Kimito Uchikawa

Distribution of Borrelia Species Associated with Lyme Disease in the Subalpine Forests of Nagano Prefecture, Japan

We surveyed the natural distribution of Borrelia species associated with Lyme disease in the subalpine forests of Nagano prefecture, Japan, during 1993‐94. Tick‐derived isolates (n = 112) from Ixodes persulcatus and rodent‐derived isolates (n = 55) from Apodemus argenteus, Apodemus speciosus, Eothenomys andersoni, Eothenomys smithii, and Microtus montebelli were classified by rRNA gene restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis (RFLP ribotyping). Ribotype group IV (an intraspecific variant of Borrelia garinii) was predominant among the tick isolates. It was also isolated repeatedly from the rodents. Ribotype group III (Borrelia afzelii) was detected in low frequencies among the tick and rodent isolates. The data suggest that humans are likely to be exposed to the group IV when they are bitten by I. persulcatus ticks.

Possibility of Lyme Disease as an Occupational Disease — Seroepidemiological Study of Regional Residents and Forestry Workers

We conducted a study to investigate the state of human infection by the Lyme disease pathogen by determining the prevalence of positivity for serum antibody to Borrelia burgdorferiamong regional residents and forestry workers in Nagano Prefecture. Assay of the antibody titer was performed by indirect fluorescent antibody technique (IFA) using Borrelia burgdorferistrain B-31 as the antigen. The study was based on the results of an earlier investigation to test our prediction of high infection rates for the adult ticks of I. persulcatusand I. ovatusin Nagano Prefecture. The study results showed infection to regional residents and forestry workers by the Lyme disease pathogen and a significantly higher positive rate in forestry workers than in regional residents. These findings indicate the need to consider this disorder as an occupational disease of forestry workers. Asia Pac J Public Health1994;7(4):214-17.

Infectivity and Early Antibody Response to Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato Isolated in Japan in Outbred Mice

Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato isolated from Ixodes ovatus (B. japonica), I. persulcatus and patients with erythema migrans (EM) in Japan were determined on infectivity and arthritis induction‐activity in outbred mice. Infectivity of B. japonica was weak and did not induce the development of footpad swelling by subcutaneous (s.c.) inoculation into the footpad. Challenged strain, NO129‐M of B. japonica, to ddY mice were reinoculated to the mice at various cell numbers (1 × 10‐1 × 106 cells/mouse). The strain isolated from the mouse did not reinfect ddY mice and did not induce the production of specific antibody to the homologous strain. On the other hand, strains from I. persulcatus and patients with EM in Japan infected the mice and induced a serious inflammatory response in Borrelia‐inoculated footpad as well as strains belonging to the three genospecies, B. burgdorferi sensu stricto, B. garinii, and B. afzelii, related to Lyme disease, from North America and Europe. The mice were infected with 10 cells of strain HP1 isolated from I. persulcatus in Hokkaido and of strain 297 isolated from a patient in the U.S.A. by subcutaneous inoculation into the hind footpad, or by intradermal inoculation into the back. Antigens of ca. 20, 23–24 (Osp C), 29, 39, 41 (flagellin) and 45 kDa reacted with the pooled sera from mice inoculated with strains HP1 and 297, but Osp A and Osp B did not.

Ixodes philipi: Redescription of Female and First Description of Male, with Records from Streaked Shearwater in Japan (Acarina: Ixodidae)

Abstract Ixodes philipi Keirans & Kohls, 1970 is so far known only from two female specimens taken from the streaked shearwater, Puffinus leucomelas (Temminck, 1835) [presently Calonectris leucomelas (Temminck, 1835)], or the madeiran storm-petrel, Oceanodroma castro (Harcourt, 1851), in Japan. We redescribe the female and describe the male of this species. We used nine adults (four males and five females) taken from the bodies of C. leucomelas and/or soil samples of their nest burrows in Japan, indicating that C. leucomelas is the main natural host bird of I. philipi.

A new classification for the subgenera of the genus Acanthophthirius Perkins, with descriptions of twelve new taxa (Acarina, Trombidiformes, Myobiidae)

The myobiid genus Acanthophthirius Perkins, to date comprising four subgenera, is reviewed and divided into just two subgenera, the nominate subgenus and Myotimyobia Fain. The male genital shield and female opisthogastric sclerites, which are here considered to be part of female genitalia, are adopted as the criteria for dividing the subgenera. These structures are essentially the same in form and position in the subgenus Acanthopthirius in its revised sense, while they are both more heterogeneous in species of the redefined subgenus Myotimyobia. The subgenera Acanthophthirius Fain and Chiromyobia Fain are thought to represent species-groups in the nominate subgenus, named respectively the etheldredae and miniopteri groups. The following one new subspecies and 11 new species are described: A. (A.) womersleyi eptesicus, A. (A.) glauconycteris, A. (A.) mauritaniensis, A. (A.) philetoris, A. (A.) otonycteris, A. (A.) steatocaudatus, A. (A.) nyctophilis, A. (M.) vagus, A. (M.) longus A. (M.) baueris, A. (A.) hesperopteris (female only) and A. (M.) pixonixeos (female only). A. (M.) hanensis is synonymised with A. (M.) namurensis, and A. (M.) capacini is emended to A. (M.) capaccinii and relegated to a subspecies of A. (M.) myotis. All the known and new species are assigned to their respective subgenera and shown in a table. Incongruent host-relationships of some of the mites are clarified, although not completely solved, by the introduction of the new classification for the subgenera.

Bewsiella Domrow (Acarina: Mesostigmata): a revision and the description of new species

The genus Bewsiella is considered to comprise a considerable number of species, despite having been regarded as monotypic. The structure of the male spermadactyl is proposed as a key character for separating congeneric species. This character seems likely to bear phylogenetic information on both the mites themselves and their hosts. Since the male of Bewsiella fledermaus Domrow, the type-species, has not been found, it is impossible to define the morphology of this species based on both sexes. Consequently, all mites that share many characters with the female of B. fledermaus are placed in a B. fledermaus species group. B. aelleni (Till) is considered as a valid species and both sexes and the protonymph are redescribed and illustrated. B. nycteris n. sp., B. emballonuris n. sp., B. cloeotis n. sp., B. haradai n. sp. and B. coelopos n. sp. are described and illustrated. The genus Bewsiella was originally allocated to the family Laelapidae and later transferred to the family Macronyssidae. Recently, the genus was returned to the Laelapidae, and some evidence supporting this action was obtained during the present study, but further studies are required for confirmation.