ThirdBorreliaSpecies in White-footed Mice

Jonas Bunikis,Alan G Barbour

doi:10.3201/eid1107.041355

Jonas Bunikis, Alan G Barbour

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3201/eid1107.041355

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Abstract

Third<i>Borrelia</i>Species in White-footed Mice

Highlights

To the Editor: The white-footed mouse, Peromyscus leucopus, is a natural reservoir host of several pathogens, including Borrelia burgdorferi, an agent of Lyme borreliosis (LB) [1]
In a recent study of a 9-hectare site in a mixed hardwood forest in eastern Connecticut, we found that ≈35% of I. scapularis nymphs were infected with B. burgdorferi and ≈6% were infected with B. miyamotoi [4]
A standard PCR assay of the blood samples with primers for the 16S–23S rDNA intergenic spacer (IGS) was performed as described by Bunikis et al [5]; results suggested the presence of a third species of Borrelia among the blood samples of the mice

Summary

Third Borrelia Species in Whitefooted Mice

To the Editor: The white-footed mouse, Peromyscus leucopus, is a natural reservoir host of several pathogens, including Borrelia burgdorferi, an agent of Lyme borreliosis (LB) [1]. Unrooted maximum-likelihood phylogram for partial 16S rRNA gene sequences of selected Borrelia species, including a novel Borrelia organism, and representing Lyme borreliosis and relapsing fever groups. While the new species was detected in 8 of 131 P. leucopus blood samples by using PCR for the IGS, the assays for this organism in the DNA extracts of 282 I. scapularis nymphs [4] from the same geographic site were uniformly negative (p = 0.0003, 2-sided Fisher exact test). This finding suggests that the new spirochete has another vector. The presence of species other than B. burgdorferi in a major reservoir will have to be considered in future surveys and interventions

We thank Hany Mattaous and Lili

Findings

Comparing Diagnostic Coding and Laboratory Results