title: Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato-infected Ixodes ricinus collected from vegetation near the Arctic Circle.
abstract: This is the first study to determine the density of questing Ixodes ricinus in northern Norway. It was performed at two sites in Brønnøy, which has been known for its tick permissive habitats for decades and is one of the northernmost habitats with an abundant I. ricinus population in the world. From April to November 2011, all stages of host-seeking I. ricinus were collected from the two sites. The overall prevalence of nymphs infected with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato was 21% and that of adult ticks 46%. The rates of the genospecies Borrelia afzelii, Borrelia garinii, and Borrelia valaisiana were similar to findings in most other studies in Scandinavia, with B. afzelii by far the most prevalent at 76%. The high Borrelia-infection prevalence in ticks from Brønnøy may explain the high incidence rate of reported Lyme borreliosis in the municipality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital of North Norway, Sykehusveien 1, 9038 Tromsø, Norway. Electronic address: dag.hvidsten@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Dag
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hvidsten
authors.affiliation: Department of Geosciences, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1047 Blindern, 0316 Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Frode
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Stordal
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Services, Division of Medical Services, County Hospital Ryhov, Sjukhusvägen 1, 55185 Jönköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Malin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lager
authors.affiliation: Department of Geosciences, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1047 Blindern, 0316 Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Bjørg
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rognerud
authors.affiliation: Research Group of Host-Microbe Interactions, Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT - The Arctic University of Norway, P.O. Box 6050 Langnes, 9037 Tromsø, Norway.
authors.forename: Bjørn-Erik
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Kristiansen
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Services, Division of Medical Services, County Hospital Ryhov, Sjukhusvägen 1, 55185 Jönköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matussek
authors.affiliation: UCD School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland.
authors.forename: Jeremy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.affiliation: Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Kyrkjevegen 332/334, 4325 Sandnes, Norway.
authors.forename: Snorre
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stuen
mesh_terms: D063147:Animal Distribution; D000818:Animals; D001110:Arctic Regions; D015748:Borrelia burgdorferi Group / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D014644:Genetic Variation; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D018884:Ixodes / Q000382:microbiology*; D007814:Larva / Q000382:microbiology; D009664:Norway; D009758:Nymph / Q000382:microbiology
keywords: Arctic Circle; Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato; Borrelia spp.; Ixodes ricinus; Prevalence; Tick density