Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in Ixodes ricinus ticks collected from southern Poland

  • Published:
Acta Parasitologica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In 2008–2011 ticks were collected from southern Poland. Out of 6336 individuals collected and identified as Ixodes ricinus, 768 (2 larvae, 84 nymphs, 417 females, 265 males) were included in molecular study. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and types of genospecies of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in ticks. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was applied to detect the presence of pathogens in ticks. Subsequently the amplified DNA was digested with TasI enzyme. The infection rate was 15% (116) of examined ticks. PCR-RFLP analysis allowed distinguishing three genospecies of B. burgdorferi s.l.: B. burgdorferi sensu stricto, B. afzelii, and B. garinii. RFLP analyses of 116 positive samples revealed 96 (83%) monoinfections and 13 (11%) coinfections, whereas unidentified genospecies were present in 7 (6%) of positive samples. In the case of monoinfections, B. burgdorferi s.s. was the predominant species of pathogen in infected ticks - 61.4%. Other genospecies: B. garinii and B. afzelii were detected in 22.9% and 15.6% of the samples, respectively. To sum up, 15 % of ticks were infected by B. burgdorferi s.l which increases the risk of human infections in the recreational areas of southern Poland. Furthermore, there is a need to increase public awareness and implement more preventive measures concerning Lyme disease.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bilski B. 2009. Occurance of cases of borreliosis certifiedas an occupational disease in the province of Wielkopolska (Poland). Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine, 16, 211–217

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bukowska K. 2002. Occurrence of genomic species of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in Ixodes ricinus ticks from the province of West Pomerania. Annales Academiae Medicae Stetinensis, 48, 395–405 (in Polish)

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Casati S., Bernasconi M.V., Gern L., Piffaretti J-C. 2004. Diversity within Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato genospecie in Switzerland by rec A gene sequence. FEMS Microbiology Letters, 238, 115–123

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cinco M., Padovan D., Murgia R., Poldini L., Frusteri L., van de Pol I., Verbeck-De N., Rijpkema S., Maroli M. 1998. Rate of infection of Ixodes ricinus ticks with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, Borrelia garinii, Borrelia afzelii and group VS116 in an endemic focus of Lyme disease in Italy. European Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, 17, 90–94

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cisak E., Wójcik-Fatla A., Strojek N.M., Chmielewska-Badora J., Zwoliński J., Buczek A., Dutkiewicz J. 2006. Prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi genospecies in Ixodes ricinus ticks from Lublin region (Eastern Poland). Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine, 13, 301–306

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Danielova V., Daniel M., Golovchenko M. 2004. Prevelence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato genospecies in host-seeking Ixodes ricinus in selected south bohemian locations (Czech Republik). Central European Journal of Public Health, 12, 151–156

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Derdakova M., Beati L., Petko B., Stanko M., Fish D. 2003. Genetic variability with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato genospecies established by PCR-Single-Strand conformation polymorphism analysis of the rrfA-rrlB intergenic spacer in Ixodes ricinus ticks from the Czech Republik. Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine, 69, 509–516

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Derdakova M., Lencakova D. 2005. Association of genetic variability within the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato with the ecology, epidemiology of Lyme borreliosis in Europe. Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine, 12, 165–172

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Di L., Pagan P.E., Packer D., Martin C.L., Akther S., Ramrattan G., Mongodin E.F., Fraser C.M., Schutzer S.E., Luft B.J., Casjens S.R., Qiu W.G. 2014. BorreliaBase: a phylogeny-centered browser of Borrelia genomes. BMC Bioinformatics, 15, 233. DOI: 10.1186/1471-2105-15-233

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Escudero R., Barral M., Perez A., Vitutia M.M., Garcia - Perez A.L., Jimenez S., Sellek R.E., Anda P. 2000. Molecular and pathogenic characterization of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato isolates from Spain. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 38, 4026–4033

    PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Grygorczyk S., Peter O., Kondrusik M., Moniuszko A., Zajkowska J., Dunaj J., Zukiewicz-Sobczak W., Pancewicz S. 2013. Assessment of the frequency of different Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato species in patients with Lyme borreliosis from northeast Poland by studying preferential serologic response and DNA isolates. Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine, 20, 21–29

    Google Scholar 

  • Kiewra D., Lonc E. 2004. Biology of Ixodes ricinus (L.) and its pathogens in Wroclaw area. Wiadomosci Parazytologiczne, 50, 259–264 (in Polish)

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kubiak K., Dzika E., Równiak J., Dziedziech M., Dzisko J. 2012. Seroprevelence of Lyme disease and genespecies of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in the Province of Warmia-Masuria in north-eastern Poland. Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine, 19, 203–207

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lencáková D., Hizo-Teufel C., Petko B., Schulte-Spechtel U., Stanko M., Wilske B., Fingerle V. 2006. Prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. OspA types in Ixodes ricinus ticks from selected localities in Slovakia and Poland. International Journal of Medical Microbiology, Suppl 40, 108–18

