First Molecular Detection and characterization of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (Lyme disease spirochete) in Egyptian rodents

Ghafar, M; Saleh, A; Badawi, A; Abd El-Aty, A

doi:10.21608/vmjg.2011.368236

First Molecular Detection and characterization of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (Lyme disease spirochete) in Egyptian rodents

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Department of Zoonoses, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt. Department of Biotechnology, College of Science, Taif University, KSA.

² Department of Plant Protection, King Saud University, KSA.

³ Biochemistry Division, National Organization for Drug Control and Research, Egypt.

⁴ Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt.

10.21608/vmjg.2011.368236

Abstract

This study was intended to molecularly detect and characterize Borrelia burgdorferi senau lato in Egyptian rodents as an initial step in reservoir competence studies. A total of 30 rodents (26 Rattus norvegicus and 4 Rattus rattus) were caught at different areas in Giza Governorate, Egypt. EDTA-whole blood was collected and tested for the presence of spirochetal DNA using ospA targeting-PCR, and specific amplicons were then subjected to bidirectional sequencing. Positive amplification of 307-bp fragment was detected in 5 (19.2%) R. norvegicus (brown or Norway rat), while no borrelial DNA was evident in R. rattus (black rat). DNA sequence of the detected strain, designated as Borrelia burgdorferi Ghafar, was deposited in the GenBank under accession no. FJ968724. Sequence and phylogenetic analysis showed that Ghafar strain belongs to B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (99.6%- 100% similarity) and clearly distinguishable from other B. burgdorferi sensu lato genospecies. These results provide the first molecular report addressing existence of B. burgdorferi sensu stricto in Rattus norvegicus in the country, suggesting that this murine host may act as a reservoir for Lyme disease agent.

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