C6 Peptide-Based Multiplex Phosphorescence Analysis (PHOSPHAN) for Serologic Confirmation of Lyme Borreliosis.

Background: A single-tier immunoassay using the C6 peptide of VlsE (C6) from Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (Bb) has been proposed as a potential alternative to conventional two-tier testing for the serologic diagnosis of Lyme disease in the United States and Europe.

Objective: To evaluate the performance of C6 peptide based multiplex Phosphorescence Analysis (PHOSPHAN) for the serologic confirmation of Lyme borreliosis (LB) in Russian patients.

Methods: Serum samples (n = 351) were collected from 146 patients with erythema migrans (EM); samples from 131 of these patients were taken several times prior to treatment and at different stages of recovery.

Comparative analysis of the roles of Ixodes persulcatus and I. trianguliceps ticks in natural foci of ixodid tick-borne borrelioses in the Middle Urals, Russia.

Long-term studies on natural foci of ixodid tick-borne borrelioses (ITBB) have been performed in Chusovskoi district of Perm region, the Middle Urals, where the vectors of these infections are represented by two ixodid tick species: the taiga tick Ixodes persulcatus and many times less abundant vole tick I. trianguliceps. Over 10 years, more than 6000 half-engorged ticks were collected from small forest mammals using the standard procedure, and 1027 I.

Genome Sequence of the Asiatic Species Borrelia persica.

We report the complete genome sequence of Borrelia persica, the causative agent of tick-borne relapsing fever borreliosis on the Asian continent. Its genome of 1,784,979 bp contains 1,850 open reading frames, three ribosomal RNAs, and 32 tRNAs. One clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) was detected.

The tick Ixodes pavlovskyi as a host of spirochetes pathogenic for humans and its possible role in the epizootiology and epidemiology of borrelioses.

The tick Ixodes pavlovskyi is taxonomically, morphologically, and ecologically close to the taiga tick Ixodes persulcatus, a major host and vector of Borrelia spirochetes. The recent range of I. pavlovskyi is disjoined into the Western Siberian and Far Eastern parts, with this tick being almost always sympatric with I.

Ultrastructural evidence of the ehrlichial developmental cycle in naturally infected Ixodes persulcatus ticks in the course of coinfection with Rickettsia, Borrelia, and a flavivirus.

Ehrlichiae are small gram-negative obligately intracellular bacteria that multiply within vacuoles of their host cells and are associated for a part of their life cycle with ticks, which serve as vectors for vertebrate hosts. Two morphologically and physiologically different ehrlichial cell types, reticulate cells (RC) and dense-cored cells (DC), are observed during experimental infection of cell cultures, mice, and ticks. Dense-cored cells and reticulate cells in vertebrate cell lines alternate in a developmental cycle.

Physiological age of field-collected female taiga ticks, Ixodes persulcatus (Acari: Ixodidae), and their infection with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato.

In some studies the prevalence of tick infection (infection rate) and the intensity of infection are negatively correlated with unfed tick age (in the broad sense of this term). However, no special research has been carried out to consider the phenomenon thoroughly. The infection indices of the female taiga ticks, Ixodes persulcatus, infected with Borrelia burgdorferi s.

Analysis of the long-term dynamics of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) and ixodid tick-borne borrelioses (ITBB) morbidity in Russia.

As early as in the 1960s, Professor M.P. Chumakov suggested that primary tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) diagnoses made by practicing physicians should be verified by serological or virological methods.

Problems in the study and prophylaxis of mixed infections transmitted by ixodid ticks.

The spread of mixed infections with natural focality transmitted by ixodid ticks is a normal phenomenon attributable to trends in the relationships of different pathogens in the vector organism and ecosystem as a whole. Any disease developing as a result of tick bite should be regarded as a potentially mixed infection. Clinically, tick-borne mixed infections proceed more severely than the corresponding diseases caused by a single agent.

Studies on the transovarial transmission of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in the taiga tick Ixodes persulcatus.

The possibility of vertical transmission of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in Ixodes persulcatus Schulze, 1930 ticks was studied in the progeny of 20 females collected from the vegetation in an active focus of ixodid tick-borne borrelioses (ITBB) located in the Perm oblast, Russia, where Borrelia garinii and B. afzelii are circulating. The presence of Borrelia DNA was detected by the PCR method after feeding and egg laying in 16 engorged females (80.

Tick-host-Borrelia population interactions: long-term records in Eastern Europe.

During 10 spring and summer seasons (1992-2001), the dynamics of the epizootic process in natural foci were studied in taiga forests of the Pre-Ural region, Russia. In these foci, Borrelia garinii, Borrelia afzelii and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus circulate transmitted by their main vector tick, Ixodes persulcatus. Main parameters of the epizootic process were calculated for each season.

Diagnostics of tick-borne diseases in the endemic region of Russia.

A clinical-laboratory survey of 1952 patients with acute feverish diseases developing after tick bite was carried out in the Pre-Ural region of Russia, which is endemic for tick-borne encephalitis and ixodid tick-borne borreliosis, in 1999-2001. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and indirect immunofluorescence assay were used for the detection of tick-borne encephalitis, ixodid tick-borne borreliosis and ehrlichiosis specific antibodies. Tick-borne encephalitis was diagnosed in 22.