Infection with Borrelia burgdorferi Increases the Replication and Dissemination of Coinfecting Powassan Virus in Ixodes scapularis Ticks.

ABSTRACT: Powassan virus (POWV) is a tick-borne neuroinvasive flavivirus endemic to North America. It is generally transmitted by the tick, Ixodes scapularis. This species also transmits Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease. Infection with B. burgdorferi can result in arthritis, carditis, and neuroborreliosis. These pathogens experience sylvatic overlap. To determine the risk of human exposure to coinfected ticks, the interactions between POWV and B. burgdorferi are assessed in laboratory-infected I. scapularis. Adult male and female I. scapularis ticks are orally inoculated with either both pathogens, POWV only, B. burgdorferi only, or uninfected media. After twenty-one days, the ticks are dissected, and RNA is extracted from the

SUBMITTER: Hart CE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9319581 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature