Topic: Invasion of the Lyme Disease Vector Ixodes scapularis: Implications for Borrelia b
Melanie Reber
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 3707
posted
Hamer SA, Tsao JI, Walker ED, Hickling GJ Invasion of the Lyme Disease Vector Ixodes scapularis: Implications for Borrelia burgdorferi Endemicity. [JOURNAL ARTICLE] Ecohealth 2010 Mar 13.
Lyme disease risk is increasing in the United States due in part to the spread of blacklegged ticks Ixodes scapularis, the principal vector of the spirochetal pathogen Borrelia burgdorferi. A 5-year study was undertaken to investigate hypothesized coinvasion of I. scapularis and B. burgdorferi in Lower Michigan.
We tracked the spatial and temporal dynamics of the tick and spirochete using mammal, bird, and vegetation drag sampling at eight field sites along coastal and inland transects originating in a zone of recent I. scapularis establishment.
We document northward invasion of these ticks along Michigan's west coast during the study period; this pattern was most evident in ticks removed from rodents. B. burgdorferi infection prevalences in I. scapularis sampled from vegetation in the invasion zone were 9.3% and 36.6% in nymphs and adults, respectively, with the majority of infection (95.1%) found at the most endemic site.
There was no evidence of I. scapularis invasion along the inland transect; however, low-prevalence B. burgdorferi infection was detected in other tick species and in wildlife at inland sites, and at northern coastal sites in years before the arrival of I. scapularis.
These infections suggest that cryptic B. burgdorferi transmission by other vector-competent tick species is occurring in the absence of I. scapularis.
Other Borrelia spirochetes, including those that group with B. miyamotoi and B. andersonii, were present at a low prevalence within invading ticks and local wildlife. Reports of Lyme disease have increased significantly in the invasion zone in recent years.
This rapid blacklegged tick invasion-measurable within 5 years-in combination with cryptic pathogen maintenance suggests a complex ecology of Lyme disease emergence in which wildlife sentinels can provide an early warning of disease emergence.
Posts: 7052 | From Colorado | Registered: Mar 2003
| IP: Logged |
Pinelady
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 18524
posted
Good Find Miss Melanie!
-------------------- Suspected Lyme 07 Test neg One band migrating in IgG region unable to identify.Igenex Jan.09IFA titer 1:40 IND IgM neg pos 31 +++ 34 IND 39 IND 41 IND 83-93 + DX:Neuroborreliosis Posts: 5850 | From Kentucky | Registered: Dec 2008
| IP: Logged |
Melanie Reber
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 3707
posted
Posts: 7052 | From Colorado | Registered: Mar 2003
| IP: Logged |
TerryK
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 8552
posted
Thanks for posting this. My brother-in-law is a doctor who lives in Michigan. I'll make sure he sees this.
Terry
Posts: 6286 | From Oregon | Registered: Jan 2006
| IP: Logged |
The Lyme Disease Network is a non-profit organization funded by individual donations. If you would like to support the Network and the LymeNet system of Web services, please send your donations to:
The
Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey 907 Pebble Creek Court,
Pennington,
NJ08534USA http://www.lymenet.org/
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic