Background:Until now,there has been limited information on the prevalence and the phylogeny of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in Ixodes ticks in Tunisia,particularly in Ixodes inopinatus.Methods:The present study aim...Background:Until now,there has been limited information on the prevalence and the phylogeny of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in Ixodes ticks in Tunisia,particularly in Ixodes inopinatus.Methods:The present study aimed to determine the prevalence and the phylogeny of B.burgdorferi s.l.,in coexisted I.ricinus and I.inopinatus ticks collected from Northern Tunisia.One hundred questig ticks were collected during winter 2020 by tick-dragging method in Beja gouvernorate located in the north of Tunisia.Real-time PCR panel targeting B.burgdorferi s.l.23S rRNA gene were performed.Positive DNA samples were subjected to conventional PCRs targeting 457 bp fragment of the Borrelia sp.flagellin(fla)gene using primers FlaF/FlaR.The identified Borrelia sp.isolate underwent partial sequence analysis to determine genospecies and evaluate their phylogenetic position.Results:The study revealed a prevalence rate of 28%(28/100)for B.burgdorferi sensu lato in the Ixodes ticks.The prevalence rates across tick species and genders did not show significant variations(p>0.05).Interestingly,the study underlines the coexistence of I.inopinatus and I.ricinus sharing the same geographic areas in Northern Tunisia.Furthermore,DNA of B.lusitaniae was detected in I.inopinatus ticks for the first time in Tunisia.Revealed B.lusitaniae bacterium is similar to previously identified strains in Mediterranean region,but distinct from those isolated exclusively from countries of Eastern and Central Europe,such as Serbia,Romania,and Poland.This study highlights the prevalence of B.burgdorferi s.l.in I.ricinus/I.inopinatus ticks,and reveals B.lusitaniae in I.inopinatus ticks for the first time in Tunisia.Conclusion:These findings suggest the involvement of I.inopinatus as a potential vector of this pathogenic genospeciess in Tunisia.This may help understanding the ecology of Ixodes ticks,the natural infection and the transmission dynamics of Borrelia species in this country.展开更多
基金supported by the research laboratory“Epidemiology of enzootic infections in herbivores in Tunisia:application to the control”(LR02AGR03)the research projects“Screening and molecular characterization of pathogenic and zoonotic bacteria of medical and economic interest in cattle and camel ticks in Tunisia”(19PEJC07-22)“Study of the bacterial microbiota in ticks with a medical and economic impact in Tunisia:contribution to the control of vector-borne bacterial diseases”(P2ES2020-D4P1)all of which are funded by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research of Tunisia。
文摘Background:Until now,there has been limited information on the prevalence and the phylogeny of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in Ixodes ticks in Tunisia,particularly in Ixodes inopinatus.Methods:The present study aimed to determine the prevalence and the phylogeny of B.burgdorferi s.l.,in coexisted I.ricinus and I.inopinatus ticks collected from Northern Tunisia.One hundred questig ticks were collected during winter 2020 by tick-dragging method in Beja gouvernorate located in the north of Tunisia.Real-time PCR panel targeting B.burgdorferi s.l.23S rRNA gene were performed.Positive DNA samples were subjected to conventional PCRs targeting 457 bp fragment of the Borrelia sp.flagellin(fla)gene using primers FlaF/FlaR.The identified Borrelia sp.isolate underwent partial sequence analysis to determine genospecies and evaluate their phylogenetic position.Results:The study revealed a prevalence rate of 28%(28/100)for B.burgdorferi sensu lato in the Ixodes ticks.The prevalence rates across tick species and genders did not show significant variations(p>0.05).Interestingly,the study underlines the coexistence of I.inopinatus and I.ricinus sharing the same geographic areas in Northern Tunisia.Furthermore,DNA of B.lusitaniae was detected in I.inopinatus ticks for the first time in Tunisia.Revealed B.lusitaniae bacterium is similar to previously identified strains in Mediterranean region,but distinct from those isolated exclusively from countries of Eastern and Central Europe,such as Serbia,Romania,and Poland.This study highlights the prevalence of B.burgdorferi s.l.in I.ricinus/I.inopinatus ticks,and reveals B.lusitaniae in I.inopinatus ticks for the first time in Tunisia.Conclusion:These findings suggest the involvement of I.inopinatus as a potential vector of this pathogenic genospeciess in Tunisia.This may help understanding the ecology of Ixodes ticks,the natural infection and the transmission dynamics of Borrelia species in this country.
