title: Elimination of Borrelia burgdorferi and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in rodent reservoirs and Ixodes scapularis ticks using a doxycycline hyclate-laden bait.
abstract: A field trial was conducted in a Lyme disease-endemic area of New Jersey to determine the efficacy of a doxycyline hyclate rodent bait to prophylactically protect and cure small-mammal reservoirs and reduce infection rates in questing Ixodes scapularis ticks for Borrelia burgdorferi and Anaplasma phagocytophilum. The doxycycline-laden bait was formulated at a concentration of 500 mg/kg and delivered during the immature tick feeding season in rodent-targeted bait boxes. The percentage of infected small mammals recovered from treated areas after 2 years of treatment was reduced by 86.9% for B. burgdorferi and 74% for A. phagocytophilum. Infection rates in questing nymphal ticks for both B. burgdorferi and A. phagocytophilum were reduced by 94.3% and 92%, respectively. Results from this study indicate that doxycycline-impregnated bait is an effective means of reducing infection rates for B. burgdorferi and A. phagocytophilum in both rodent reservoirs and questing I. scapularis ticks.
authors.affiliation: Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Bacterial Disease Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521, USA. mcd4@cdc.gov
authors.forename: Marc C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Dolan
authors.forename: Terry L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Schulze
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Jordan
authors.forename: Gabrielle
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dietrich
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Schulze
authors.forename: Andrias
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hojgaard
authors.forename: Amy J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Ullmann
authors.forename: Cherilyn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sackal
authors.forename: Nordin S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Zeidner
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Piesman
mesh_terms: D041081:Anaplasma phagocytophilum / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001096:Arachnid Vectors / Q000382:microbiology*; D025065:Borrelia burgdorferi / Q000187:drug effects; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000382:microbiology*; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016873:Ehrlichiosis / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D018884:Ixodes / Q000382:microbiology*; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D009515:New Jersey / Q000453:epidemiology; D012377:Rodentia / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004318:Doxycycline