Vector competence of Ixodes muris (Acari: Ixodidae) for Borrelia burgdorferi

J Med Entomol. 2000 Sep;37(5):766-8. doi: 10.1603/0022-2585-37.5.766.

Abstract

The vector competence of Ixodes muris (Bishopp & Smith) was determined for Borrelia burgdorferi, the etiologic agent of Lyme disease. Larval I. muris were fed on ICR outbred mice infected with the B-31 laboratory strain of B. burgdorferi. Replete larvae, at 5 d after feeding, were assayed for infection by culture in Barbour-Stoner-Kelly (BSK-H) media. Infection frequency in I. muris replete larvae was 66%. Resultant nymphs were fed on naive ICR outbred mice to determine the ability of I. muris to transmit infection. Infection frequency in fed nymphs declined to 38% and only 1/5 mice was positive for B. burgdorferi on ear biopsy culture. We demonstrated that I. muris is capable of acquiring and transmitting B. burgdorferi but is a relatively poor vector compared with I. scapularis (Say).

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Arachnid Vectors / microbiology*
  • Female
  • Ixodes / microbiology*
  • Larva
  • Lyme Disease / transmission*
  • Mice
  • Nymph / microbiology