Author/Editor		Zore, Anamarija
Title		Vloga malih sesalcev in ptic pri kroženju borelij v naravi
Type		monografija
Place		Ljubljana
Publisher		Medicinska fakulteta
Publication year		2002
Volume		str. 107
Language		slo
Abstract		Spirochetae Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato are the causative agent of Lyme boreliosis. Lyme boreliosis is a zoonosis transmited by ticks of Ixodes genus, which hosts on vertebrates. Humans are accidental hosts. The most important species of B. burgdorferi sensu lato in the Europe are Borrelia afzelii, Borrelia garinii and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto. Borrelia afzelii is the most frequent isolate from human material in Slovenia.The aim of the study was to establish the infection rate of small mammals and birds with B. burgdorferi sensu lato in Slovenia. We collected 141 small mammals on geographic areas of Ljubljana, Skofja loka and Pomurje in years 1997 and 1999. We collected 79 birds on Ljubljansko barje in years 1999 and 2001. The infection with B. burgdorferi sensu lato was diagnosed in small mammals in ear punch biopsy and in urinary bladder by isolation in BSK II and MKP medium and by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), using universal flagellin and species specific rRNA primers. The infection in birds was diagnosed in skin biopsy sample and in blood by cultivation in Synski medium and by PCR using the same primers as in small mammals. Twenty-four engorged Ixodes ricinus ticks were collected from birds and tested for the presence of B. burgdorferi sensu lato by cultivation in MKP medium. In small mammals we isolated always B. afzeii. PCR confirmed that small mammals were very frequently infected with B. afzeii, often with B. burgdorferi sensu strcto and only exceptionaly with B. garinii. By PCR we diagnosed B. burgdorferi sensu lato in 48% of urinary bladders and in 16% ear punch biopsies. In 28% of infected urinary bladders and in 13% of infected ear punch biopsies we diagnosed simultaneous infection with several species of B. burgdorferi sensu lato. Small mammals were infected with B. burgdorferi sensu lato in 1997 in 56% and in 1999 in 37%. (Abstract truncated at 2000 characters).
Descriptors		BORRELIA BURGDORFERI DISEASE VECTORS DISEASE RESERVOIRS BIRDS MAMMALS POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION IXODES MURIDAE MICROTINAE BORRELIA BLADDER SKIN EAR, EXTERNAL BASE SEQUENCE