Birds are long-known as important disseminators of ixodid ticks, in which context mostly their latitudinal, south-to-north migration is considered. However, several bird species that occur in the eastern part of the northern Palaearctic are known to migrate westward. In this study, a female tick collected from the sedge warbler, Acrocephalus schoenobaenus, in Lithuania was identified morphologically and analyzed with molecular-phylogenetic methods. In addition, literature data were reviewed on ixodid tick species known to be associated with birds that have recorded east-to-west migratory route in the Palaearctic. The tick collected from A. schoenobaenus was morphologically identified as Ixodes apronophorus. Two mitochondrial genetic markers for this specimen showed 100% identity with a conspecific tick reported previously in Western Siberia, Russia. Based on literature data, as many as 82 bird species from 11 orders were found to have records of ringing in the easternmost part of the northern Palaearctic and recaptures in Europe. Of these bird species, 31 ixodid tick species were reported in the Euro-Siberian region. Nearly all passeriform bird species with east-to-west migration were reported to carry ticks, whereas no reports of tick infestation were documented from the majority of wetland-associated bird species, mostly from the orders Anseriformes and Charadriiformes. The first European sequences of bona fide I. apronophorus revealed genetic connectedness with conspecific ticks reported from Siberia. Since the principal hosts of this tick species are rodents which do not migrate large distances, the most likely explanation for genetic similarity in this direction is dispersal of this tick species via migratory birds. Given the high number of tick species that are known to associate with bird species migrating in westward direction, this appears to be an important means of the gene flow between geographically distant tick populations in the northern Palaearctic.

• Klíčová slova
• 16S rRNA gene, Acrocephalus, Bird migration, Ixodidae, Passeriformes, cox1 gene,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

BACKGROUND: The controversy surrounding the potential impact of birds in spirochete transmission dynamics and their capacity to serve as a reservoir has existed for a long time. The majority of analyzed bird species are able to infect larval ticks with Borrelia. Dispersal of infected ticks due to bird migration is a key to the establishment of new foci of Lyme borreliosis. The dynamics of infection in birds supports the mixing of different species, the horizontal exchange of genetic information, and appearance of recombinant genotypes. METHODS: Four Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato strains were cultured from Ixodes minor larvae and four strains were isolated from Ixodes minor nymphs collected from a single Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus). A multilocus sequence analysis that included 16S rRNA, a 5S-23S intergenic spacer region, a 16S-23S internal transcribed spacer, flagellin, p66, and ospC separated 8 strains into 3 distinct groups. Additional multilocus sequence typing of 8 housekeeping genes, clpA, clpX, nifS, pepX, pyrG, recG, rplB, and uvrA was used to resolve the taxonomic status of bird-associated strains. RESULTS: Results of analysis of 14 genes confirmed that the level of divergence among strains is significantly higher than what would be expected for strains within a single species. The presence of cross-species recombination was revealed: Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto housekeeping gene nifS was incorporated into homologous locus of strain, previously assigned to B. americana. CONCLUSIONS: Genetically diverse Borrelia strains are often found within the same tick or same vertebrate host, presenting a wide opportunity for genetic exchange. We report the cross-species recombination that led to incorporation of a housekeeping gene from the B. burgdorferi sensu stricto strain into a homologous locus of another bird-associated strain. Our results support the hypothesis that recombination maintains a majority of sequence polymorphism within Borrelia populations because of the re-assortment of pre-existing sequence variants. Even if our findings of broad genetic diversity among 8 strains cultured from ticks that fed on a single bird could be the exception rather than the rule, they support the theory that the diversity and evolution of LB spirochetes is driven mainly by the host.

• MeSH
• Borrelia burgdorferi klasifikace   genetika   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• esenciální geny MeSH
• fylogeneze MeSH
• genetická variace MeSH
• klíšťata mikrobiologie   MeSH
• molekulární sekvence - údaje MeSH
• ptáci mikrobiologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH

Comparative analysis of ospC genes from 127 Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto strains collected in European and North American regions where Lyme disease is endemic and where it is not endemic revealed a close relatedness of geographically distinct populations. ospC alleles A, B, and L were detected on both continents in vectors and hosts, including humans. Six ospC alleles, A, B, L, Q, R, and V, were prevalent in Europe; 4 of them were detected in samples of human origin. Ten ospC alleles, A, B, D, E3, F, G, H, H3, I3, and M, were identified in the far-western United States. Four ospC alleles, B, G, H, and L, were abundant in the southeastern United States. Here we present the first expanded analysis of ospC alleles of B. burgdorferi strains from the southeastern United States with respect to their relatedness to strains from other North American and European localities. We demonstrate that ospC genotypes commonly associated with human Lyme disease in European and North American regions where the disease is endemic were detected in B. burgdorferi strains isolated from the non-human-biting tick Ixodes affinis and rodent hosts in the southeastern United States. We discovered that some ospC alleles previously known only from Europe are widely distributed in the southeastern United States, a finding that confirms the hypothesis of transoceanic migration of Borrelia species.

