Mosquitos in Germany found to carry Lyme disease - new study.

[justy]

Abstract only available - it is behind a paywall.

Occurrence of Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. in different genera of mosquitoes (Culicidae) in Central Europe

Abstract
Lyme disease or Lyme borreliosis is a vector-borne infectious disease caused by spirochetes of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex. Some stages of the borrelial transmission cycle in ticks (transstadial, feeding and co-feeding) can potentially occur also in insects, particularly in mosquitoes. In the present study, adult as well as larvae mosquitoes were collected at 42 different geographical locations throughout Germany. This is the first study, in which German mosquitoes were analysed for the presence of Borrelia spp. Targeting two specific borrelial genes, flaB and ospA encoding for the subunit B of flagellin and the outer surface protein A, the results show that DNA of B. afzelii, B. bavariensis and B. garinii could be detected in ten Culicidae species comprising four distinct genera (Aedes, Culiseta, Culex, and Ochlerotatus). Positive samples also include adult specimens raised in the laboratory from wild-caught larvae indicating that transstadial and/or transovarial transmission might occur within a given mosquito population.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877959X15300327

 

[duncan]

They knew as far back as 1983 that at least some species of mosquitoes carried Lyme disease. One study done at that time (Magnarelli et al) seemed to suggest that mosquitoes could convey Bb at least to hamsters.

The relative paucity of studies looking at other insects as Bb vectors is interesting in and of itself, imo.

 

[justy]

edited post above to add link

 

[anciendaze]

I'd point out that there are well-known results in veterinary medicine showing the presence of borrelia miyamotoi in significant percentages of wild turkeys in precisely those regions of the U.S. where Lyme disease is said not to be a problem. Standard FDA-approved tests for Lyme disease in the U.S. would not detect B. miyamotoi or any of the species mentioned in this paper. Several of the mosquito genera mentioned in that paper are definitely found in the U.S. Other papers indicate that wild turkeys with various borrelia infections do get around a good bit. From personal observations, I can report significant numbers of mosquitoes around Turkey Lake, where there just happen to be wild turkeys.

Anyone for parallel research in the U.S.?

 

[whodathunkit]

Had no idea. Interesting if terrible news. thanks for posting, @justy!

 

[msf]

If mosquitoes turn out to be vectors, then the belief that it takes many hours to transmit Bb will have to be reevaluated.