TY - JOUR AU - Skarphédinsson, Sigurdur AU - Jensen, Per AU - Kristiansen, Kåre T1 - Survey of Tickborne Infections in Denmark T2 - Emerging Infectious Disease journal PY - 2005 VL - 11 IS - 7 SP - 1055 SN - 1080-6059 AB - We conducted a study of the distribution and prevalence of tickborne infections in Denmark by using roe deer as sentinels. Blood samples from 237 roe deer were collected during the 2002–2003 hunting season. Overall, 36.6% of deer were Borrelia seropositive, while 95.6% were Anaplasma phagocytophilum positive; all animals were negative for Bartonella quintana and B. henselae by indirect immunofluorescence assay. When a hemagglutination-inhibition test was used, 8.7% of deer were found positive for tickborne encephalitis (TBE)-complex virus. A total of 42.6% were found positive by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for A. phagocytophilum with significant seasonal variation. All were PCR negative for Rickettsia helvetica. PCR and sequencing also showed a novel bacterium in roe deer previously only found in ticks. The study showed that the emerging pathogen A. phagocytophilum is widely distributed and that a marked shift has occurred in the distribution of TBE-complex virus in Denmark. This finding supports studies that predict alterations in distribution due to climatic changes. KW - Keywords: Borrelia KW - Anaplasma phagocytophilum KW - Bartonella KW - Rickettsia KW - Tickborne encephalitis viruses KW - climate KW - roe deer KW - Ixodes ricinus KW - serology KW - sentinel surveillance KW - Denmark DO - 10.3201/eid1107.041265 UR - https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/11/7/04-1265_article ER - End of Reference