Molecular detection of a relapsing fever Borrelia in Dermacentor auratus infesting a human, with a brief review of human otoacariasis cases in Malaysia

Authors

• Abdul Rahman Kazim, Universiti Teknologi MARA
• Sze Yin Ng, Pantai Hospital Laguna Merbok
• Nur Adilla Zaini, Universiti Teknologi MARA
• Van Lun Low, Universiti Malaya
• Jamal Houssaini, Universiti Teknologi MARA
• Dennis Tappe, Bernhard Nocht Institut fur Tropenmedizin Hamburg
• Chong Chin Heo, Universiti Teknologi MARA

Document Type

Review

Publication Date

2-1-2026

Abstract

This study reports the detection of a relapsing fever Borrelia in the gilded boar tick, Dermacentor auratus, extracted from the ear canal of a human patient in Kedah, Peninsular Malaysia. Molecular analysis of the flaB gene identified the Borrelia species as identical to Borrelia sp. isolate HNF1F2 from China (ON060668) and closely related (99.60%) to Borrelia theileri isolate B22 from Colombia (ON135433). This article also provides a comprehensive review of human otoacariasis cases in Malaysia and discusses the limitations associated with these cases.

Publication Title

Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

ISSN

00359203

DOI

10.1093/trstmh/traf106

Recommended Citation

Kazim, Abdul Rahman; Ng, Sze Yin; Zaini, Nur Adilla; Low, Van Lun; Houssaini, Jamal; Tappe, Dennis; and Heo, Chong Chin, "Molecular detection of a relapsing fever Borrelia in Dermacentor auratus infesting a human, with a brief review of human otoacariasis cases in Malaysia" (2026). Research Publications (2026 to 2030). 224.
https://knova.um.edu.my/research_publications_2026_2030/224

Volume

120

Issue

2

First Page

126