By collecting ticks from different areas endemic for Lyme borreliosis in Vienna (Austria) and allow them to feed on naïve mice, we have successfully established tick colonies with a B. burgdorferi (ST1) strain (Pra1, from the public park Prater in Vienna) and two B. bavariensis (ST4) strains (Marx1 and Marx2, from St. The gene discussed is RABAC1; the disease is Lyme disease.