Abstract
BackgroundLyme borreliosis caused by spirochetes of the Borrelia burgdorferi (sensu lato) complex is still the most common tick-borne disease in Europe, posing a considerable threat to public health. The predominant vector in Europe is the widespread hard tick Ixodes ricinus, which also transmits the relapsing fever spirochete B. miyamotoi as well as pathogenic Rickettsiales (Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Rickettsia spp.). To assess the public health risk, a long-term monitoring of tick infection rates with the named pathogens is indispensable.MethodsThe present study is the first German 10-year follow-up monitoring of tick infections with Borrelia spp. and co-infections with Rickettsiales. Furthermore, a specific Reverse Line Blot (RLB) protocol for detection of B. miyamotoi and simultaneous differentiation of B. burgdorferi (s.l.) geno-species was established.ResultsOverall, 24.0% (505/2100) of ticks collected in the city of Hanover were infected with Borrelia. In detail, 35.4% (203/573) of adult ticks [38.5% females (111/288) and 32.3% males (92/285)] and 19.8% nymphs (302/1527) were infected, representing consistent infection rates over the 10-year monitoring period. Geno-species differentiation using RLB determined B. miyamotoi in 8.9% (45/505) of positive ticks. Furthermore, a significant decrease in B. afzelii and B. spielmanii infection rates from 2010 to 2015 was observed. Co-infections with Rickettsia spp. and A. phagocytophilum increased between 2010 and 2015 (7.3 vs 10.9% and 0.3 vs 1.1%, respectively).ConclusionsLong-term monitoring is an essential part of public health risk assessment to capture data on pathogen occurrence over time. Such data will reveal shifts in pathogen geno-species distribution and help to answer the question whether or not climate change influences tick-borne pathogens.
Highlights
Lyme borreliosis caused by spirochetes of the Borrelia burgdorferi complex is still the most common tick-borne disease in Europe, posing a considerable threat to public health
Tick material Based on macroscopic identifiable morphologic parameters, all collected ticks were classified as I. ricinus
Borrelia infections in ticks in 2015 In 2015, a total of 24.1% (505/2100) of ticks were infected with Borrelia spp., subdivided into 35.4% adults (203/573), thereof 38.5% females (111/288) and 32.3% males (92/285), as well as 19.8% nymphs (302/1527)
Summary
Lyme borreliosis caused by spirochetes of the Borrelia burgdorferi (sensu lato) complex is still the most common tick-borne disease in Europe, posing a considerable threat to public health. The predominant vector in Europe is the widespread hard tick Ixodes ricinus, which transmits the relapsing fever spirochete B. miyamotoi as well as pathogenic Rickettsiales (Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Rickettsia spp.). Borrelia burgdorferi (s.l.) prevalences in ticks show large differences nationwide [9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18] with exemplarily 3.1% Borrelia-positive ticks at the German Baltic coast [13] and considerably higher infection rates of 34.1% in the northern German city of Hamburg [12] or 36.2% in the southern federal state Bavaria [14]. Severe cases of B. miyamotoiinduced meningoencephalitis have been described in immunocompromised patients [21, 22]
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