title: Detection of Lyme Disease Bacterium,Borrelia burgdorferisensu lato, in Blacklegged Ticks Collected in the Grand River Valley, Ontario, Canada.
abstract: We document the presence of blacklegged ticks,Ixodes scapularis, in the Grand River valley, Centre Wellington, Ontario. Overall, 15 (36%) of 42I. scapularisadults collected from 41 mammalian hosts (dogs, cats, humans) were positive for the Lyme disease bacterium,Borrelia burgdorferisensu lato (s.l.). Using real-time PCR testing and DNA sequencing of the flagellin (fla) gene, we determined thatBorreliaamplicons extracted fromI. scapularisadults belonged toB. burgdorferisensu stricto (s.s.), which is pathogenic to humans and certain domestic animals. Based on the distribution ofI. scapularisadults within the river basin, it appears likely that migratory birds provide an annual influx ofI. scapularisimmatures during northward spring migration. Health-care providers need to be aware that local residents can present with Lyme disease symptoms anytime during the year.
authors.affiliation: Research Division, Lyme Ontario, 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, USA 95616.
authors.forename: Janet E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Foley
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology and Center for Vector Ecology and Zoonotic Diseases. The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, Connecticut, USA 06504.
authors.forename: John F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology & Environmental Health, Department of Public Health, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, USA 32224.
authors.forename: Kerry L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Georgia 30458, USA.
authors.forename: Lance A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Durden
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D025065:Borrelia burgdorferi / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002415:Cats; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004285:Dogs; D006801:Humans; D018884:Ixodes / Q000382:microbiology*; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000382:microbiology*; D009864:Ontario; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D045483:Rivers; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial
keywords: Blacklegged tick; Borrelia burgdorferi; Grand River valley.; Infection prevalence; Ixodes scapularis; Lyme disease