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

• Published in: Experimental & applied acarology Vol. 54; no. 3; pp. 293 - 300
• Main Authors: Coipan, Elena Claudia, Vladimirescu, Alexandru Filip
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.07.2011; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• 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; Europe; Romania; Lyme disease; sensu lato; PCR-RLB; Romania; Ticks; Spirochaetaceae; Acari; Spirochaetosis; Bacteria; Vector; Ixodidae; Parasitiformes; Borrelia burgdorferi; Spirochaetales; Borrelia infection; Parasite; Infection; Polymerase chain reaction; Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato; Arachnida; Ixodida; Arthropoda; Bacteriosis; Ectoparasite; Ixodes ricinus; Invertebrata
• DOI: 10.1007/s10493-011-9438-4
• ISSN: 0168-8162; 1572-9702

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.