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An experimental study of Borrelia anserina in four species of Argas ticks

1. Spirochete localization and densities

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Summary

Borrelia anserina localization and densities were studied over a 60-day period in 800 pairs of recently molted adult Argas (Persicargas) persicus, A. (P.) arboreus, A. (P.) streptopelia, and A. (A.) hermanni (200 pairs of each species) which were infected in this stage by feeding on infected chickens. There were no significant differences in data from males and females of the same tick species.

Spirochetes in the gut lumen of each species were numerous on the day of feeding on the infected chickens. The spirochetes greatly decreased in numbers during the next 7 days in A. (P.) persicus and arboreus, and A. (A.) hermanni, and all were immobile by day 15–20 and dead after day 20. In A. (P.) streptopelia, all spirochetes disappeared from the gut lumen by day 7 or 8.

Spirochetes penetrated the gut wall and were observed in the hemolymph of each species 2 h after the infective feeding. In the hemolymph, numbers increased for 7 days after A. (P.) persicus and arboreus had fed but for only 2 days after A. (P.) streptopelia and A. (A.) hermanni fed. Numbers afterward varied greatly in A. (P.) persicus and arboreus but dropped to 0 on day 4 and afterward in A. (A.) hermanni and (with a single exception) in A. (P.) streptopelia.

Spirochetes were first seen in other tissues on day 7. The central nerve mass was the most heavily infected tissue in A. (P.) persicus and arboreus, and remained infected throughout the 60-day observation period, but was only slightly infected in A. (P.) streptopelia and A. (A.) hermanni. Salivary gland infections were heavy to day 60 in A. (O.) persicus and arboreus, irregular (slight or nil) in A. (A.) hermanni, and nil in A. (P.) streptopelia. Infections in ovaries and testes were heavy to day 60 in A. (P.) persicus and arboreus but nil in A. (P.) streptopelia and A. (A.) hermanni. Infections in Gene's organ of A. (P.) persicus and arboreus were at about the same levels or lower than those in the ovaries. Malphighian tubule infections were rare in each species.

The implications of these findings are discussed in the second part of this series.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Institute of Medical Entomology, Ministry of Health, Cairo, Arab Republic of Egypt

    Fathi M. Diab

  2. Medical Zoology Department, United States Naval Medical Research Unit Number Three (NAMRU-3), American Embassy, Cairo, Arab Republic of Egypt

    Fathi M. Diab

  3. Department of Agricultural Zoology and Nematology, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Cairo, Arab Republic of Egypt

    Zenhom R. Soliman

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  1. Fathi M. Diab
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  2. Zenhom R. Soliman
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Request offprints from Medical Zoology Department, NAMRU-3, American Embassy, Cairo, Egypt (or from Medical Zoology Department. NAMRU-3, FPO, New York 09527).

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Diab, F.M., Soliman, Z.R. An experimental study of Borrelia anserina in four species of Argas ticks. Z. Parasitenk. 53, 201–212 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00380465

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00380465

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