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Background   Ixodes ricinus  is the most common tick species in Europe and the main vector for  Borrelia burgdorferi  ( sensu lato ) and tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV). It is involved also in the transmission of  Borrelia miyamotoi , a relapsing fever spirochete that causes health disorders in humans. Little is known regarding the circulation of  Borrelia  species and the natural foci of TBEV in north-eastern Germany. The goal of this study was to investigate the infection rates of  Borrelia  spp. and of TBEV in  I. ricinus  ticks from north-eastern Germany.    Methods  Ticks were collected by flagging from 14 forest sites in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania between April and October 2018. RNA and DNA extraction was performed from individual adult ticks and from pools of 2–10 nymphs. Real time reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) targeted the 3′ non-coding region of TBEV, while DNA of  Borrelia  spp. was tested by nested PCR for the amplification of 16S-23S intergenic spacer. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) was performed on  B. miyamotoi  isolates.    Results  In total, 2407 ticks were collected (239 females, 232 males and 1936 nymphs). Female and male  I. ricinus  ticks had identical infection rates (both 12.1%) for  Borrelia  spp., while nymphal pools showed a minimum infection rate (MIR) of 3.3%. Sequencing revealed four  Borrelia  species:  B. afzelii ,  B. garinii ,  B. valaisiana  and  B. miyamotoi .  Borrelia afzelii  had the highest prevalence in adult ticks (5.5%) and nymphs (MIR of 1.8%).  Borrelia miyamotoi  was identified in 3.0% of adults and registered the MIR of 0.8% in nymphs.  Borrelia valaisiana  was confirmed in 2.5% adult ticks and nymphs had the MIR of 0.7%, while  B. garinii  was present in 1.1% of adults and showed a MIR of 0.1% in nymphs. The MLST of  B. miyamotoi  isolates showed that they belong to sequence type 635. No tick sample was positive after RT-qPCR for TBEV RNA.    Conclusions  The prevalence of  B. miyamotoi  in  I. ricinus  ticks registered similar levels to other reports from Europe suggesting that this agent might be well established in the local tick population. The detection of  B. burgdorferi  ( s.l. ) indicates a constant circulation in tick populations from this region.

parasites and vectors

Borrelia miyamotoi and Borrelia burgdorferi (sensu lato) identification and survey of tick-borne encephalitis virus in ticks from north-eastern Germany