Seasonal variation of transmission risk of Lyme disease and human babesiosis.
The seasonal host-seeking pattern of nymphal Ixodes dammini infected with Babesia microti or Borrelia burgdorferi was determined on Nantucket Island, Massachusetts, during 1985. The peak period of host-seeking by infected nymphal I. dammini occurred in May and June. On a per person-hour basis, the number of infected ticks collected reached a maximum in May (Babesia = 17.3; Borrelia = 16.2). The number of infected ticks remained high in June, but decreased notably in July, August, and September. Transmission risk of the tick-borne etiologic agents of Lyme disease and human babesiosis in Massachusetts is greatest during the late spring-early summer months of May and June.
Piesman
J
J
Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Alabama, Birmingham 35294.
Mather
T N
TN
Dammin
G J
GJ
Telford
S R
SR
Lastavica
C C
CC
Spielman
A
A
D000818:Animals; D001096:Arachnid Vectors; D001403:Babesia; D001404:Babesiosis / Q000635:transmission*; D001898:Borrelia; D006801:Humans; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000635:transmission*; D008404:Massachusetts; D009758:Nymph; D012307:Risk Factors; D012621:Seasons; D013987:Ticks / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology