4500 KB23 KB199220251996Burgdorfer, W...številka:3-4letnik:5str. 87-92ISSN:1318-4458COBISSID_HOST:5106649URN:URN:NBN:SI:doc-WH7E3DCMenSlovene Welding SocietyActa dermatovenerologica Alpina, Pannonica et AdriaticaArachnid vectorsBorrelia burgdorferiClassificationEpidemiologyLyme diseasePathogenicityTicksLyme borreliosis| of ticks and spirochetes|Lyme disease is now recognized as the most prevalent tick-borne spirochetosis in North America, Europe and in many Asien countries, especially Japan. Its global occurrence coincides with the geographic distribution of ticks belonging to the Ixodes ricinus/persulcatus complex. In this complex, four species, Ixodes ricinus, Ixodes persulcatus, Ixodes scapularis, and Ixodes pacificus are recognized as efficient vectors of the Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi. At least ten additional species of ixodid ticks have been found occasionally infected, but of these only three, namely Ixodes ovatus from Japan, Ixodes holocyclus from Australia and Amblyomma americanum from the U.S.A., appear to be associated with Lyme disease in humans; the remaining seven ticks usually do not attack humans, but are important in maintaining natural foci in which Lyme disease spirochetes persist. Special attention is given to Ixodes uriae, a bird tick that maintains Borrelia burgdorferi among seabirds in Sweden. On the basis of DNA homology, rRNA gene restriction patterns, and immunological reactivities, Borrelia burgdorferi has been classified into several gene species. Their distribution and possible relationship to clinical manifestations of Lyme disease will be discussed. It is speculated that ongoing and future tick/spirochete surveys will discover additional distinct gene types of Borrelia burgdorferi as well as hitherto underscribed spirochetesTEXTznanstveno časopisjejournalsSlovenian National E-content AggregatorNational and University Library of SloveniaZdruženje slovenskih dermatovenerologov