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. 2021 Jun 10;9(6):1266.
doi: 10.3390/microorganisms9061266.

Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato in Questing and Engorged Ticks from Different Habitat Types in Southern Germany

Cristian Răileanu  1 , Cornelia Silaghi  1   2 , Volker Fingerle  3 , Gabriele Margos  3 , Claudia Thiel  2 , Kurt Pfister  2 , Evelyn Overzier  2
Affiliations

Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato in Questing and Engorged Ticks from Different Habitat Types in Southern Germany

Cristian Răileanu et al. Microorganisms. .

Abstract

Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) causes the most common tick-borne infection in Europe, with Germany being amongst the countries with the highest incidences in humans. This study aimed at (1) comparing infection rates of B. burgdorferi s.l. in questing Ixodes ricinus ticks from different habitat types in Southern Germany, (2) analysing genospecies distribution by habitat type, and (3) testing tissue and ticks from hosts for B. burgdorferi s.l. Questing ticks from urban, pasture, and natural habitats together with feeding ticks from cattle (pasture) and ticks and tissue samples from wild boars and roe deer (natural site) were tested by PCR and RFLP for species differentiation. B. burgdorferi s.l. was found in 29.8% questing adults and 15% nymphs. Prevalence was lower at the urban sites with occurrence of roe deer than where these were absent. Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. DNA was found in 4.8% ticks from roe deer, 6.3% from wild boar, and 7.8% from cattle. Six genospecies were identified in unfed ticks: Borrelia afzelii (48.6%), Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (16%), Borrelia garinii (13.2%), Borrelia valaisiana (7.5%), Borrelia spielmanii (6.2%), and Borrelia bavariensis (0.9%). This study shows high infection levels and a great diversity of Borrelia in questing ticks. The presence of roe deer seems to reduce B. burgdorferi s.l. infection rates in tick populations.

Keywords: Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato; Germany; Ixodes ricinus; cattle; epidemiology; forest; pasture; roe deer; urban area; wild boar.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
RFLP patterns of the defined Borrelia species used as positive controls for the species differentiation in tick samples.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Overall prevalence of detected Borrelia genospecies in each habitat type. The percentages of positive ticks per genospecies for every single habitat are given. Significant differences between species infection rates are indicated above the bars; *, p < 0.05; ***, p < 0.001.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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