The hypothesized importance of coinfections in the pathogenesis of post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS) leads to the use of combined, ongoing antimicrobial treatment in many cases despite the absence of symptoms typical of the presence of infection with specific pathogens. Serum samples from 103 patients with suspected post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome were tested for the presence of antibodies to the major tick-borne pathogens Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Bartonella henselae/Bartonella quinatana, and Babesia microti. Although the presence of anti-Anaplasma antibodies was detected in 12.6% of the samples and anti-Bartonella antibodies in 9.7% of the samples, the presence of antibodies against both pathogens in the same samples or anti-Babesia antibodies in the selected group of patients could not be confirmed. However, we were able to detect autoantibodies, mostly antinuclear, in 11.6% of the patients studied. Our results are in good agreement with previously published studies showing the presence of a wide spectrum of autoantibodies in some patients with complicated forms of Lyme disease and post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome, but they do not reveal a significant influence of co-infections on the development of PTLDS in the studied group of patients.

• Keywords
• Anaplasma, Babesia, Bartonella, Lyme disease, co-infection, post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome, seroprevalence, ticks,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

BACKGROUND: Rodents are important reservoirs for zoonotic vector-borne agents. Thus, the distribution of rodents and their vicinity to humans and companion animals may have an important impact on human and animal health. However, the reservoir potential of some rodent genera, e.g. Microtus, has not yet been precisely examined concerning tick-borne pathogens in Central Europe. Therefore, we examined small mammals from Germany and the Czech Republic for the following vector-borne pathogens: Babesia spp., Bartonella spp., Anaplasma phagocytophilum, "Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis" (CNM) and Coxiella burnetii. Spleen DNA from 321 small mammals belonging to four genera, Myodes (n = 78), Apodemus (n = 56), Microtus (n = 149), Sorex (n = 38), collected during 2014 in Germany and the Czech Republic were available for this study. DNA samples were examined for the presence of Babesia and Bartonella DNA by conventional PCR targeting the 18S rRNA gene and the 16S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer region, respectively. For the detection of CNM, A. phagocytophilum and C. burnetii real-time PCR assays were performed. RESULTS: Bartonella spp. DNA was detected in 216 specimens (67.3%) with 102/174 (58.6%) positive in Germany and 114/147 (77.6%) in the Czech Republic. The prevalence in each genus was 44.9% for Myodes, 63.2% for Sorex, 77.2% for Microtus and 75% for Apodemus. Four Bartonella species, i.e. Bartonella sp. N40, B. grahamii, B. taylorii and B. doshiae, as well as uncultured bartonellae, were detected. The Bartonella species diversity was higher in rodents than in shrews. In total, 27/321 (8.4%) small mammals were positive for CNM and 3/321 (0.9%) for A. phagocytophilum (S. coronatus and M. glareolus). All samples were negative for Babesia spp. and Coxiella spp. CONCLUSIONS: While the detected high prevalence for Bartonella in Apodemus and Myodes spp. is confirmatory with previous findings, the prevalence in Microtus spp. was unexpectedly high. This indicates that individuals belonging to this genus may be regarded as potential reservoirs. Interestingly, only Sorex spp. and M. glareolus were positive for A. phagocytophilum in the present study, suggesting a possible importance of the latter for the maintenance of certain A. phagocytophilum strains in nature.

• Keywords
• Anaplasma, Apodemus, Babesia, Bartonella, Coxiella burnetii, Microtus, Myodes, Rodent, Shrew, “Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis”,
• MeSH
• Anaplasma phagocytophilum isolation & purification   MeSH
• Anaplasmataceae isolation & purification   MeSH
• Babesia isolation & purification   MeSH
• Bartonella isolation & purification   MeSH
• Coxiella burnetii isolation & purification   MeSH
• Rodentia microbiology   parasitology   MeSH
• Prevalence MeSH
• Disease Reservoirs microbiology   parasitology   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic epidemiology   MeSH

Ixodes ricinus ticks are vectors of numerous human and animal pathogens. They are host generalists able to feed on more than 300 vertebrate species. The prevalence of tick-borne pathogens is influenced by host-vector-pathogen interactions that results in spatial distribution of infection risk. Broad-range polymerase chain reaction electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (PCR/ESI-MS) was used to analyze 435 I. ricinus nymphs from four localities in the south of the Czech Republic for the species identification of tick-borne pathogens. Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato spirochetes were the most common pathogen detected in the ticks; 21% of ticks were positive for a single genospecies and 2% were co-infected with two genospecies. Other tick-borne pathogens detected included Rickettsia helvetica (3.9%), R. monacensis (0.2%), Anaplasma phagocytophilum (2.8%), Babesia venatorum (0.9%), and Ba. microti (0.5%). The vertebrate host of the ticks was determined using PCR followed by reverse line blot hybridization from the tick's blood-meal remnants. The host was identified for 61% of ticks. DNA of two hosts was detected in 16% of samples with successful host identification. The majority of ticks had fed on artiodactyls (50.7%) followed by rodents (28.6%) and birds (7.8%). Other host species were wild boar, deer, squirrels, field mice and voles.

• Keywords
• Anaplasma, Babesia, Borrelia, Ixodes ricinus, Lyme borreliosis, PCR-ESI/MS, Rickettsia, host, tick,
• MeSH
• Anaplasma phagocytophilum genetics   isolation & purification   MeSH
• Artiodactyla MeSH
• Arvicolinae MeSH
• Babesia classification   genetics   isolation & purification   MeSH
• Borrelia burgdorferi genetics   isolation & purification   MeSH
• Tick Infestations * MeSH
• Ixodes microbiology   parasitology   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Mice MeSH
• Surveys and Questionnaires MeSH
• Birds MeSH
• Rickettsia classification   genetics   isolation & purification   MeSH
• Sciuridae MeSH
• Sus scrofa MeSH
• Deer MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Mice MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic MeSH