Longitudinal surveillance of the tick Ixodes ricinusfor borreliae

Abstract

Abstract. Host-seeking Ixodes ricinus (L.) (Acari: Ixodidae) were monitored for borreliae (Borrelia burgdorferi s.l.) using dark-field microscopy in South Moravia (Czech Republic) each May from 1991 to 2001 (150 nymphs, 100 females and 100 males each year). This survey revealed a mean annual percentage of infected ticks of 16.8% (range, 11.7±24.2) in nymphs, 24.9% (range, 16.5±33.6) in females and 26.1% (range, 17.1±37.3) in males. Annual incidence of Lyme borreliosis in humans of the area in the same period (range, 8.7±41.7 per 100 000) correlated significantly with the frequency (number of ticks per flag per hour) of nymphs infected with >50 borreliae or all nymphal ticks, but not with the frequency of females, infected females or the infection rate (% of ticks infected) of either nymphal or female ticks. A prediction of the annual incidence of Lyme borreliosis, based on the frequency of heavily infected or all nymphal I. ricinus ticks, is feasible. The infection rate in I. ricinus correlated significantly with the North Atlantic Oscillation winter index of the last year (in nymphs) or of the year before last (in adults).

Identification of Borrelia burgdorferi genospecies isolated from Ixodes ricinus ticks in the South Moravian region of the Czech Republic

“…The average positivity of ticks corresponds with other results from that region and ranges from 20-30%, depending on specific study and locality [14,16]. There are at least two studies in Central Europe testing for the presence of Bbsl in I. ricinus feeding on people.…”

“…Hubálek et al [14] reported that 16.8 -20.4 % of ticks collected in the region were positive for Bbsl. The aim of the presented study was to analyze the presence of Bbsl by RealTime PCR method in all ticks delivered to our laboratory from South Moravia, and collected from human skin.…”

Evidence of Bartonella sp. in questing adult and nymphal Ixodes ricinus ticks from France and co-infection with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and Babesia sp.

“…The prevalence of 3.3% of B. burgdorferi sensu lato PCR-positive ticks is relatively low compared with other studies probably due to the ecological habitat from where the samples were collected. Reported prevalences of B. burgdorferi sensu lato in ticks vary from 1.3% in Switzerland [5] to 55% in areas of Finland [23] with an average between 10 and 20% [9,22,29,36]. Here, we investigated a tick population living on pastures.…”

“…Previous studies have already shown different ranges of prevalence between adults and nymphs, for Borrelia burgdorferi [9,22], for Babesia sp. [26] and Bartonella sp.…”

Detection of Anaplasma DNA in Ixodes ricinus ticks: pitfalls

“…The purpose of this study was to assess prevalence of A. phagocytophilum in nymphal I. ricinus ticks in an area of South Moravia (Czech Republic) where Lyme borreliosis is endemic (Hubálek et al 2003). Host-seeking nymphal I. ricinus were collected by flagging low vegetation during September 2003.…”