Ixodes ricinus ticks collected from 835 birds and from vegetation in the Czech Republic were analyzed. Host-seeking ticks (n = 427) were infected predominantly by Borrelia afzelii (25%). Ticks (n = 1,012) from songbirds (Passeriformes) were infected commonly by Borrelia garinii (12.1%) and Borrelia valaisiana (13.4%). Juveniles of synanthropic birds, Eurasian blackbirds (Turdus merula) and song thrushes (Turdus philomelos), were major reservoir hosts of B. garinii.

• MeSH
• Borrelia classification   genetics   isolation & purification   MeSH
• DNA, Bacterial MeSH
• Tick Infestations parasitology   veterinary   MeSH
• Ixodes microbiology   physiology   MeSH
• Bird Diseases microbiology   MeSH
• Passeriformes microbiology   parasitology   MeSH
• Polymerase Chain Reaction MeSH
• Feeding Behavior physiology   MeSH
• Disease Reservoirs microbiology   MeSH
• Songbirds microbiology   parasitology   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic MeSH
• Names of Substances
• DNA, Bacterial MeSH

Borrelia spirochetes in bird-feeding ticks were studied in the Czech Republic. During the postbreeding period (July to September 2005), 1,080 passerine birds infested by 2,240 Ixodes ricinus subadult ticks were examined. Borrelia garinii was detected in 22.2% of the ticks, Borrelia valaisiana was detected in 12.8% of the ticks, Borrelia afzelii was detected in 1.6% of the ticks, and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto was detected in 0.3% of the ticks. After analysis of infections in which the blood meal volume and the stage of the ticks were considered, we concluded that Eurasian blackbirds (Turdus merula), song thrushes (Turdus philomelos), and great tits (Parus major) are capable of transmitting B. garinii; that juvenile blackbirds and song thrushes are prominent reservoirs for B. garinii spirochetes; that some other passerine birds investigated play minor roles in transmitting B. garinii; and that the presence B. afzelii in ticks results from infection in a former stage. Thus, while B. garinii transmission is associated with only a few passerine bird species, these birds have the potential to distribute millions of Lyme disease spirochetes between urban areas.

• MeSH
• Bacterial Proteins genetics   MeSH
• Borrelia classification   isolation & purification   MeSH
• DNA, Bacterial chemistry   genetics   MeSH
• Ixodes microbiology   MeSH
• Lyme Disease transmission   veterinary   MeSH
• DNA, Ribosomal Spacer chemistry   genetics   MeSH
• Molecular Sequence Data MeSH
• Bird Diseases microbiology   MeSH
• Passeriformes microbiology   MeSH
• DNA, Ribosomal chemistry   genetics   MeSH
• Sequence Analysis, DNA MeSH
• Disease Reservoirs microbiology   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Bacterial Proteins MeSH
• DNA, Bacterial MeSH
• DNA, Ribosomal Spacer MeSH
• DNA, Ribosomal MeSH