• MeSH
• alely * MeSH
• antigeny bakteriální genetika   MeSH
• Borrelia burgdorferi genetika   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• DNA bakterií chemie   genetika   MeSH
• genetická variace MeSH
• genotyp MeSH
• hlodavci mikrobiologie   MeSH
• klíště mikrobiologie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• molekulární sekvence - údaje MeSH
• proteiny vnější bakteriální membrány genetika   MeSH
• sekvenční analýza DNA MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH
• Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S. MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Evropa MeSH
• Severní Amerika MeSH
• Názvy látek
• antigeny bakteriální MeSH
• DNA bakterií MeSH
• OspC protein MeSH Prohlížeč
• proteiny vnější bakteriální membrány MeSH

BACKGROUND: During the last decades, population densities of Ixodes ricinus and prevalences of Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. have increased in different regions in Europe. In the present study, we determined tick abundance and the prevalence of different Borrelia genospecies in ticks from three sites in the Siebengebirge, Germany, which were already examined in the years 1987, 1989, 2001 and 2003. Data from all investigations were compared. METHODS: In 2007 and 2008, host-seeking I. ricinus were collected by monthly blanket dragging at three distinct vegetation sites in the Siebengebirge, a nature reserve and a well visited local recreation area near Bonn, Germany. In both years, 702 ticks were tested for B. burgdorferi s.l. DNA by nested PCR, and 249 tick samples positive for Borrelia were further genotyped by reverse line blotting. RESULTS: A total of 1046 and 1591 I. ricinus were collected in 2007 and 2008, respectively. In comparison to previous studies at these sites, the densities at all sites increased from 1987/89 and/or from 2003 until 2008. Tick densities and Borrelia prevalences in 2007 and 2008, respectively, were not correlated for all sites and both years. Overall, Borrelia prevalence of all ticks decreased significantly from 2007 (19.5%) to 2008 (16.5%), thus reaching the same level as in 2001 two times higher than in 1987/89 (7.6%). Since 2001, single infections with a Borrelia genospecies predominated in all collections, but the number of multiple infections increased, and in 2007, for the first time, triple Borrelia infections occurred. Prevalences of Borrelia genospecies differed considerably between the three sites, but B. garinii or B. afzelii were always the most dominant genospecies. B. lusitaniae was detected for the first time in the Siebengebirge, also in co-infections with B. garinii or B. valaisiana. CONCLUSIONS: Over the last two centuries tick densities have changed in the Siebengebirge at sites that remained unchanged by human activity since they belong to a nature reserve. Abiotic and biotic conditions most likely favored the host-seeking activity of I. ricinus and the increase of multiple Borrelia infections in ticks. These changes have led to a potential higher risk of humans and animals to be infected with Lyme borreliosis.

• MeSH
• Borrelia burgdorferi komplex klasifikace   genetika   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• časové faktory MeSH
• DNA bakterií genetika   MeSH
• hustota populace MeSH
• klíště růst a vývoj   mikrobiologie   MeSH
• polymerázová řetězová reakce MeSH
• prevalence MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Německo MeSH
• Názvy látek
• DNA bakterií MeSH

Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) complex is a diverse group of worldwide distributed bacteria that includes 18 named spirochete species and a still not named group proposed as genomospecies 2. Descriptions of new species and variants continue to be recognized, so the current number of described species is probably not final. Most of known spirochete species are considered to have a limited distribution. Eleven species from the B. burgdorferi s.l. complex were identified in and strictly associated with Eurasia (B. afzelii, B. bavariensis, B. garinii, B. japonica, B. lusitaniae, B. sinica, B. spielmanii, B. tanukii, B. turdi, B. valaisiana, and B. yangtze), while another 5 (B. americana, B. andersonii, B. californiensis, B. carolinensis, and B. kurtenbachii) were previously believed to be restricted to the USA only. B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.), B. bissettii, and B. carolinensis share the distinction of being present in both the Old and the New World. Out of the 18 genospecies, 3 commonly and 4 occasionally infect humans, causing Lyme borreliosis (LB) - a multisystem disease that is often referred to as the 'great imitator' due to diversity of its clinical manifestations. Among the genospecies that commonly infect people, i.e. B. burgdorferi s.s., B. afzelii, and B. garinii, only B. burgdorferi s.s. causes LB both in the USA and in Europe, with a wide spectrum of clinical conditions ranging from minor cutaneous erythema migrans (EM) to severe arthritis or neurological manifestations. The epidemiological data from many European countries and the USA show a dramatic increase of the diagnosed cases of LB due to the development of new progressive diagnostic methods during the last decades (Hubálek, 2009). Recently, the definition of the disease has also changed. What was not considered Lyme borreliosis before might be now.

