title: Established Population of Blacklegged Ticks with High Infection Prevalence for the Lyme Disease Bacterium,Borrelia burgdorferiSensu Lato, on Corkscrew Island, Kenora District, Ontario.
abstract: We document an established population of blacklegged ticks,Ixodes scapularis, on Corkscrew Island, Kenora District, Ontario, Canada. Primers of the outer surface protein A (OspA) gene, the flagellin (fla) gene, and the flagellin B (flaB) gene were used in the PCR assays to detectBorrelia burgdorferisensu lato (s.l.), the Lyme disease bacterium. In all, 60 (73%) of 82 adultI. scapularis, were infected withB. burgdorferis.l. As well, 6 (43%) of 14 unfedI. scapularisnymphs were positive forB. burgdorferis.l. AnI. scapularislarva was also collected from a deer mouse, and several unfed larvae were gathered by flagging leaf litter. Based on DNA sequencing of randomly selectedBorreliaamplicons from six nymphal and adultI. scapularisticks, primers for the flagellin (fla) and flagellin B (flaB) genes reveal the presence ofB. burgdorferisensu stricto (s.s.), a genospecies pathogenic to humans and certain domestic animals. We collected all 3 host-feeding life stages ofI. scapularisin a single year, and report the northernmost established population ofI. scapularisin Ontario. Corkscrew Island is hyperendemic for Lyme disease and has the highest prevalence ofB. burgdorferis.l. for any established population in Canada. Because of this very high infection prevalence, this population ofI. scapularishas likely been established for decades. Of epidemiological significance, cottage owners, island visitors, outdoors enthusiasts, and medical professionals must be vigilant thatB. burgdorferis.l.-infectedI. scapularison Corkscrew Island pose a serious public health risk.
authors.affiliation: Lyme Ontario, Research Division, 365 St. David St. South, Fergus, Ontario, Canada N1M 2L7.
authors.forename: John D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California 95616, United States of America.
authors.forename: Janet E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Foley
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology & Environmental Health, Department of Public Health, University of North Florida, 1 UNF Drive, Jacksonville, Florida 32224, United States of America.
authors.forename: Kerry L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology and Center for Vector Ecology and Zoonotic Diseases. The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, P.O. Box 1106, New Haven, Connecticut 06504-1106, United States of America.
authors.forename: John F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University, 4324 Old Register Road, Statesboro, Georgia 30458, United States of America.
authors.forename: Lance A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Durden
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology & Environmental Health, Department of Public Health, University of North Florida, 1 UNF Drive, Jacksonville, Florida 32224, United States of America.
authors.forename: Jodi M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Manord
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology & Environmental Health, Department of Public Health, University of North Florida, 1 UNF Drive, Jacksonville, Florida 32224, United States of America.
authors.forename: Morgan L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001483:Base Sequence; D025065:Borrelia burgdorferi / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005408:Flagellin / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D018884:Ixodes / Q000382:microbiology*; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D051379:Mice; D009864:Ontario / Q000453:epidemiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence
chemical_list: D000954:Antigens, Surface; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D008074:Lipoproteins; C072045:OspA protein; D005408:Flagellin; C416532:flaB flagellin
keywords: Borrelia burgdorferi; Ixodes scapularis; Kenora District; Lyme disease; Ontario; blacklegged tick; infection prevalence