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Makinen J., Vuorinen I., Oksi J., Peltomaa M., He Q., Marjamaki M., Viljanen M.K. 2003. Prevelence of granulocytic Erlichia and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in Ixodes ricinus ticks collected from southwestern Finland and from Vormsi Island in Estonia. Acta Pathologica, Microbiologica et Immunologica Scandinavica, 111, 355–362

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Misonne M-C., Van Impe G., Hoet P.P. 1998. Genetic heterogeneity of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in Ixodes ricinus ticks collected in Belgium. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 36, 3352–3354

    PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Petko B., Siuda K., Stanko M., Tresova G., Karbowiak G., Fricova J. 1997. Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in the Ixodes ricinus tics in southern Poland. Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine, 4, 263–269

    Google Scholar 

  • Qessada T., Martial-Convert F., Arnaud S., Leudet de la Vallee H., Gilot B., Pichot J. 2003. Prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi species and identification of Borrelia valeisiana in Questing Ixodes ricinus in the Lyon Region of France as detrmined by Polymerase Chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorfism. European Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, 22, 165–173

    Google Scholar 

  • Randolph, S.E., 2008. The impact of tick ecology on pathogen transmission dynamics. In: Bowman, A.S., Nuttall, P., (Eds.), Ticks. Biology, disease and control. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 40–72

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Rijpkema S.G.T., Molkenboer M.J.C.H., Schouls L.M., Jongejan F., Schellekens J.F.P. 1995. Simultaneous detection and genotyping of three genomic groups of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in Dutch Ixodes ricinus ticks by characterization of the amplified intergenic spacer region between 5S and 23S rRNA genes. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 33, 3091–3095

    PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rozwadowska B., Hudzik G. 2012. Borrelia burgdorferi genostrains detected in the Silesian voivodeship in years 2010–2012. Przeglad epidemiologiczny, 66, 587–590 (in Polish)

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schouls L.M, van de Pol I., Rijpkema S.G.T., Schot C. 1999. Detection and identification of Ehrlichia, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, and Bartonella species in Dutch Ixodes ricinus ticks. Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 37, 2215–2222

    PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schwarzova K., Ciznar I. 2004. Combined infection of Ixodes ricinus with three Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato genotypes. Folia Microbiologica, 49, 297–300

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Siuda K. 1993. Ticks of Poland (Acari: Ixodida), Part II, Taxonomy and Distribution, Polskie Towarzystwo Parazytologiczne Warsaw (in Polish)

    Google Scholar 

  • Skarphedinsson S., Lyholm B.F., Ljungberg M., Sogaard P., Kolmos H.J., Nielsen L.P. 2007. Detection and identification of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Borrelia burgdorferi and Rickettsia Helvetica in Danish Ixodes ricinus ticks. Acta Pathologica, Microbiologica et Immunologica Scandinavica, 115, 225–230

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Spausta G., Wiczkowski A., Ciarkowska J., Strzelczyk J., Trapp G., Adamek B., Zalewska-Ziob M. 2003. Prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in ticks, Ixodes ricinus in Tarnowskie Góry district. Wiadomosci Parazytologiczne, 49, 39–45 (in Polish)

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stanczak J., Kubica - Biernat B., Burkiewicz A., Racewicz M., Kruminis-Lozowska W., Kur J. 1997. Preliminary studies of the use of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the detection of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu in ticks Ixodes ricinus (Acari, Ixodidae). Problemy Higieny i Epidemiologii, 54, 122–126 (in Polish)

    Google Scholar 

  • Stanczak J., Racewicz M., Kubica-Biernat B, Kruminis-Lozowska W., Dabrowski J., Adamczyk A., Markowska M. 1999. Prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in Ixodes ricinus ticks (Acari, Ixodidae) in different Polish woodlands. Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine, 6, 127–32

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stanczak J., Kubica-Biernat B., Racewicz M., Kruminis-Lozowska W., Kur J. 2000. Detection of three genospecies of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in Ixodes ricinus ticks collected in different regions of Poland. International Journal of Medical Microbiology, 290, 559–566

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stanczak J., Racewicz M., Kruminis-Lozowska W., Kubica-Biernat B. 2002. Coinfection of Ixodes ricinus (Acari: Ixodidae) in northern Poland with the agents of Lyme borreliosis (LB) and human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (HGE). International Journal of Medical Microbiology, 291, 198–201

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stepánová-Tresová G., Pet’ko B., Stefancíková A., Nadzamová D. 2000a. Occurrence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, Borrelia garinii and Borrelia afzelii in the Ixodes ricinus ticks from Eastern Slovakia. European Journal of Epidemiology, 16, 105–109

