Ixodes ricinus ticks (Acari: Ixodidae): vectors for Lyme disease spirochetes in Romania

In this study 1,868 questing Ixodes ricinus ticks (nymphs and adults), collected in six sites from three counties—Giurgiu, Sibiu, and Tulcea—in Romania, were examined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by reverse line blot (RLB) for detection of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato presence. The...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Experimental & applied acarology 2011-07, Vol.54 (3), p.293-300
Main Authors: Coipan, Elena Claudia, Vladimirescu, Alexandru Filip
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acari
Animal Ecology
Animal Genetics and Genomics
Animal Systematics/Taxonomy/Biogeography
Animals
Arachnid Vectors - microbiology
Arachnid Vectors - physiology
Arachnida
Biological and medical sciences
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Borrelia burgdorferi
Borrelia burgdorferi - isolation & purification
Entomology
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Health risks
Humans
Invertebrates
Ixodes - microbiology
Ixodes - physiology
Ixodes ricinus
Ixodidae
Life Sciences
Lyme disease
Lyme Disease - epidemiology
Lyme Disease - microbiology
Medically important nuisances and vectors, pests of stored products and materials: population survey and control
Nymph - microbiology
Nymph - physiology
Risk Assessment
Romania
Spirochetes
Vector-borne diseases
Vectors. Intermediate hosts
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Summary:In this study 1,868 questing Ixodes ricinus ticks (nymphs and adults), collected in six sites from three counties—Giurgiu, Sibiu, and Tulcea—in Romania, were examined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by reverse line blot (RLB) for detection of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato presence. The bacteria were found in 18% of the investigated ticks. The prevalence of infection did not differ significantly between nymphs (19.1%) and adults (15.4%). Three B . burgdorferi s.l. genospecies were detected: B. afzelii (61.1%), B . garinii (31.2%), and B . valaisiana (7.7%). No mixed infections were detected. The highest infection prevalence in nymphs was detected at Cristian (Sibiu County)—22.0%, whereas in adults it was at Comana (Giurgiu County)—19.8%. This preliminary study provides evidence that Lyme disease spirochetes are present in various regions of Romania, and at a relatively high prevalence in their vectors, thus posing a risk of infection to human subjects in the areas infested by ticks.
ISSN:0168-8162
1572-9702
DOI:10.1007/s10493-011-9438-4