The current epidemiological and epizootological situation of ixodic tick-borne borreliosis in the Samara region

• Anastasiya P. Kulagina
• Tatiana A. Chekanova
• Tatiana V. Vandysheva
• Anton V. Titkov
• Alexey V. Rakov
• Alexey A. Suzdaltsev

Abstract

In the Samara region, cases of ixodic tick-borne borreliosis are recorded annually in patients affected by the suction of ixodic ticks, which served as the basis for this study.

The purpose of the work is to analyze the epidemiological and epizootological situation of ixodic tick-borne borreliosis in the Samara region.

Material and methods. The forms of official statistics of Rospotrebnadzor were used. Ticks were examined for the presence of tick-borne pathogens using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Pilot genotyping of 39 borrelia DNA samples was performed using a comprehensive Sanger sequencing approach and phylogenetic analysis.

Results and discussion. The incidence of ixodic tick-borne borreliosis in the Samara region is sporadic. Districts were ranked according to morbidity indicators. The incidence rates are highest in large cities and districts of the region with a temperate climate and a predominance of woodlands (forest-steppe), favorable for the spread of Ixodes ticks. For the first time in the region, selective genotyping of borrelia DNA isolated from ticks taken from humans was carried out. In the studied samples, the species B. afzelii was typed, which was found in the cities of Syzran, Zhigulevsk and in the Sergievsky district of the region. The species B. miyamotoi was first discovered in the Borsky, Kinelsky, Shentalinsky, Stavropol and Volzhsky districts.

Conclusion. Landscape and climatic conditions in a number of districts of the northern and central parts of the region contribute to maintaining high risks of infection of the population with borrelia. Pilot genotyping of borrelia indicates the spread of at least two species in the Samara region – B. miyamotoi from the group of tick-borne recurrent fevers and B. afzelii from the group of Lyme borrelioses. Attention should be paid to the need for laboratory verification of non-erythematous forms of the disease.

Keywords: epidemiology; borrelia; genotyping; ixodic tick-borne borreliosis; Samara region

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