Characterization of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato from Novosibirsk region (West Siberia, Russia) based on direct PCR.

Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato infecting Ixodes persulcatus ticks near Novosibirsk, Russia were detected using PCR with primers specific to 5S and 23S rRNA genes. Two genospecies, B. afzelii and B. garinii, were identified by the PCR-based restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis with Tru9-I restriction endonuclease. Comparison of the corresponding nucleotide sequences revealed considerable diversity of the 5S-23S intergenic spacer structure among B. garinii.