Spatial and temporal heterogeneity of the density of Borrelia burgdorferi-infected Ixodes ricinus ticks across a landscape: A 5-year study in southern England.

ABSTRACT: The density of Borrelia burgdorferi-infected Ixodes ricinus nymphs (DIN) was investigated during 2013-2017 across a Lyme disease-endemic landscape in southern England. The density of nymphs (DON), nymph infection prevalence (NIP), and DIN varied across five different natural habitats, with the highest DIN in woodland edge and high biodiversity woodlands. DIN was significantly lower in scrub grassland compared to the woodland edge, with low DON and no evidence of infection in ticks in non-scrub grassland. Over the 5 years, DON, NIP and DIN were comparable within habitats, except in 2014, with NIP varying three-fold and DIN significantly lower compared to 2015-2017. Borrelia garinii was most common, with bird-associated Borrelia (B. garinii/valaisiana) accounting for ~70% of all typed sequen

SUBMITTER: Medlock JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9545817 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature