Using PCR for detection of Borrelia sp. in Ticks and Ruminants in Egyptian Desert

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the prevalence ofBorrelia burgdorferi infection in ticks and ruminant hosts. Design: Cross sectional study. Animals: 739 Ixodes ticks, 110 camels, 120 sheep and 40 cattle. Procedures: All collected samples were tested by using nested PCR technique (nPCR) using OspA and flaB gene as the targets. Results: Out of 739 adult Ixodes ticks, 111 (15%) were infected, the highest rate was in A. variegatum (43.24%) followed by A. lepidum (30.63%) and B. annulatus (26.13%). Shalatten was the most infected locality (18.52%) followed by Dakhla Oasis and Bir El-Abid in ratio 18.52% and 16.05%, respectively. Camel was the most infected animal (40.74%), then sheep (37.04%) and cattle (22.22%). Conclusion and Clinical relevance: Medical and veterinary professionals in Egypt should consider B. burgdorferi as an emerging pathogen in the country. Future studies are needed to monitoring vertorial capacity of ticks in transmission B. burgdorferi to animals in parallel with discovering other reservoir host animals and the vector competence of tick species for B. burgdorferi and its public health and economic significance in Egypt.