Localization of Lyme disease spirochetes \kur{Borrelia burgdorferi} in ticks \kur{Ixodes ricinus}

Bc. Martin STRNAD, BSc

Diplomová práce

Abstract:

Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne infection in the Western world with an annual incidence usually in excess of 100 cases per 100 000 people in temperate areas of the United States and Europe. Same as other infectious diseases, Lyme borreliosis wreaks havoc on the host they have invaded. B. burgdorferi, the causative agent of this disease, circulates among wildlife vertebrate hosts and Ixodes tick vectors but may sometimes infect humans. Its natural enzootic cycle usually occurs as follows: The larval/nymphal stage tick feeds on an infected host. During this engorgement, the spirochetes reach the tick gut and stay confined to it. After the tick molts into the next developmental stage, it finds a second host. The new bloodmeal triggers the spirochetes to multiply within the gut and traverse the gut endothelium in a highly organized manner. They finally disseminate through the hemocoel up to the tick salivary glands and into the new host. We studied whether B. burgdorferi is capable of reaching the tick salivary glands during the first infective feeding period in uninfected ticks.

Abstract:

Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne infection in the Western world with an annual incidence usually in excess of 100 cases per 100 000 people in temperate areas of the United States and Europe. Same as other infectious diseases, Lyme borreliosis wreaks havoc on the host they have invaded. B. burgdorferi, the causative agent of this disease, circulates among wildlife vertebrate hosts and Ixodes tick vectors but may sometimes infect humans. Its natural enzootic cycle usually occurs as follows: The larval/nymphal stage tick feeds on an infected host. During this engorgement, the spirochetes reach the tick gut and stay confined to it. After the tick molts into the next developmental stage, it finds a second host. The new bloodmeal triggers the spirochetes to multiply within the gut and traverse the gut endothelium in a highly organized manner. They finally disseminate through the hemocoel up to the tick salivary glands and into the new host. We studied whether B. burgdorferi is capable of reaching the tick salivary glands during the first infective feeding period in uninfected ticks.

Keywords

Ixodes ricinus, Borrelia burgdorferi, in-vitro feeding, fluorescence and electron microscopy

Jazyk práce: angličtina

Datum vytvoření / odevzdání či podání práce: 26. 4. 2013

Zveřejnit od: 26. 4. 2013

Obhajoba závěrečné práce

• Vedoucí: RNDr. Marie Vancová, Ph.D.

JIHOČESKÁ UNIVERZITA V ČESKÝCH BUDĚJOVICÍCH

Přírodovědecká fakulta

Magisterský studijní program / obor:
Biochemistry / Biological chemistry