Borrelia miyamotoi in host-seeking Ixodes ricinus ticks in England

Hansford et al. (2015) Epidemiology and Infection 143: 1079-1087

http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0950268814001691

Authors' summary:

This paper reports the first detection of Borrelia miyamotoi in UK Ixodes ricinusticks. It also reports on the presence and infection rates of I. ricinus for a number of other tick-borne pathogens of public health importance. Ticks from seven regions in southern England were screened for B. miyamotoi, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.), Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Neoehrlichia mikurensis using qPCR. A total of 954 I. ricinus ticks were tested, 40 were positive for B. burgdorferi s.l., 22 positive for A. phagocytophilum and three positive for B. miyamotoi, with no N. mikurensis detected. The three positive B. miyamotoi ticks came from three geographically distinct areas, suggesting a widespread distribution, and from two separate years, suggesting some degree of endemicity. Understanding the prevalence of Borrelia and other tick-borne pathogens in ticks is crucial for locating high-risk areas of disease transmission.

The Dutch group, who provided the DNA probes, published somewhat similar data for the Netherlands last year.

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