Effect of tick salivary gland extract on the cytokine production by mouse epidermal cells.

Previous studies have demonstrated that both tick saliva and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato antigens modulate the cytokine response of the host. In this paper, the effect of salivary gland extract (SGE) from Ixodes ricinus (L., 1758) ticks on cytokine production by primary cultures of mouse epidermal cells stimulated with Borrelia afzelii Canica, Nato, du Merle, Mazie, Baranton et Postic, 1993 spirochetes was analysed.

Tick salivary gland extract-activated transmission of Borrelia afzelii spirochaetes.

Saliva-activated transmission of Borrelia afzelii Canica, Nato, du Merle, Mazie, Baranton et Postic, 1993 was demonstrated using salivary gland extract (SGE) from Ixodes ricinus (L., 1758) ticks and C3H mice. Injection of Borrelia spirochaetes together with SGE increased the level of bacteraemia and accelerated the appearance of bacteria in the urinary bladder, compared with the injection of spirochaetes alone.