Review of Lyme Borreliosis in Africa—An Emerging Threat in Africa

Lyme borreliosis (LB) is more common in the Northern Hemisphere. It is endemic mainly in North America, where the vectors are <i>Ixodes scapularis</i> and <i>Ixodes pacificus</i>, and in Eurasia, where the vectors are <i>Ixodes ricinus</i> and <i>Ixodes pers...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Nejib Doss, Aldo Morrone, Patrizia Forgione, Giusto Trevisan, Serena Bonin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-11-01
Series:Biology
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/13/11/897
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Summary:Lyme borreliosis (LB) is more common in the Northern Hemisphere. It is endemic mainly in North America, where the vectors are <i>Ixodes scapularis</i> and <i>Ixodes pacificus</i>, and in Eurasia, where the vectors are <i>Ixodes ricinus</i> and <i>Ixodes persulcatus</i>. Both tick-borne diseases and LB are influenced by climate change. Africa and South America are crossed by the equator and are situated in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. In Africa, the LB is present on the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean coasts. <i>Borrelia lusitaniae</i> is prevalent in countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, such as Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, and Egypt. Ticks were detected in the <i>Ixodes Ricinus</i>, which are carried by migratory birds and the <i>Ixodes inopinatus</i> and captured by the <i>Psammodromus algirus</i> lizards. The <i>Borreliae</i> Lyme Group (LG) and, in particular, <i>Borrelia garinii</i>, have been reported in countries bordering the Indian Ocean, such as Kenya, Tanzania, and Mozambique, transported by migratory birds from North African countries, where the vector was identified as <i>Hyalomma rufipes</i> ticks. This review aims to document the presence of <i>Borreliae</i> LG and LB in Africa.
ISSN:2079-7737