Infestation of taiga ticks with borrelias in the territory of Novosibirsk Scientific Center (Siberian Branch,Russian Academy of Sciences)

Borrelia specimens were revealed in taiga ticks Ixodes persulcatus collected in the wild by flagging and also in ticks provided by the Vaccination section of the Novosibirsk Scientific Center, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (NSC); these ticks were obtained from patients attacked by ticks. Isolation of borrelias in the BSK-H medium had demonstrated the presence of B. garinii, B. afzelii, and B. miyamotoi in the territory of NCS. B. miyamotoi isolates were unstable, loosing their growth ability during subsequent cultivation. DNA of the three above species was detected by PCR in tick samples collected by flagging and obtained from humans. DNA of B. garinii was recorded in ticks more often; DNA of B. afzelii was found less frequently; B. miyamotoi DNA was detected in the smallest number of ticks. In ticks collected by flagging, DNA of B. garinii, B. afzelii, and B. miyamotoi was detected in 38.6%, 9.9%, and in 3.9% of specimens, respectively. In ticks collected from attacked humans, the number of positive tests was lower; e.g., DNA of B. garinii, B. afzelii, and B. miyamotoi was detected in 24.2%, 6.9%, and in 5.6% of samples, respectively. Mixed infection of ticks with two Borrelia species was also detected; DNA of B. miyamotoi and of B. garinii was detected in mixed infections more frequently.