Abstract
Ixodes scapularis (deer ticks) are a vector for the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi that is known to cause Lyme's Disease in animals and humans (Homo sapiens). In the past few years, there has been an increase in the prevalence of Lyme's Disease cases throughout the midwestern United States indicating that many ticks have been infected with B. burgdorferi. Using I. scapularis DNA samples collected from white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in the spring of 2006 from Buffalo County, WI and Winona County, MN, both traditional and real-time PCR methods were used to test for the presence of the B. burgdorferi organism in the ticks. A multi-plex protocol was developed using traditional PCR that amplified both the OspA protein in B. burgdorferi and the 16S rRNA gene in I. scapularis. Real-time PCR was used to amplify the RecA gene in B. burgdorferi and the ITS2 gene in I. scapularis. Together, these two methods were used to compare the accuracy and reliability of each method for detecting ticks infected with B. burgdorferi. In this discussion, the results of each of these methods will be analyzed.
College
College of Science & Engineering
Department
Biology
Campus
Winona
First Advisor/Mentor
Kimberly Bates
Location
Ballroom - Kryzsko Commons
Start Date
4-18-2024 9:00 AM
End Date
4-18-2024 10:00 AM
Presentation Type
Poster Session
Format of Presentation or Performance
In-Person
Session
1a=9am-10am
Poster Number
21
Included in
Detection of Lyme's Disease Caused by Borrelia Burgdorferi in Ixodes Scapularis Using a PCR Multiplex and Real-Time PCR
Ballroom - Kryzsko Commons
Ixodes scapularis (deer ticks) are a vector for the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi that is known to cause Lyme's Disease in animals and humans (Homo sapiens). In the past few years, there has been an increase in the prevalence of Lyme's Disease cases throughout the midwestern United States indicating that many ticks have been infected with B. burgdorferi. Using I. scapularis DNA samples collected from white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in the spring of 2006 from Buffalo County, WI and Winona County, MN, both traditional and real-time PCR methods were used to test for the presence of the B. burgdorferi organism in the ticks. A multi-plex protocol was developed using traditional PCR that amplified both the OspA protein in B. burgdorferi and the 16S rRNA gene in I. scapularis. Real-time PCR was used to amplify the RecA gene in B. burgdorferi and the ITS2 gene in I. scapularis. Together, these two methods were used to compare the accuracy and reliability of each method for detecting ticks infected with B. burgdorferi. In this discussion, the results of each of these methods will be analyzed.
