Gern, Lise

2003, Hu, Chang Min, Cheminade, Yves, Perret, Jean-Luc, Weynants, Vincent, Lobet, Yves, Gern, Lise

In Europe, Borrelia burgdorferi is transmitted by Ixodes ricinus to animals and human. When infected and uninfected ticks co-feed on a host, spirochetes are transmitted from ticks to animal and also to uninfected ticks. Here, we used uninfected ticks to co-feed with infected ticks on mice to evaluate this method to detect early infection in mice. A total of 128 mice were challenged by infected nymphs placed in capsules glued on the back of the mice. Three days later uninfected larvae were added in the capsule to co-feed with infected nymphs and were examined for Borrelia infection after natural detachment. Infection in mice was also determined by xenodiagnosis and by spirochete isolation from ear skin biopsy and back skin biopsy taken at the tick attachment site one month after infection. A total of 111 mice were found to be infected by at least one of these four methods. Borrelia infection was observed in 95% of mice by the co-feeding method, in 92% of mice by xenodiagnosis, in 69% and in 68% of mice by cultivation of ear and back skin biopsies, respectively. Our results demonstrate that the co-feeding method is a very sensitive method which can be used to detect very early infection in mice infected by tick bites.

, Gern, Lise, Falco, R.C

La borréliose de Lyme qui est, dans l'hémisphère nord, la plus répandue des maladies à transmission vectorielle, est due à des bactéries appartenant au genre Borrelia burgdorferi. Il s'agit d'une maladie plurisystémique qui affecte essentiellement la peau, le système nerveux le cœur et les articulations. En Europe, le vecteur de la maladie est la tique Ixodes ricinus; aux États -Unis d'Amérique les deux vecteurs principaux sont la tique I. scapularis dans les régions du nord-est et du centre-ouest et I. pacificus sur la Côte Ouest. Plusieurs espèces de petits et moyens mammifères ou d'oiseaux terrestres servent de réservoirs à la bactérie dans les zones endémiques. Le pronostic est excellent, surtout lorsque la maladie de Lyme est diagnostiquée en phase initiale et traitée immédiatement. La prophylaxie repose sur deux méthodes: l'immunisation préventive, d'une part, et la mise en œuvre de mesures permettant d'éviter les piqûres de tiques et de lutter contre ces vecteurs, d'autre part., Lyme borreliosis, the most common vector-bome disease in the northern hemisphere, is caused by bacteria belonging to the Borrelia burgdorferi complex. The disease is multisystemic, affecting mainly the skin, nervous system, heart and joints. In Europe, the vector of the disease is the tick Ixodes ricinus, whereas in the United States of America, two primary tick vectors exist, namely: I. scapularis in the north-eastern and mid-western regions and I. pacificus on the west coast. Several species of small and medium-sized mammals and ground-feeding birds serve as reservoirs for the bacteria in endemic areas. The prognosis for patients with Lyme borreliosis is excellent, particularly when diagnosed and treated early in the course of infection. Prevention of Lyme borreliosis can be achieved using two approaches, either prevention of infection by immunisation, or prevention of tick bites through avoidance, personal protection and tick control., De todas las enfermedades vehiculadas por vectores, la borreliosis de Lyme, causada por bacterias pertenecientes al complejo Borrelia burgdorferi, es la más común en el hemisferio norte. Esta enfermedad de carácter multisistémico afecta principalmente la piel, el sistema nervioso, el corazón y las articulaciones. En Europa, el vector de la enfermedad es la garrapata Ixodes ricinus. En los Estados Unidos de América, por su parte, existen dos garrapatas que ejercen de vectores primarios: I.scapularis en las regiones del noreste y el medio oeste, e I.pacificus en la costa oeste. En las áreas endémicas varias especies de mamíferos pequeños y medianos y de aves de alimentación terrestre sirven de reservorio de las bacterias. Los pacientes afectados de borreliosis de Lyme presentan un pronóstico excelente, sobre todo cuando se diagnostica y trata la infección en sus fases iniciales. Para prevenir esta enfermedad caben dos procedimientos distintos: prevenir la infección con medidas de inmunización; o impedir la mordedura de la garrapata previniendo esta posibilidad, protegiéndose del contacto y luchando contra sus poblaciones.