Experimental infection of the eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus) with the Lyme disease spirochete (Borrelia burgdorferi).
Lyme disease, caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi, is endemic in the northeast, north-central, and Pacific coastal states of the United States. The eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus) is found throughout the disease-enzootic regions except along the Pacific coast, and may serve as an important reservoir host in some locations. To characterize their potential as a host, 11 adult chipmunks were inoculated with 10(5) spirochetes from strains of B. burgdorferi isolated from Peromyscus leucopus and Ixodes scapularis in a hyperendemic area of Westchester County, New York (USA). All inoculated chipmunks became infected. Spirochetemias were detected by isolating spirochetes in Barbour-Stoenner-Kelly media in eight of eight chipmunks, and lasted for 2 to 5 days. Spirochetes were isolated from the ears of all animals, starting at 1 wk and for < or = 4 mo, and from various internal organs at 133 days post-inoculation. Laboratory-reared larval I. scapularis ticks became infected with spirochetes after feeding on two of the inoculated chipmunks.
McLean
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RG
Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases, Fort Collins, Colorado 80522.
Ubico
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SR
Cooksey
L M
LM
D000818:Animals; D001096:Arachnid Vectors / Q000382:microbiology / Q000502:physiology; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000382:microbiology; D025065:Borrelia burgdorferi; D015748:Borrelia burgdorferi Group / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D004431:Ear, External / Q000382:microbiology; D007668:Kidney / Q000382:microbiology; D008099:Liver / Q000382:microbiology; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D012589:Sciuridae; D013154:Spleen / Q000382:microbiology; D013987:Ticks / Q000382:microbiology / Q000502:physiology; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000382:microbiology