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First isolation and characterization of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato strains from Ixodes ricinus ticks in Turkey

¹Medical School, Yeditepe University, Istanbul, Turkey ²Department of Microbiology and COE Program in the 21st Century, University of Shizuoka School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shizuoka, Japan ³Department of Immunology and Medical Zoology, Fukui Medical University, Matsuoka, Fukui, Japan ⁴Department of Food Science, Shizuoka Eiwa Gakuen University Junior College, Shizuoka, Japan

Correspondence Toshiyuki Masuzawa masuzawa{at}u-shizuoka- ken.ac.jp

Received February 3, 2003
Accepted April 17, 2003

In order to investigate the presence and prevalence of Lyme borreliosis (Lyme disease) Borrelia species, 312 unfed ticks were collected by flagging at a woodland area in Trakya, in the European side of Turkey, in May 2002. Twelve of 299 Ixodes ricinus ticks were infected with Borrelia spp., as determined by cultivation in BSK medium (prevalence rate 4.0 %). Ten pure cultures were subjected to further characterization by sequencing analysis of the 5S–23S rDNA intergenic spacer, 16S rDNA and flagellin gene. One isolate of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, two of Borrelia garinii (Eurasian type), two of Borrelia afzelii, four of Borrelia lusitaniae and one of Borrelia valaisiana were identified. However, no Asian-type B. garinii was found. Interestingly, all Borrelia species that are known to be carried by I. ricinus were discovered among the 10 isolates. These results provide the first evidence for the existence of the Lyme borreliosis agent in Turkey.

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