The vector competence of Ixodes muris (Bishopp & Smith) was determined for Borrelia burgdorferi, the etiologic agent of Lyme disease. Larval I. muris were fed on ICR outbred mice infected with the B-31 laboratory strain of B. burgdorferi. Replete larvae, at 5 d after feeding, were assayed for infection by culture in Barbour-Stoner-Kelly (BSK-H) media. Infection frequency in I. muris replete larvae was 66%. Resultant nymphs were fed on naive ICR outbred mice to determine the ability of I. muris to transmit infection. Infection frequency in fed nymphs declined to 38% and only 1/5 mice was positive for B. burgdorferi on ear biopsy culture. We demonstrated that I. muris is capable of acquiring and transmitting B. burgdorferi but is a relatively poor vector compared with I. scapularis (Say).
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1 September 2000
Vector Competence of Ixodes muris (Acari: Ixodidae) for Borrelia burgdorferi
Marc C. Dolan,
Eleanor H. Lacombe,
Joseph Piesman
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Journal of Medical Entomology
Vol. 37 • No. 5
September 2000
Vol. 37 • No. 5
September 2000
Borrelia burgdorferi
Ixodes muris
vector competence