LYME DISEASE ENDEMIC IN MEXICO

Clinical Microbiology and Infection,
Volume 15 Issue 5, Pages 496 - 498,
Published Online: 15 May 2009

Demonstration of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto infection in ticks from the northeast of MexicoG. Gordillo-Pérez 1 , M. Vargas 2 , F. Solórzano-Santos 3 , A. Rivera 2 , O.J. Polaco 4 , L. Alvarado 1 , O. Muñóz 1 and J. Torres 1 1) Unidad de Investigación Médica en Enfermedades Infecciosas, Hospital de Pediatría, Centro Medico Nacional SXXI-IMSS , 2) Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional , 3) Servicio de Infectología, Hospital de Pediatría, Centro Médico Nacional SXXI-IMSS and 4) Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia, UNAM, Mexico City, Mexico Corresponding author and reprint requests: G. Gordillo-Perez, Calle Bruselas # 109-6 Col. Del Carmen, Coyoacan, México, DF 04100, Mexico E-mail: lugope2@yahoo.com.mx

Copyright Journal compilation © 2009 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases KEYWORDS Amblyomma • Borrelia burgdorferi • Dermacentor • Ixodes • Lyme disease Clin Microbiol Infect 2009; 15: 496–498 ABSTRACT Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato infection has been confirmed in clinical cases in the northeast of Mexico; however, the bacterium has not been identified as infecting the tick vector Ixodes, Amblyomma and Dermacentor ticks were collected from mammals and plants in northeastern Mexico and examined for Borrelia. Eighteen of 214 ticks were PCR-positive for the fla and 16S rRNA genes and 15 for the ospA gene. Southern blotting with a fla probe and sequencing of ospA genes confirmed infection with B. burgdorferi sensu stricto.

These findings, together with reports of indigenous cases, fulfil the criteria that allow northeastern Mexico to be considered as a zone endemic for Lyme disease. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Original Submission: 18 August 2008; Revised Submission: 15 October 2008; Accepted: 19 October 2008 Editor: S. Cutler DIGITAL OBJECT IDENTIFIER (DOI) 10.1111/j.1469-0691.2009.02776.x About DOI