Role of migratory birds in introduction and range expansion of Ixodes scapularis ticks and of Borrelia burgdorferi and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in Canada

Appl Environ Microbiol. 2008 Mar;74(6):1780-90. doi: 10.1128/AEM.01982-07. Epub 2008 Feb 1.

Abstract

During the spring in 2005 and 2006, 39,095 northward-migrating land birds were captured at 12 bird observatories in eastern Canada to investigate the role of migratory birds in northward range expansion of Lyme borreliosis, human granulocytic anaplasmosis, and their tick vector, Ixodes scapularis. The prevalence of birds carrying I. scapularis ticks (mostly nymphs) was 0.35% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.30 to 0.42), but a nested study by experienced observers suggested a more realistic infestation prevalence of 2.2% (95% CI = 1.18 to 3.73). The mean infestation intensity was 1.66 per bird. Overall, 15.4% of I. scapularis nymphs (95% CI = 10.7 to 20.9) were PCR positive for Borrelia burgdorferi, but only 8% (95% CI = 3.8 to 15.1) were positive when excluding nymphs collected at Long Point, Ontario, where B. burgdorferi is endemic. A wide range of ospC and rrs-rrl intergenic spacer alleles of B. burgdorferi were identified in infected ticks, including those associated with disseminated Lyme disease and alleles that are rare in the northeastern United States. Overall, 1.4[corrected]% (95% CI = 0.3 [corrected] to 0.41) of I. scapularis nymphs were PCR positive for Anaplasma phagocytophilum. We estimate that migratory birds disperse 50 million to 175 million I. scapularis ticks across Canada each spring, implicating migratory birds as possibly significant in I. scapularis range expansion in Canada. However, infrequent larvae and the low infection prevalence in ticks carried by the birds raise questions as to how B. burgdorferi and A. phagocytophilum become endemic in any tick populations established by bird-transported ticks.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alleles
  • Anaplasma phagocytophilum / genetics
  • Anaplasma phagocytophilum / growth & development*
  • Anaplasma phagocytophilum / isolation & purification
  • Animal Migration
  • Animals
  • Antigens, Bacterial / genetics
  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / genetics
  • Bird Diseases / epidemiology
  • Bird Diseases / parasitology*
  • Birds / parasitology*
  • Borrelia burgdorferi / genetics
  • Borrelia burgdorferi / growth & development*
  • Borrelia burgdorferi / isolation & purification
  • Canada / epidemiology
  • DNA, Bacterial / chemistry
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / genetics
  • Geography
  • Ixodes / growth & development
  • Ixodes / microbiology*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA

Substances

  • Antigens, Bacterial
  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins
  • DNA, Bacterial
  • DNA, Ribosomal Spacer
  • OspC protein

Associated data

  • GENBANK/EF634251
  • GENBANK/EF634252
  • GENBANK/EF634253
  • GENBANK/EF634254
  • GENBANK/EF634255
  • GENBANK/EF634256
  • GENBANK/EF634257
  • GENBANK/EF634258
  • GENBANK/EF634259
  • GENBANK/EF634260
  • GENBANK/EF634261
  • GENBANK/EF634262
  • GENBANK/EF634263
  • GENBANK/EF634264
  • GENBANK/EF634265
  • GENBANK/EF634266
  • GENBANK/EF634267
  • GENBANK/EF634268
  • GENBANK/EF649781
  • GENBANK/EF649782
  • GENBANK/EF649783
  • GENBANK/EF649784
  • GENBANK/EF649785
  • GENBANK/EF649786
  • GENBANK/EF649787
  • GENBANK/EF649788
  • GENBANK/EF649789
  • GENBANK/EF649790
  • GENBANK/EF649791