Vector competence of Ixodes scapularis and Ixodes ricinus (Acari: Ixodidae) for three genospecies of Borrelia burgdorferi.
The vector competence of 2 tick species, Ixodes ricinus (L.) and Ixodes scapularis Say, was determined and compared for 3 genospecies of Borrelia burgdorferi. The 3 genospecies of B. burgdorferi used in the following experiments were Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (B-31 and B-31.D1 clone), Borrelia afzelii (strain Pgau. C3), and Borrelia garinii (strain VS286 and VSBP). Spirochetes from all 5 strains were inoculated intradermally into outbred mice; larval ticks of both species were subsequently fed on those mice and replete larvae were assayed for infection by culture in BSK-H media every 7 d for 4 wk. Infection frequencies in I. scapularis exposed to the 5 strains were as follows: B-31 (90%), B-31.D1 (83%), Pgau.C3 (87%), VS286 (10%), and VSBP (5%). The comparable infection frequencies for I. ricinus were B-31 (3%), B-31.D1 (3%), Pgau.C3 (90%), VS286 (5%), and VSBP (3%). Resultant nymphal I. scapularis successfully transmitted B-31, B-31,D1, Pgau.C3, and VS286 to outbred mice. I. ricinus nymphs transmitted Pgau.C3 and VS286. Both species failed to transmit strain VSBP.
Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO 80522, USA.
M C
MC
Dolan
J
J
Piesman
M L
ML
Mbow
G O
GO
Maupin
O
O
Péter
M
M
Brossard
W T
WT
Golde
D000818:Animals; D001096:Arachnid Vectors / Q000382:microbiology*; D015748:Borrelia burgdorferi Group; D005260:Female; D018884:Ixodes / Q000382:microbiology*; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D011817:Rabbits