia-positive ticks in recreation areas in the northern German city of Hamburg and the potential health risk to humans in these areas should not be underestimated.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Parasitology, Centre for Infection Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hanover, Germany.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: May
authors.affiliation: Institute for Parasitology, Centre for Infection Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hanover, Germany.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jordan
authors.affiliation: German National Reference Centre for Borrelia, Oberschleissheim, Germany.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fingerle
authors.affiliation: Institute for Parasitology, Centre for Infection Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hanover, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Strube
mesh_terms: D041081:Anaplasma phagocytophilum / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000818:Animals; D015748:Borrelia burgdorferi Group / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D018884:Ixodes / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012281:Rickettsia / Q000302:isolation & purification*
keywords: Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato; Germany; Ixodes ricinus; Rickettsiales; tick-borne diseases