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stepánová-Tresová G., Kopecký J., Kuthejlová M. 2000b. Identification of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, Borrelia garinii and Borrelia afzelii in Ixodes ricinus ticks from southern Bohemia using monoclonal antibodies. Zentralblatt fur Bakteriologie, 289, 797–806

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Strzelczyk J.K., Wiczkowski A., Spausta G., Ciarkowska J., Zalewska-Ziob M., Izdebska-Straszak G., Strzelczyk J., Kasperczyk J. 2006. Presence of spirochetes of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in Ixodes ricinus ticks in the recreational area of Tarnowskie Góry and Zabrze districts in 2001–2003. Przeglad Epidemiologiczny, 60, 589–595 (in Polish)

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sytykiewicz H., Karbowiak G., Werszko J., Czerniewicz P., Sprawka I., Mitrus J. 2012. Molecular screening for Bartonella henselae and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato co-existence within Ixodes ricinus populations in central and eastern parts of Poland. Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine, 19, 451–456

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tresova G., Petko B., Stanko M., Fricova J., Kozakova D., Matecka F. 1998. Borrelia garinii in Ixodes ricinus ticks from southern Poland. Folia Parasitologica, 45, 73–74

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang G., Dam A., Schwartz I., Dankert J. 1999. Molecular Typing of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato: taxonomic, epidemiological, and clinical implications. Clinical Microbiology Reviews, 12, 633–653

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wittenbrink M.M., Reuter C., Baumeister K., Schütze H., Krauss H. 1998. Identification of group VS116 strains among Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato grown from the hard tick, Ixodes ricinus (Linnaeus, 1758) by off-coupled restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Zentralblatt fur Bakteriologie, 288, 45–57

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wodecka B. 2003. Detection of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato DNA in Ixodes ricinus ticks in north-western Poland. Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine, 10, 171–178

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wodecka B., Sawczuk M. 2004. The presence of pathogenic genospecies of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in ticks Ixodes ricinus collected from the north-western Poland. Wiadomosci Parazytologiczne, 50, 545–553 (in Polish)

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wodecka B., Skotarczak B. 2005. First isolation of Borrelia lusitaniae DNA from Ixodes ricinus tick in Poland, Scand. Journal of Infectious Diseases, 37, 27–34

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wodecka B, Leońska A, Skotarczak B. 2010. A comparative analysis of molecular markers for the detection and identification of Borrelia spirochaetes in Ixodes ricinus. Journal of Medical Microbiology, 59, 309–14. DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.013508-0

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vascilo I., Ambrasiene D., Turcinaviciene J., Zygutiene M. 2004. Population dynamics of Ixodes ricinus ticks and the rate of infection with Borrelia burgdorferi, sensu lato. Acta Zoologica Lituanica 14, 19–25

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Venclíková K., Betášová L., Sikutová S., Jedlicková P., Hubálek Z., Rudolf I. 2014. Human pathogenic borreliae in Ixodes ricinus ticks in natural and urban ecosystem (Czech Republic). Acta Parasitologica, 59, 717–20. DOI: 10.2478/s11686-014-0296-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zalewska-Ziob M., Adamek B., Strzelczyk J.K., Trapp G., Wielkoszyński T., Owczarek A., Asman M., Szilman E., Szilman P., Pająk C., Solarz K., Plinta K., Wiczkowski A. 2012. Serological remarks of Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. infection in Upper Silesia inhabitants. Pediatria i Medycyna Rodzinna, 8, 40–45 (in Polish)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chair and Department of Medical and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine with the Division of Dentistry, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Jordana 19 Str., 41-808, Zabrze, Poland

    Joanna K. Strzelczyk, Gizela Trapp, Karolina Gołąbek, Marzena Zalewska-Ziob & Andrzej Wiczkowski

  2. Department of Parasitology, School of Pharmacy, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Jedności 8 Str., 41-200, Sosnowiec, Poland

    Jadwiga Gaździcka, Piotr Cuber, Marek Asman & Krzysztof Solarz

  3. Institute of Biology, Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Parasitology Podbrzezie 1 Str., Pedagogical University of Cracow, 31-054, Cracow, Poland

    Magdalena Nowak-Chmura & Krzysztof Siuda

Authors
  1. Joanna K. Strzelczyk
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jadwiga Gaździcka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Piotr Cuber
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Marek Asman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Gizela Trapp
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Karolina Gołąbek
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Marzena Zalewska-Ziob
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Magdalena Nowak-Chmura
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Krzysztof Siuda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Andrzej Wiczkowski
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. Krzysztof Solarz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Joanna K. Strzelczyk.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Strzelczyk, J.K., Gaździcka, J., Cuber, P. et al. Prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in Ixodes ricinus ticks collected from southern Poland. Acta Parasit. 60, 666–674 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1515/ap-2015-0095

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/ap-2015-0095

Keywords

Search

Navigation