Gern, Lise

2007, Cadenas, Francisca Moran, Schneider, Helene, Lommano, Elena, Burri, Caroline, Moret, Jacqueline, Gern, Lise

We tested two approaches to extract Borrelia DNA from live Ixodes ricinus ticks before polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and reverse line blotting (RLB): DNA extraction of one half of the tick after incubation in BSK medium and DNA extraction of the other half of the tick directly, using ammonium hydroxide. Among 2079 ticks, 31.2% (n = 649) were found to be Borrelia-infected by PCR-RLB test using at least one of the DNA extraction methods. Five hundred four ticks (24.2%) were found infected after incubation in BSK and 481 (23.1%) after direct DNA extraction from the tick. The difference was not significant. However, these prevalences were significantly lower when only one method was applied (23.1% and 24.2%) compared to the prevalence obtained by the use of both methods (31.2%). In 313 infected ticks discordant results were obtained, i.e., one half of the tick was found to be infected whereas the other half was uninfected. Among these ticks, B. garinii and B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (ss) were significantly more frequently identified in the half tick incubated in BSK. No significant differences were observed for B. burgdorferi ss, B. valaisiana, and for undetermined Borrelia species.

1998, Zhioua, Elyes, Gern, Lise, Aeschlimann, André, Sauvain, Marie-Josephe, Van der Linden, Sjef, Fahrer, Heinz

Orienteers from all parts of Switzerland (n = 416) were included in a longitudinal study for lyme borreliosis. In spring 1986, the seroprevalence was 28.1 %. At the beginning of the study, 84.3 % of orienteers reported a history of tick bite, and 3.8 % reported a past history of lyme borreliosis. During the first (spring 1986-autumn 1986), second (autumn 1986-spring 1987) and third (spring 1987-autumn 1987) period, rates of seroconversion were 0.6 % 2.7 % and 2.1 % respectively. During the first and second period, clinical incidence were 1.0 % and 0.25 % respectively. No active lyme borreliosis was detected during the third period. Among orienteers who seroconverted during the study (n = 16), only two developed clinical symptoms. Hence, Borrelia burgdorferi infection is often asymptomatic.

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.

1999, Zhioua, Elyes, Bouattour, Ali, Hu, Chang Min, Gharbi, Mohamed, Aeschliman, Andre, Ginsberg, Howard S, Gern, Lise

Free-living adult Ixodes ricinus. were collected in Amdoun, situated in the Kroumiry mountains in northwestern Tunisia (North Africa). Using direct fluorescence antibody assay, the infection rate of field-collected I. ricinus bq Borrelia burgdorferi sensu late was 30.5% (n = 72). No difference in infection rate was observed between male and female ticks. Spirochetes that had been isolated from I. ricinus from Ain Drahim (Kroumiry Mountains) in 1988 were identified as Borrelia lusitaniae (formerly genospecies PotiB2). This is the first identification of a genospecies of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato from the continent of Africa.