• MeSH
• arachnida jako vektory mikrobiologie   fyziologie   MeSH
• Borrelia burgdorferi klasifikace   genetika   izolace a purifikace   patogenita   MeSH
• DNA bakterií genetika   MeSH
• druhová specificita MeSH
• fylogeneze MeSH
• fylogeografie MeSH
• genetická variace MeSH
• hlodavci MeSH
• klíšťata mikrobiologie   fyziologie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• lymeská nemoc * diagnóza   epidemiologie   mikrobiologie   přenos   MeSH
• polymerázová řetězová reakce MeSH
• ptáci MeSH
• techniky typizace bakterií metody   MeSH
• veřejné zdravotnictví MeSH
• zdroje nemoci MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• přehledy MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH
• Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S. MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Asie MeSH
• Evropa MeSH
• Spojené státy americké MeSH
• Názvy látek
• DNA bakterií MeSH

Blackbirds (Turdus merula) and song thrushes (Turdus philomelos) were found to carry 95% of all spirochete-infected tick larvae among 40 bird species captured in Central Europe. More than 90% of the infections were typed as Borrelia garinii and Borrelia valaisiana. We conclude that thrushes are key players in the maintenance of these spirochete species in this region of Central Europe.

• MeSH
• Borrelia burgdorferi komplex genetika   MeSH
• infekce bakteriemi rodu Borrelia epidemiologie   veterinární   MeSH
• klíšťata genetika   mikrobiologie   MeSH
• molekulární sekvence - údaje MeSH
• nemoci ptáků mikrobiologie   MeSH
• Passeriformes mikrobiologie   parazitologie   MeSH
• prevalence MeSH
• regresní analýza MeSH
• rizikové faktory MeSH
• sekvence nukleotidů MeSH
• sekvenční analýza DNA veterinární   MeSH
• zdroje nemoci mikrobiologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• srovnávací studie MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika epidemiologie   MeSH
• Slovenská republika epidemiologie   MeSH

We have screened 91 migratory birds representing 32 species during the autumn of 2003 for the presence of the zoonotic pathogens Borrelia and Chlamydophila. Using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), B. burgdorferi sensu stricto was detected in cloacal swabs and, in two causes, also in throat swabs in 8 individuals (8.7 %) representing 7 birds species; B. garinii and B. afzelii were not detected. C. psittaci was detected only in cloacal swabs; 6 birds (6.6 %) from four species were found to be positive. The PCR products were sequenced and the sequences were compared phylogenetically with the gene sequences of 14 Chlamydophila strains retrieved from nucleotide databases; although the sequenced DNA was only 110 bp long, all obtained sequences created a new cluster with sublines branching from a position close to the periphery of the genus. All tested samples appear distinct within the known species and were most similar to C. felis or C. abortis.

• MeSH
• Borrelia burgdorferi klasifikace   genetika   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• Chlamydophila psittaci klasifikace   genetika   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• DNA bakterií analýza   chemie   genetika   MeSH
• farynx mikrobiologie   MeSH
• fylogeneze MeSH
• kloaka mikrobiologie   MeSH
• lymeská nemoc epidemiologie   mikrobiologie   veterinární   MeSH
• nemoci ptáků epidemiologie   mikrobiologie   MeSH
• polymerázová řetězová reakce MeSH
• psitakóza epidemiologie   mikrobiologie   veterinární   MeSH
• ptáci mikrobiologie   MeSH
• ribozomální DNA chemie   genetika   MeSH
• RNA ribozomální 16S genetika   MeSH
• sekvenční homologie nukleových kyselin MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Slovenská republika epidemiologie   MeSH
• Názvy látek
• DNA bakterií MeSH
• ribozomální DNA MeSH
• RNA ribozomální 16S MeSH