吸血蓖子硬蜱成虫唾腺莱姆病螺旋体重度感染的发现

为了解莱姆病螺旋体在蜱体内的发育生物学，采用直接免疫荧光试验、银染色法组织学及电子显微镜观察螺旋体，结果显示，感染莱姆病螺旋体的饥饿蓖子硬蜱雌虫未吸血与吸血0．5和1天唾腺中无螺旋体。在吸血开始后2天出现唾腺的轻度感染，3天出现唾腺的中度感染，4天和5天出现重度感染。这些结果表明，莱姆病螺旋体媒介蜱唾腺的感染程度随吸血时间的延长而迅速增高，并可在缓慢吸血期的中后期形成重度感染。莱姆病螺旋体在吸血期媒介唾腺内的大量存在，特别是重度感染的发现，为该病原螺旋体由蟀向脊椎动物宿主传播的唾液分泌途径假设提供了有力证据。本研究对莱姆病螺旋体在吸血蟀唾腺内分裂增殖的可能性进行了讨论。

DEMONSTRATI0N OF MASSIVE INFECTIONS OF THE LYME DISEASE SPIROCHETE IN SALIVARY GLANDS OF BLOOD-FEEDING IXODES RICINUS FEMALES

In ordcr to understand the devel0pmenta1 biology of the Lyme disease spirochcte inits tick vectors, spirochetcs in salivary glands 0f wild-col1ected blood-fecding Ixodes ricinusfema1es were dem0nstrated by direct immunofluorescence assayl silver stain and transmission e1ec-tron microscopy. As a result, No spirochetes were detected in unfed ticks and in ticks fed for O-5and 1 day. Mild and intermediate sa1ivary gland infections were 0bserved in ticks fed for 2 and 3days respectively. Sa1ivary glands showed massive infections in ticks fed for 4 or 5 days. Thedetection of a great number of spirochetes in salivary glands of blood-feeding female Ixodesricinus, especially the demonstrati0n of massive spirocheta1 infections, provides strong eviden-ces for the hyp0thesis that the Lyme disease spirochete c0uld be transmitted to its vertebratehosts through sa1ivati0n. Thc spir0chetal mu1tiplication in salivary g1ands of engorging femaleswas suggested.