News

Project conference

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 23:25:25 +0200

The project conference “Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases in South Bohemia and Bavaria” was took place on 27th September 2011 in the Conference Hall of the Regional Council of South Bohemia.

More than 80 active and passive participants were registered at the conference. The project results were presented in lectures of Václav Hönig (south-bohemian part of the project), Dr. Dana Zubríková (bavarian part of the project) and Dr. Pavel Švec (us of GIS within the project).

The program of the conference continued with contributions of external experts: Dr. Milan Daniel (National Institute of Public Health) talking about history of tick-borne encephalitis research in the Czechoslovak Republic, and environmental condition influencing the occurrence of TBE in South Bohemian Region, Dr. Václav Chmelík (Hospital České Budějovice) giving a talk on changing clinical pisture of TBE, Dr. Oliver Donoso Mantke (Robert Koch Institut, Berlin) giving an overview on epidemiological and surveillance system in Europe and Germany, Dr. Sandra Essbauer (Bundeswehr, Munich) talking about phylogeny of TBE and its consequences for the biological properties of the virus, Nataliia Rudenko (Biology Centre AS CR, University of South Bohemia, Georgia Southern University USA) informing about new achievements n the taxonomy of Lyme diseases spirochets and Brian Crowe (Baxter) giving a talk on latest news in anti-Lyme borreliosis vaccine development.

Current Results

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 10:39:09 +0100

The tick samples were tested for the presence of Lyme Borreliosis (Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato) and tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) by molecular-biological tools.

A total of 11 146 ticks were tested for the presence of B. burgdorferi. Over 12 % of the ticks were found positive, on some localities the prevalence reached as much as 20 %.

The probability of the transmission of the pathogen to human is influenced by other factors, so one can not say, that avery 5th tick will infect human. Furthermore, not all borrelia genospecies are able to cause disease in human - pathogenic and non-pathogenic species will be identified in the continuation of the project. Altogether, more than 13 000 positive samples will be submitted to species identification, so we should have enough material for a complex analysesof the genospecies composition of Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. populations in South Bohemia.

Furthermore, we have already tested 11 278 ticks for the presence of TBEV. Total prevalence of TBEV reached 0,5 %, which was an expected result considering the fragility of the circulation in natural cycles. Interestingly, the virus was detected in 13 of 16 localities tested, so far. There is a risk of TBEV infection dispersed over the majority of tick-suitable habitats in South Bohemia. TBEV infection may be most effectively prevented by vaccination.

Currently, the data acquired in field are statistically evaluated and subsequently the model of disease risk will be produced and visualized in a form of map outputs. Summarized results will be shared with the expert and general public on a final conference co-organized with the Region of South Bohemia. The conference will be organized in September 2011 in České Budějovice.

PROJECT Meeting - December 2010

Thu, 16 Dec 2010 10:22:44 +0100

Next partner meeting was organized in December 2010 at LMU in Munich. Technical issues in the detection of tick-borne pathogens and plans for the final conference were discussed.

Comparative analyses of different primers for detection of borrelia was conducted by the Bavarian team. Remarkable differences were detected in the sensitivity of different primer pairs with different genospecies of borrelia. Based on the field data and literature an approach of risk modeling was established.

PROJECT MINI-CONFERENCE

Mon, 15 Nov 2010 09:49:12 +0100

In November (11. - 12.11.) a mini-conference of the project participants was organized in Kvilda, a small village in Šumava/Böhmerwald mountains on a halfway between Munich and České Budějovice. After the welcome word by the mayor, Mr. Václav Vostradovský, and visit of the exposition of the local museum, the official program was started.

The results of the project teams from Czech and Bavarian side were presented. Dr. Volker Fingerle from the German National Reference Center for Borreliosis was invited to the presentations as an external evaluator/consultant. The advices of Dr. Fingerle were employed in the current project plan.

