1: Int J Med Microbiol. 2004 Apr;293 Suppl 37:86-92. Related Articles,
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Pathogens and symbionts in ticks: prevalence of Anaplasma
phagocytophilum (Ehrlichia sp.), Wolbachia sp., Rickettsia sp., and
Babesia sp. in Southern Germany.

Hartelt K, Oehme R, Frank H, Brockmann SO, Hassler D, Kimmig P.

Baden-Wuerttemberg State Health Office, Stuttgart, Germany.

Tick-transmitted diseases like tick-borne encephalitis and Lyme
borreliosis have been well known in Germany for decades. Ongoing
research now gives an additional focus to a broad range of other
bacteria and parasites in ticks like Anaplasma phagocytophilum, former
Ehrlichia sp., Rickettsia sp. and Babesia sp. Knowledge about the
prevalence of these infectious agents in ticks is an important
prerequisite for risk assessment of human diseases. Therefore nymphs
and {*filter*} Ixodes ricinus ticks were collected and examined for
Anaplasma phagocytophilum (n = 5424 ticks), Rickettsia sp. (n = 1187),
and Babesia sp. (n = 3113). For the detection of Anaplasma
phagocytophilum, DNA from the 16S rDNA gene was amplified by nested PCR
and hybridized with a DIG-labeled oligonucleotide probe. The
examination of Rickettsia sp. was performed by single PCR. A partial
sequence of the citrate synthase gene was amplified. As a target for
the detection of Babesia sp., DNA from the 18S rDNA gene was amplified,
also by single PCR. All positive PCR products were sequenced to control
specificity. Anaplasma phagocytophilum was detected by PCR in n = 103
(1.9%) out of 5,424 examined ticks from 11 investigation areas.
However, not all positive PCR products hybridized using DIG-labeled
oligonucleotide probe. Thus, the result of sequencing indicated that
only 1.0% (n = 54) belonged to Anaplasma phagocytophilum and nearly
half of these PCR products (0.9%) were identified as Wolbachia sp.
Rickettsia sp. in Ixodes ricinus ticks from 3 areas were found in n =
105 (8.9%) out of 1,187 ticks examined (range from 13.3% to 5.6%).
Sequencing showed Rickettsia helvetica exclusively. In about 2.6% of
Rickettsia-positive ticks, double infection with Anaplasma
phagocytophilum was found. Babesia sp. was detected in n= 31 (1.0%) out
of 3,113 ticks examined, which originated from 4 different areas. By
sequencing, n = 28 (90.0%) were identified as Babesia divergens. Three
of all Babesia-positive ticks were identified as harboring Babesia
microti. The detection of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Rickettsia sp. and
Babesia sp. demonstrates their possible role as a source of human
infection in Germany.

PMID: 15146989 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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So, is it a good thing that they are identifying other critters in the
lyme vector, because we can't fight what we don't know about, or is it
a bad thing to know that we can have other {*filter*} things.

Heads they win, tails we lose?

Trying to think that more knowledge is a good thing for us.