[Preliminary identification of Borrelia burgdorferi isolated from Ixodes ricinus ticks in eastern Slovakia].

The first finding of spirochetes Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in eastern Slovakia pertains to ticks Ixodes ricinus collected in the Kosice park forest in September 1995. The authors tested 7 strains using immunoblotting with 4 monoclonal antibodies (Mab): H9724--specific to the genus Borrelia, identifying 41 kDa flagellar protein, H5332--specific to OspA protein of B. burgdorferi, J 8.3 and I 17.3 specific to OspA and OspB proteins of B. afzelii. All the strains belong to the genus Borrelia (reacted with Mab H9724), 6 of 7 strains designated Ir103, Ir105, Ir107, Ir108, Ir112 and Ir113 were identified as B. burgdorferi sensu lato (reacted with Mab H5332). None of the strains reacted with Mab specific for B. afzelii.