title: An avian contribution to the presence of Ixodes pacificus (Acari: Ixodidae) and Borrelia burgdorferi on the Sutter Buttes of California.
abstract: Birds from 45 species were sampled during three spring seasons from an isolated canyon on the Sutter Buttes in California for the presence of subadult stages of Ixodes pacificus Cooley & Kohls, and for infection with Borrelia burgdorferi Johnson, Schmid, Hyde, Steigerwalt & Brenner. These birds were found to have an infestation prevalence of 45%, a density of 1.7 ticks per bird, and an intensity of 3.8 ticks per infested bird. There was a significant difference in the I. pacificus infestations between canopy and ground-dwelling birds. Birds also demonstrated an overall infection with B. burgdorferi of 6.4% with significant difference between bird species. Amplification and subsequent sequencing of the 23s-5s rRNA intergenic spacer region of the Borrelia genome from one bird, a hermit thrush, Catharus guttatus (Nuttall), showed that the infection in this bird was caused by B. burgdorferi sensu stricto; the first such finding in a bird from the far west. Our results suggest that birds play a role in the distribution and maintenance of I. pacificus, and possibly of B. burgdoferi, at the Sutter Buttes, CA.
authors.affiliation: Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District, 8631 Bond Rd., Elk Grove, CA 95624, USA.
authors.forename: Stan A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: Debbie A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Lemenager
authors.forename: James R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Tucker
authors.forename: M Veronica
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Armijos
authors.forename: Sheryl A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001096:Arachnid Vectors / Q000382:microbiology / Q000502:physiology; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission; D001717:Birds; D025065:Borrelia burgdorferi / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000235:genetics; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary; D017753:Ecosystem; D018884:Ixodes / Q000382:microbiology / Q000502:physiology; D008116:Lizards; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D010542:Peromyscus; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D011156:Population Density; D015995:Prevalence; D012621:Seasons; D013984:Tick Infestations / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer