Human Exposure to Tickborne Relapsing Fever SpirocheteBorreliamiyamotoi, the Netherlands

Manoj Fonville,Paul D Hengeveld,Wilfrid Van Pelt,Seta Jahfari,Agnetha Hofhuis,Arieke Docters Van Leeuwen,Cees C Van Den Wijngaard,Margriet G Harms,Arnold J.H Van Vliet,Ingrid.H.M Friesema,Hein Sprong

doi:10.3201/eid2007.131525

Abstract

Human Exposure to Tickborne Relapsing Fever Spirochete<i>Borrelia</i><i>miyamotoi</i>, the Netherlands

Highlights

To the Editor: Borrelia miyamotoi is a relatively novel tickborne relapsing fever spirochete, and is a different species than B. burgdorferi sensu lato, the causative pathogen of Lyme borreliosis [1]
Earlier studies included ticks collected through flagging an area [1,2]; our study provides specific information about the infection rate of ticks feeding on humans
Quantitative PCR-positive tick lysates were tested with a conventional PCR, which amplifies a fragment of glycerophosphodiester phosphodiesterase gene, to confirm the outcome [5]

Summary

Introduction

To the Editor: Borrelia miyamotoi is a relatively novel tickborne relapsing fever spirochete, and is a different species than B. burgdorferi sensu lato, the causative pathogen of Lyme borreliosis [1]. Earlier studies included ticks collected through flagging an area [1,2]; our study provides specific information about the infection rate of ticks feeding on humans. The ticks were collected from persons who reported their tick bites on the website http:// www.tekenradar.nl. After removal of the ticks from the skin, the ticks were submitted to the National Institute of Public Health and the Environment.

Results

Conclusion