RALB: Lyme borreliosis in North Africa, risk assessment and implications for tick management and for control of the human disease

• Research unit: EU RFP
• Project number: 99.0695

Key words (English)

D.ii; MPC;
Coordination; Cooperation; Scientific Research

Alternative project number (English)

EU project number: ICA3-2000-30009

Research programs (English)

EU-programme: 5. Frame Research Programme - 2.2 Measurements and testing

Short description (French)

Veuillez consulter l'abstract

Partners and International Organizations (French)

Instituts Pasteur de Paris (F), Casablanca (MA), Alger (DZ) et Tunis (TN), Université libre de Bruxelles (B) et Institut de la Santé Agua de Mouros (P).

Abstract (French)

Lyme borreliosis, due to the tick-borne spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi sensula to (Bb.sl), causes significant morbidity throughout the world. Preliminary studies have indicated the presence of the arthropod vector and the pathogen in North Africa. A few clinical cases have been reported. Our objective is to evaluate whether Lyme borreliosis constitutes a threat to public health in Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria. To access our objective, we plan to establish a map of the tick distribution, to evaluate the prevalence of Borrelia infection in ticks, to identify Borrelia strains and to determine their genetic diversity, to identify reservoirs used to maintain Bb.sl, and to evaluate the incidence of the disease in the human population. The knowledge of the natural enzootic cycle involving arthropods and wild vertebrates in the maintenance of Bb.sl should permit to develop prevention strategies to counter any public health threat.

References in databases (English)

Swiss Database: Euro-DB of the
State Secretariat for Education and Research
Hallwylstrasse 4
CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Swiss Project-Number: 99.0695