Congenital tick-borne relapsing fever: report of a case with transplacental transmission in the Islamic Republic of Iran

Tick-borne relapsing fever (TBRF) is an arthropod-borne infection found in the Middle East, Africa, Europe and North America. The disease is caused by several species of Borrelia and transmitted by various species of soft ticks [1,2]. Specific relationships usually exist between Borrelia species, the vector ticks and the distribution area [3]. Ornithodoros tholozani is distributed in the Middle East and is known as the main vector and sole reservoir for B. persica, which is often responsible for old-world TBRF. Ticks of this species live in close proximity with humans host and feed for short periods, through a painless bite, often at night [4].