Molecular Identification and Analysis ofBorrelia burgdorferiSensu Lato in Lizards in the Southeastern United States

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Abstract
Lyme borreliosis (LB) group spirochetes, collectively known asBorrelia burgdorferisensu lato, are distributed worldwide. Wild rodents are acknowledged as the most important reservoir hosts.Ixodes scapularisis the primary vector ofB. burgdorferisensu lato in the eastern United States, and in the southeastern United States, the larvae and nymphs mostly parasitize certain species of lizards. The primary aim of the present study was to determine whether wild lizards in the southeastern United States are naturally infected with Lyme borreliae. Blood samples obtained from lizards in Florida and South Carolina were tested for the presence of LB spirochetes primarily by usingB. burgdorferisensu lato-specific PCR assays that amplify portions of the flagellin (flaB), outer surface protein A (ospA), and 66-kDa protein (p66) genes. Attempts to isolate spirochetes from a small number of PCR-positive lizards failed. However, PCR amplification and sequence analysis of partialflaB,ospA, andp66gene fragments confirmed numerous strains ofB. burgdorferisensu lato, includingBorrelia andersonii,Borrelia bissettii, andB. burgdorferisensu stricto, in blood from lizards from both states.B. burgdorferisensu lato DNA was identified in 86 of 160 (54%) lizards representing nine species and six genera. The high infection prevalence and broad distribution of infection among different lizard species at different sites and at different times of the year suggest that LB spirochetes are established in lizards in the southeastern United States.