title: The prevalence of Borrelia miyamotoi infection, and co-infections with other Borrelia spp. in Ixodes scapularis ticks collected in Canada.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Blacklegged ticks, Ixodes scapularis are vectors of the tick-borne pathogens Borrelia burgdorferi, Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Babesia microti. Recently, the I. scapularis-borne bacterium Borrelia miyamotoi has been linked to human illness in North America. The range of this tick is expanding in Canada which may increase the potential for human exposure to these agents.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, 4938 I. scapularis ticks collected in 2012 were tested following a newly developed PCR-based testing protocol to determine the prevalence of infection with B. miyamotoi and other pathogens in I. scapularis in Canada.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Borrelia miyamotoi was detected in blacklegged ticks from all provinces except Newfoundland, although the infection prevalence was low (<1%). There was significant variation among provinces in the prevalence of infection of ticks with B. burgdorferi and A. phagocytophilum, but not with B. miyamotoi.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Given the widespread distribution of B. miyamotoi, infection due to this agent should be considered in patients who have been exposed to blacklegged ticks in Canada.
authors.affiliation: Public Health Agency of Canada, Zoonotic Diseases and Special Pathogens, National Microbiology Laboratory, 1015 Arlington Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. antonia.dibernardo@phac-aspc.gc.ca.
authors.forename: Antonia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dibernardo
authors.forename: Tyler
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cote
authors.forename: Nicholas H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Ogden
authors.forename: L Robbin
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Lindsay
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001898:Borrelia / Q000502:physiology*; D002170:Canada; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D018884:Ixodes / Q000382:microbiology*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
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