PCR Detection of Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Borrelia burgdorferi in Ixodes persulcatus Ticks in Mongolia

Abstract

A molecular epidemiological survey was conducted to identify the tick-borne disease agents Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in Selenge Province, Mongolia. The survey was in response to a suspected A. phagocytophilum infection in a patient. In 2012, a total of 129 questing Ixodes persulcatus adult ticks were sampled by flagging vegetation. A. phagocytophilum and Borrelia spp. were detected by PCR, targeting the 16S rDNA (rrs) and 5S–23S intergenic spacer region, respectively. Infection rates for A. phagocytophilum and B. burgdorferi sensu lato spp. were 6.2% and 55.0%, respectively. Six of the 129 ticks (4.9%) were coinfected with A. phagocytophilum and B. burgdorferi sensu lato. Among Borrelia spp., the highest prevalence rate was that for B. garinii 20047 type (26.3%), followed by B. afzelii (7.8%) and B. garinii NT29 type (7.0%). Furthermore, ticks were detected that were dually infected with B. afzelii and B. garinii 20047 type (7.8%) and B. garinii NT29 and 20047 types (6.2%).