Genospecies Diversity of Lyme Disease Spirochetes in Rodent Reservoirs
Author Information
Author(s): Dania Richter, Stefan Endepols, Andreas Ohlenbusch, Helmut Eiffert, Andrew Spielman, Franz-Rainer Matuschka
Primary Institution: Medizinische Fakultät der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Hypothesis
Do particular Borrelia burgdorferi genospecies associate solely with rodent reservoir hosts?
Conclusion
The study found that all three main spirochete genospecies share common rodent hosts.
Supporting Evidence
- B. garinii was somewhat more prevalent than B. afzelii in questing ticks.
- All three spirochete genospecies were present in questing ticks.
- No genospecies was more prevalent in rodent-fed ticks than in questing ticks.
Takeaway
This study looked at how different types of germs that cause Lyme disease are found in mice and ticks. It found that the same germs are in both, which helps us understand how the disease spreads.
Methodology
The study compared the genospecies diversity of spirochetes infecting questing nymphal Ixodes ricinus ticks with that of spirochetes infecting nymphs that had fed as larvae on Norway rats or yellow-necked mice.
Potential Biases
The method used to sample spirochetes may bias the results in favor of one or another genospecies.
Limitations
The study's findings may be influenced by the sampling method used to isolate spirochetes from mammal hosts.
Participant Demographics
Rodents captured included Norway rats and yellow-necked mice from an urban park in Magdeburg, Germany.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p=0.7
Statistical Significance
p=0.7
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