Molecular screening for [i]Bartonella henselae [/i]and [i]Borrelia burgdorferi[/i] sensu lato co-existence within [i]Ixodes ricinus[/i] populations in central and eastern parts of Poland
Journal Title: Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine - Year 2012, Vol 19, Issue 3
Abstract
The presented study aimed at establishing the prevalence and co-infection rates of [i]Bartonella henselae[/i] and [i]Borrelia burgdorferi[/i] sensu lato in [i]Ixodes ricinus[/i] ticks collected from the central and eastern parts of Poland. The common tick individuals were gathered in the years 2008-2009. Questing ticks were sampled by dragging a white woollen flag over lower vegetation at 17 localities within diverse types of habitats: urban recreational green areas (city parks and squares), suburban forests and rural woodlands throughout the investigated regions of Poland. Detection of [i]B. henselae[/i] in tested tick specimens was based on PCR amplification of the citrate synthase ([i]gltA[/i]) gene, while screening for the presence of [i]B. burgdorferi[/i] s.l. DNA was carried out by analyzing fragments of two genes: the flagellin ([i]fla[/i] ) and outer surface protein A ([i]ospA[/i]). A total number of 1,571 [i]I. ricinus[/i] ticks were sampled: 865 (55.1%) nymphs, 377 females (24.0%) and 329 males (20.9%). The application of PCR assays revealed that 76 (4.8%) tick samples were [i]B. henselae[/i]-positive, [i]B. burgdorferi[/i] s.l. DNA was detected in 194 specimens (12.3%), whereas the co-existence of these pathogens was evidenced in 22 tested ticks (1.4%). Furthermore, the occurrence of bartonellae and co-circulation of analysed microorganisms in I. ricinus was affirmed only within adult individuals, while presence of the screened spirochetes was ascertained in both nymphal and adult ticks. It should be stressed that the suburban woods of Warsaw and rural forests in Warsaw County characterized the highest prevalence levels of dual infection with investigated tick-borne pathogens, whereas the lowest co-infection rates were recorded in tick populations inhabiting rural forests in Płock County and forested areas in Korczew-Mogielnica (within the Nadbużański Landscape Park).
Authors and Affiliations
Hubert Sytykiewicz, Grzegorz Karbowiak, Joanna Werszko, Paweł Czerniewicz, Iwona Sprawka, Joanna Mitrus
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP80491
- DOI -
- Views 97
- Downloads 0
Detection of TBEV RNA in Ixodes ricinus ticks in north-eastern Poland
TBEV (Flaviviridae, [i]Flavivirus[/i]) is an etiologic agent of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), the most important arboviral human infection involving the central nervous system. The disease is endemic in a zone extending...
Effectiveness of laparoscopic surgeries in treating infertility related to endometriosis
Introduction. Endometriosis is defined as an illness caused by the presence of foci of endometrial tissue outside the uterine cavity. The illness is found in 5–10% of women at reproductive age. In the group of those suff...
Efficacy of the detection of Legionella in hot and cold water samples by culture and PCR. I. Standardization of methods
The aim of the present study was: – to compare methods for concentration and isolation of [i]Legionella[/i] DNA from water; – to examine the efficacy of various modifications of PCR test (PCR, semi-nested PCR, and real-t...
Correlation between atherogenic risk and adiponectin in gestational diabetes mellitus
Introduction and objective. Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a pregnancy complication which increases the risk for maternal and foetal complications during pregnancy, and also significantly increases the cardiovasc...
Microbial air quality at Szczawnica sanatorium, Poland.
Nowadays, sanatorium treatment is undergoing a renaissance; however, data on air quality in such premises are scarce. The aim of this study was to characterize microbial air quality at the Szczawnica sanatorium in Southe...