Determination of NovelBorreliaGenospecies in SwedishIxodes ricinusTicks

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Abstract
A total of 301 adult questingIxodes ricinusticks were collected at 15 different locations along the south and east coasts of Sweden to determine theBorreliagenospecies diversity. Thirty-two ticks (11%) were found to be positive by nested PCR withBorrelia burgdorferisensu lato-specific primers. Species determination was based on partial sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene and the flagellin gene. Five differentBorreliaspecies were found. The nucleotide sequence of theBorreliaDNA found in two ticks differed extensively from the nucleotide sequences of theBorreliaDNA found in the other ticks, and analysis revealed that they were closely related to the relapsing fever borrelia speciesBorrelia miyamotoi. This is the first report of aB. miyamotoi-like borrelia inI. ricinusand in Europe. Moreover, theBorreliaDNA of two ticks (6%) clustered within theB. valaisianacomplex.B. valaisianahas not previously been reported in Sweden.B. afzeliiDNA was found in 14 ticks (44%), andB. gariniiDNA was found in 10 ticks (31%).B. burgdorferisensu stricto DNA was found in four ticks (13%). We conclude that all of the known human-pathogenic species (B. garinii,B. afzelii, andB. burgdorferisensu stricto) andB. valaisianafound elsewhere in Europe are also present in the Swedish host-seeking tick population and that aB. miyamotoi-likeBorreliaspecies seems to be present inI. ricinusticks in Europe.

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