OBJECTIVETo identify ticks and determine the Borrelia (B.) burgdorferi genotype from four counties of northern Xinjiang.

METHODSSheep ticks were collected from 6 surveillance sites in four counties including Shihezi, Shawan,Yining and Chabuchaer. All ticks were initially screened out based on morphological methods and 16S rRNA sequence analysis. B. burgdorferi was detected and cultivated with BSK-H medium. Combined with nested PCR, silver nitrate staining was employed to detect B. burgdorferi. Genotype of isolated B. burgdorferi was determined by Sequencing and phylogenic analysis based on 11 conference sequences.

RESULTSHyalomma asiaticum asiaticum, Haemaphysalis punctata, Dermacentor marginatus and Rhipicephalus turanicus were identified from more than 900 ticks. Out of 24 tubes from 102 representative tick specimens, 16 tube were positive for B. burgdorfer. Sequencing of 5S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer showed 98.6%-99.5% identities to B. burgdorferi Sensu Stricto(B31). Results from the analysis of OspC genotype showed consistent with that of 5S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer.

CONCLUSIONS16 strains of B. burgdorferi Sensu Stricto were isolated in four counties, from northern Xinjiang. Additionally, B. burgdorferi Sensu Stricto was isolated from Rhipicephalus turanicus first time in China.

Animals ; Borrelia burgdorferi ; genetics ; China ; epidemiology ; DNA, Bacterial ; genetics ; Genotype ; Ixodes ; microbiology ; Lyme Disease ; epidemiology ; prevention & control