In the remaining time, regular project meeting was organized. The time schedule of the project activities was updated, the presentations of the project in international conferences and preparation of scientific papers was planed.

Current news

Wed, 8 Sep 2010 15:25:29 +0200

The tick collection were successfully finished in Bavaria and the team in Munich starts with laboratory testing of the ticks.

In South Bohemia, botanical characterization of the study sites was completed in summer. The data are currently analyzed. Screening of ticks for tick-borne pathogens is almost finished. So far, 10 036 samples were tested for the presence of Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. and more than 15 000 ticks were tested for tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV). High variability in prevalence of B. burgdorferi was detected among different localities (ranging 5 to 20.3 % in nymphs). Significant differences were found even among samples from different collection periods at the same site (range 10.8 to 20.25 %). TBEV was confirmed in 7 study sites and was found absent in 4 sites, so far (sites with less than 500 samples are not included).

Currently the data on tick abundance are analyzed inn order to find relationships to various environmental factors - land cover (based on own field survey, Forest typology from Forest Management Institute, CORINE Land Cover 2006 data), climatic factors (annual and seasonal temperature averages, maximums, minimums, number of degree growing days, precipitation data), exposition, leaf litter layer...

Selection of sampling localities in Bavaria

Fri, 28 May 2010 18:54:16 +0200

All the data for GIS analysis (including especially valuable data on occurrence of human TBE cases in fine resolution) were successfully collected by the Bavarian team. The data were adapted by Dr. Pavel Svec and integrated in a GIS system enabling pre-selection of the sampling sites.

From 15th to 21st May 2010 the field survey was conducted. In extremely unpleasant weather conditions the definitive sampling sites were selected, marked and GPS coordinates were recorded. Altogether 20 localities were picked up in the area of Lower Bavaria.

LABORATORY ANALYSIS OF THE TICK SAMPLES STARTED

Wed, 31 Mar 2010 16:20:07 +0200

Finally, the testing of samples collected in South Bohemia has started in the beginning of March. Already more than 1500 tick samples were tested for the presence of Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. DNA. The testing occurs in the co-operation with GEN-TREND s.r.o.

Workshop - laboratory testing of ticks

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 10:19:42 +0100

In the end the workshop was divided into two parts. First part was focused on preparation of samples and detection of tick-borne encephalitis virus and was organized 30.11.-4.12.09 in České Budějovice. Several RNA isolation techniques (commercial kits, Trizol, Chelex method) were tested for their efficiency and feasibility.

The second part of the workshop was held in Munich 7.-10.12.09. This dealt mainly with the identification of Borrelia burgdorferi genospecies, particularly on Reverse line blotting technique.

Although some more optimisation step will be required for the detection and identification tools, the workshop provided a perfect opportunity for direct exchange of technical skills.

Second partner meeting

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 08:31:09 +0100

The second partner meeting was in the end postponed to 8.12.2009 and was held at the Institute of Comparative Tropical Medicin and Parasitology, LMU in Munich.

The discussion was focused mainly on the preparation of GIS analysis in Bavaria and statistical design of the laboratory testing of ticks. The project was presented by Dr. Dana Čerňanská and Václav Hönig at the seminar of the institute. New member of the team, Maria Vögerl was presented to the project partner.

First phase of the project

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0200

In the end of September 2009 the first phase of the project was finished. Within this part the team of biologists was supplemented by a GIS specialist, statistician and meteorologist.

The work was mainly focused on the use of geographic information systems (GIS) in the project. Apart from that significant advance was achieved in the design of the model for risk prediction.

Furthermore the data from the collections of ticks in South Bohemia were statistically analyzed. More than 20,000 tick samples were collected on 30 locations selected in the Region of South Bohemia. These samples will be subsequently tested for two in Europe most widespread tick-borne diseases: tick-borne encephalitis and Lyme borreliosis. The optimisation of the methodology for laboratory testing of ticks has already started and will be finished by a workshop, which will be organized in autumn in Munich.