Borrelia infection in small mammals in West Africa and its relationship with tick occurrence inside burrows

Acta Tropica
Georges DiattaJean-François Trape

Abstract

Tick-borne relapsing fever (TBRF) is a zoonotic disease caused by several Borrelia species transmitted to humans by Ornithodoros tick vectors. In West Africa, Borrelia crocidurae is a common cause of disease in many rural populations. Small mammals act as reservoirs of infection. We report here the results of surveys that investigated the occurrence of B. crocidurae infection in rodents and insectivores from eight countries of West and Central Africa. Animals were identified at the species level and tested for Borrelia either by examination of thick blood film, intra-peritoneal inoculation of blood or brain tissues into laboratory mice, or by molecular techniques. A total of 4358 small mammals belonging to 38 species and 7 families were collected, including 3225 specimens collected in areas where the occurrence of Ornithodoros sonrai tick in rodent burrows was documented, and 1133 in areas where this tick was absent. In areas with O. sonrai, Borrelia infection was demonstrated in 287 of 3109 (9.2%) small mammals tested, and none was documented in 1004 animals tested from other areas. There was no relationship between the occurrence of Rhipicephalus, Hyaloma and Argas ticks in burrows and the distribution of Borrelia infection i...Continue Reading

References

Jul 1, 1994·Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene·G DiattaJ M Duplantier
Jan 1, 1996·Annual Review of Entomology·J S KlompenJ H Oliver
Feb 4, 2006·Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene·G TordiniG Zanelli
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May 3, 2011·Emerging Infectious Diseases·Philippe ParolaDidier Raoult
Oct 3, 2012·PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases·Georges DiattaJean-François Trape

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Citations

Apr 4, 2017·Acta Tropica·C B EhounoudO Mediannikov
May 3, 2020·Pathogens·Nathaniel MullKristian M Forbes
Mar 14, 2020·Pathogens·Handi DahmanaOleg Mediannikov
Nov 5, 2020·The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene·Adama Zan DiarraPhilippe Parola
Mar 5, 2021·Frontiers in Veterinary Science·Rachel E BusselmanGabriel L Hamer
Apr 23, 2021·PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases·El Hadji Ibrahima NdiayeGeorges Diatta
Sep 18, 2021·Vector Borne and Zoonotic Diseases·Fatou Samba DioufGeorges Diatta

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