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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, September 2002, p. 3308-3312, Vol. 40, No. 9
0095-1137/02/$04.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/JCM.40.9.3308-3312.2002
Copyright © 2002, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Determination of Novel Borrelia Genospecies in Swedish Ixodes ricinus Ticks

Carl-Johan Fraenkel,1* Ulf Garpmo,2 and Johan Berglund3

Department of Infectious Diseases, Blekinge Hospital, S-371 85 Karlskrona,1 Department of Clinical Microbiology, Kalmar Hospital, Kalmar,2 Department of Community Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden3

Received 8 April 2002/ Returned for modification 18 May 2002/ Accepted 22 June 2002

A total of 301 adult questing Ixodes ricinus ticks were collected at 15 different locations along the south and east coasts of Sweden to determine the Borrelia genospecies diversity. Thirty-two ticks (11%) were found to be positive by nested PCR with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato-specific primers. Species determination was based on partial sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene and the flagellin gene. Five different Borrelia species were found. The nucleotide sequence of the Borrelia DNA found in two ticks differed extensively from the nucleotide sequences of the Borrelia DNA found in the other ticks, and analysis revealed that they were closely related to the relapsing fever borrelia species Borrelia miyamotoi. This is the first report of a B. miyamotoi-like borrelia in I. ricinus and in Europe. Moreover, the Borrelia DNA of two ticks (6%) clustered within the B. valaisiana complex. B. valaisiana has not previously been reported in Sweden. B. afzelii DNA was found in 14 ticks (44%), and B. garinii DNA was found in 10 ticks (31%). B. burgdorferi sensu stricto DNA was found in four ticks (13%). We conclude that all of the known human-pathogenic species (B. garinii, B. afzelii, and B. burgdorferi sensu stricto) and B. valaisiana found elsewhere in Europe are also present in the Swedish host-seeking tick population and that a B. miyamotoi-like Borrelia species seems to be present in I. ricinus ticks in Europe.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Infectious Diseases, Blekinge Hospital, S-371 85 Karlskrona, Sweden. Phone: 46-455-731067. Fax: 46-455-734419. E-mail: carl-johan.fraenkel{at}ltblekinge.se.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, September 2002, p. 3308-3312, Vol. 40, No. 9
0095-1137/02/$04.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/JCM.40.9.3308-3312.2002
Copyright © 2002, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



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