Santino I, Iori A, Nicoletti M, Valletta S, Cimmino C, Scoarughi G L, Santapaola D, Sessa R, Del Piano M
Dipartimento di Scienze di Sanità Pubblica, Università La Sapienza, 00185 Rome, Italy.
Int J Immunopathol Pharmacol. 2003 May-Aug;16(2):105-8. doi: 10.1177/039463200301600203.
Ticks are obligate hematophagous arthropods that are parasites in every class of vertebrates in most regions of the world. They are also considered to be important vectors for the transmission of human infectious diseases. In the present study we used polymer chain reaction (PCR) amplification analysis to determine the prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi and Ehrlichia phagocytophila, the agents of, respectively, Lyme borreliosis and human granulocytic ehrlichiosis, among ticks inhabiting the area of Monti Lepini, a wild area located in the Latium Region of Italy. A total of 141 I. ricinus ticks (125 nymphs and 16 adults) were collected in the studied area. Total DNAs were extracted from I. ricinus nymphs (pooled in groups of five) and from individual adults. The DNA samples were examined for the presence of B. burgdorferi sensu lato and E. phagocytophila by PCR using two specific pairs of oligonucleotides that specifically amplify distinct DNA regions of the 16S rRNA genes of the two species. The prevalence of vectors infected with B. burgdorferi s. l. was 16% in pooled nymphs samples, and 12.5% in adult ticks, while E. phagocytophila was found only in pooled nymphs samples (8%). Three genomospecies were identified, namely Borrelia afzelii, Borrelia garinii, and Borrelia valaisiana, in samples found positive for B. burgdorferi s. l. No sample was found positive for Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto.
蜱是专性吸血节肢动物，在世界大部分地区，它们寄生于各类脊椎动物。它们也被认为是人类传染病传播的重要媒介。在本研究中，我们使用聚合酶链反应（PCR）扩增分析来确定在意大利拉齐奥地区一片名为蒙蒂莱皮尼的野生区域栖息的蜱中，伯氏疏螺旋体和嗜吞噬细胞无形体（分别是莱姆病和人类粒细胞无形体病的病原体）的感染率。在研究区域共采集了141只蓖麻硬蜱（125只若虫和16只成虫）。从蓖麻硬蜱若虫（每5只一组混合）和单个成虫中提取总DNA。使用两对特异性寡核苷酸通过PCR检测DNA样本中是否存在广义伯氏疏螺旋体和嗜吞噬细胞无形体，这两对寡核苷酸可特异性扩增这两种物种16S rRNA基因的不同DNA区域。在混合若虫样本中，感染广义伯氏疏螺旋体的媒介感染率为16%，在成虫蜱中为12.5%，而嗜吞噬细胞无形体仅在混合若虫样本中被发现（8%）。在广义伯氏疏螺旋体检测呈阳性的样本中，鉴定出了三个基因种，即阿氏疏螺旋体、加氏疏螺旋体和瓦氏疏螺旋体。未发现狭义伯氏疏螺旋体检测呈阳性的样本。
