Associations between Ixodes scapularis ticks and small mammal hosts in a newly endemic zone in southeastern Canada: Implications for Borrelia burgdorferi transmission

The Biological Survey of Canada: A Personal History

“…Both tick species are indiscriminate in their choice of host and will feed on humans when the opportunity arises (Ogden et al 2008c). Natural reservoirs for B. burgdorferi include the white-footed mouse, Peromyscus leucopus (Rafinesque), other small mammals and a variety of ground-foraging birds (Bouchard et al 2011). The larvae or nymphs of the tick feed on the white-footed mouse and become infected.…”

Environmental risk from Lyme disease in central and eastern Canada: a summary of recent surveillance information

“…In addition, data from surveillance conducted from 2010 to 2012, and using drag sampling only, were provided by several local public health units in Ontario. In New Brunswick, northwestern Ontario and some sites in Manitoba, both drag sampling (for at least three person-hours per site) and capture of wild rodents (with appropriate ethical approval) were used (12). In all other studies only drag sampling was used.…”

Assessment of a screening test to identify Lyme disease risk

“…At all the sites visited, the density of ticks and B. burgdorferi infection prevalence were low (3), which was consistent with early stage of establishment of the tick and B. burgdorferi transmission cycles (10,11). Eleven of the sites at which I. scapularis were identified at visits in 2007 were revisited in 2008 at least once.…”

“…A sensitivity of 50% suggests that some sites with low densities of ticks will be missed by drag sampling alone. However, sites where ticks are present in rodents but undetected by drag sampling are most likely sites where tick populations and B. burgdorferi transmission cycles are at a very early stage of establishment, and pose a low level of Lyme disease risk to the public (10). When ticks were found by drag sampling and on rodents, ticks were also found at that site in the following year.…”

“…It is also known that different tick stages are active at different times of the year, and tick abundance overall can vary from one year to the next, particularly in emerging risk areas (10).…”