OPTIMIZATION OF RESEARCH METHODS OF INFECTIONS TRANSMITTED BY TICKS AND MOSQUITOES

Abstract

In many European countries, research is being conducted on the presence of various pathogens of infections transmitted by ticks and mosquitoes by various methods, primarily by polymerase chain reaction. These include the study of certain species of spirochetes that cause multisystem disorders in the human body, including the little-known circulation of some species of Borrelia species and Ticks Borne Encephalitis Virus in northeastern Germany and the study of various stages of mite development in western Pomerania, Slovenia; study of eco-epidemiology of B. miyamotoi spirochetes and Lyme borreliosis in the popular hunting and recreational forest belt of Hungary, comprehensive studies by T. Chmielewski, J. Fiett, M. Gniadkowski, S. Tylewska-Wierzbanowska in the study of such a multisystem and multilevel disease as Lyme disease.
We performed PCR studies based on ticks and mosquitoes, EDTA blood, cerebrospinal fluid and synovial fluid of patients affected by the bites of these arthropods. Ticks and mosquitoes were suspended and DNA/RNA was extracted depending on the pathogen and amplified. They were aimed mainly at detecting DNA-containing pathogens: B. burgdorferi s. l., (complex B. sensu stricto, B. afzelii, B. garini), B. miyamotoi, A. phagocytophilum, E. muris, E. chaffeensis, B. species and RNA-containing tick-borne encephalitis virus.
To optimize research methods, a simultaneous combination of detection of all DNA-containing pathogens and a separate study of RNA-containing tick-borne encephalitis virus is used, which facilitates their faster detection. This reduces the time to get results.
In our search, we have chosen to use a unified methodology we developed, which helps to give the results of determinations to clinicians as soon as possible to confirm or refute the diagnosis and monitor the epidemiological situation regarding the infection of ticks and mosquitoes.
The use of our methodology allows us to conduct research to identify pathogens and obtain results in the time allotted for the full cycle of research. It saves time and electricity, the equipment itself is stored during its use.
For the first time, mosquito studies were performed for the presence of DNA fragments of Babesia species and RNA of tick-borne encephalitis virus, which gave an intermediate positive result.