Rapid introduction of Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, in Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) established at Turkey Point Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada.
Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.) was isolated from questing adult Ixodes scapularis Say ticks collected from Turkey Point Provincial Park (TPPP), Ontario, Canada during 2005-2006. DNA from ten (67%) of 15 pools of ticks was confirmed positive for B. burgdorferi s.s. using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) by targeting the rrf (5S)-rrl (23S) intergenic spacer region and OspA genes. This significant infection rate indicates an accelerated development of B. burgdorferi s.s. in TPPP, because this pathogen was not detected five years previously during sampling of the three motile life stages of I. scapularis. Our study provides the initial report of the presence of B. burgdorferi s.s. in TPPP, which is now endemic for Lyme disease. Ultimately, people and domestic animals are at risk of contracting Lyme disease when they frequent this park.
Scott
John D
JD
Lyme Disease Association of Ontario, 365 St. David Street South, Fergus, Ontario, Canada N1M 2L7.
Lee
Min-Kuang
MK
Fernando
Keerthi
K
Jorgensen
Danielle R
DR
Durden
Lance A
LA
Morshed
Muhammad G
MG
D000818:Animals; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000235:genetics; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D025065:Borrelia burgdorferi / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*; D021901:DNA, Intergenic / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007303:Insect Vectors / Q000382:microbiology*; D018884:Ixodes / Q000382:microbiology*; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000235:genetics; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000635:transmission; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009864:Ontario; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
D000954:Antigens, Surface; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D021901:DNA, Intergenic; D008074:Lipoproteins; C072045:OspA protein