Differential associations of horizontally and vertically transmitted symbionts on Ixodes ricinus behaviour and physiology.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Ixodes ricinus ticks are infected with a large diversity of vertically and horizontally transmitted symbionts. While horizontally transmitted symbionts rely on a vertebrate host for their transmission, vertically transmitted symbionts rely more on the survival of their invertebrate host for transmission. We therefore hypothesized horizontally transmitted symbionts to be associated with increased tick activity to increase host contact rate and vertically transmitted symbionts to be associated with higher tick weight and lipid fraction to promote tick survival.

Methods

We used a behavioural assay to record the questing activity of I. ricinus ticks. In addition, we measured weight and lipid fraction and determined the presence of ten symbiont species in these ticks u

SUBMITTER: Bakker JW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10685571 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature