Borrelia spp. in small mammals in Romania.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Small mammals play an important role in the life-cycle of ticks and are reservoirs for several zoonotic pathogens. The aim of this study was to provide epidemiological data regarding the presence of Borrelia spp. in tissues of small mammals from Romania.

Methods

We examined 401 individuals belonging to 11 small mammal species collected in Romania. Collections cover the largest effort to survey these reservoirs in the country. Tissue samples were analyzed by multiplex qPCR targeting the ospA gene of Borrelia burgdorferi (s.l.) and a part of the flaB gene of B. miyamotoi. Positive samples were further analysed by conventional PCR and sequenced.

Results

The overall prevalence of infection with Borrelia spp. in small mammal tissues was 4.9%. The most commonly d

SUBMITTER: Kalmar Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6757407 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature