"Candidatus Borrelia ibitipoquensis," a Borrelia valaisiana-Related Genospecies Characterized from Ixodes paranaensis in Brazil.

"Candidatus Borrelia ibitipoquensis," a Borrelia valaisiana-Related Genospecies Characterized from Ixodes paranaensis in Brazil. Microb Ecol. 2020 May 04;: Authors: Muñoz-Leal S, Ramirez DG, Luz HR, Faccini JLH, Labruna MB Abstract Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (Bbsl) spirochetes include the agents of Lyme borreliosis in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, and merge their transmission cycles mainly with ticks of the Ixodes ricinus complex. Twenty genospecies compose Bbsl currently, and with the exception of Borrelia chilensis, and Borrelia garinii, all have been described only for North America, Europe, North Africa, and Asia. Here, we collected specimens of Ixodes paranaensis, a tick associated with swifts in a Brazilian natural park from the state of Minas Gerais, and performed a molecular characterization of 11 borrelial genes. Based on comparisons of inter and intraspecific genetic divergences, and Bayesian phylogenetic trees inferred for 16S rRNA, flaB, p66, and concatenated clpA, clpX, pepX, pyrG, recG, nifS rlpB, and uvrA genes, we demonstrate the occurrence of a new genospecies of Bbsl. "Candidatus Borrelia ibitipoquensis" Ip37 is closely related to Borrelia sp. Am501, and Borrelia valaisiana, a spirochete transmitted by ticks of the I. ricinus complex in Eurasia that uses birds as reservoirs. In a similar ecological scenario involving ticks and avian hosts, the migratory swift Streptoprocne biscutata is the sole...
Source: Microbial Ecology - Category: Microbiology Authors: Tags: Microb Ecol Source Type: research