2003: A novel, fast-growing Borrelia sp.

1: Microbiology. 2003 Sep;149(Pt 9):2539-44. Related Articles, Links


A novel, fast-growing Borrelia sp. isolated from the hard tick Hyalomma
aegyptium in Turkey.

Guner ES, Hashimoto N, Kadosaka T, Imai Y, Masuzawa T.

Medical School, Yeditepe University, Istanbul, Turkey.

A novel, fast-growing spirochaete was isolated from the hard tick
Hyalomma aegyptium (family Ixodidae, subfamily Metastriata) using
Barbour-Stoenner-Kelly (BSK) II medium. Tick samples were taken during
the summer of 2000 from the Istanbul area in northwestern Turkey.
Sixty-seven of 153 adults (44%) and 72 of 185 nymphs (39%) were
infected with the novel spirochaete, whereas none of the 20 larvae
examined were infected. The optimal growth temperature of the
spirochaete in BSK II medium was 34-37 degrees C, and it could grow at
39 degrees C. Doubling times at 34 and 37 degrees C were 5.3 and 5.1 h,
respectively. Six pure cultures of the spirochaete were obtained and
characterized by microscopic observation, sequence analysis of the
flagellin gene (flaB), SDS-PAGE and Western blotting. The spirochaete
was morphologically similar to those of the genus Borrelia and
contained a 41 kDa protein reactive with mAb H9724 specific to the
flagellin of a Borrelia species. Polyclonal antibody raised to this
spirochaete reacted with several antigen bands, whereas no bands were
detected with Borrelia burgdorferi, Borrelia hermsii, Borrelia
turicatae and Borrelia parkeri. The flaB sequences of the six isolates
showed high similarity, with sequence similarity values ranging from
99.2 to 100%; however, the similarity of the isolates' flaB sequences
to those of the Lyme-disease-related Borrelia and
relapsing-fever-associated Borrelia species was less than 90%. These
findings suggest that the unique spirochaete is a member of the genus
Borrelia, and differs from previously described Borrelia species.

PMID: 12949178 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

.

Relevant Pages