Distribution of antibodies reactive to Borrelia lonestari and Borrelia burgdorferi in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) populations in the eastern United States.
Southern tick-associated rash illness is a Lyme-like syndrome that occurs in the southern states. Borrelia lonestari, which has been suggested as a possible causative agent of southern tick-associated rash illness, naturally infects white-tailed deer (WTD; Odocoileus virginianus) and is transmitted by the lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum). To better understand the prevalence and distribution of Borrelia exposure among WTD, we tested WTD from 21 eastern states for antibodies reactive to B. lonestari using an indirect immunofluorescent antibody assay and Borrelia burgdorferi using the IDEXX SNAP 4Dx test. A total of 107/714 (15%) had antibodies reactive to B. lonestari, and prevalence of antibodies was higher in deer from southern states (17.5%) than in deer from northern states (9.2%). Using the SNAP 4DX test, we found that 73/723 (10%) were positive for B. burgdorferi, and significantly more northern deer (23.9%) were positive compared with southern deer (3.8%). Our data demonstrate that WTD are exposed to both Borrelia species, but antibody prevalence for exposure to the two species differs regionally and distributions correlate with the presence of Ixodes scapularis and A. americanum ticks.
Murdock
Jessica H
JH
Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA.
Yabsley
Michael J
MJ
Little
Susan E
SE
Chandrashekar
Ramaswamy
R
O'Connor
Thomas P
TP
Caudell
Joe N
JN
Huffman
Jane E
JE
Langenberg
Julia A
JA
Hollamby
Simon
S
D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D001096:Arachnid Vectors / Q000382:microbiology*; D001898:Borrelia / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001899:Borrelia Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary; D003670:Deer / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique / Q000662:veterinary; D005843:Geography; D008297:Male; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013987:Ticks / Q000382:microbiology*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial