TY - JOUR
T1 - Spatiotemporal variation in a Lyme disease host and vector
T2 - black-legged ticks on white-footed mice.
AU - Goodwin, B. J.
AU - Ostfeld, R. S.
AU - Schauber, E. M.
PY - 2001
Y1 - 2001
N2 - We monitored population density of white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus), burdens of immature black-legged ticks (Ixodes scapularis) on mice, and infection prevalence of host-seeking ticks on six forest plots in southeastern New York State from 1995 through 1999. Despite densities of mice that fluctuated two orders of magnitude, average larval and nymphal tick burdens per mouse remained remarkably constant. Spatial variability in mouse density and tick burdens was modest. The total number of larval and nymphal ticks that fed on the mouse population each year depended strongly on population density of mice; a steady increase was observed in both mouse density and total tick meals on mice from 1996 through 1999. The result was a steady increase in the infection prevalence of nymphal and adult ticks with the etiological agent of Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi, over this time. We suggest that fluctuations in population density of mice, combined with possible regulation of tick burdens on mice, may influence risk of human exposure to Lyme disease.
AB - We monitored population density of white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus), burdens of immature black-legged ticks (Ixodes scapularis) on mice, and infection prevalence of host-seeking ticks on six forest plots in southeastern New York State from 1995 through 1999. Despite densities of mice that fluctuated two orders of magnitude, average larval and nymphal tick burdens per mouse remained remarkably constant. Spatial variability in mouse density and tick burdens was modest. The total number of larval and nymphal ticks that fed on the mouse population each year depended strongly on population density of mice; a steady increase was observed in both mouse density and total tick meals on mice from 1996 through 1999. The result was a steady increase in the infection prevalence of nymphal and adult ticks with the etiological agent of Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi, over this time. We suggest that fluctuations in population density of mice, combined with possible regulation of tick burdens on mice, may influence risk of human exposure to Lyme disease.
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U2 - 10.1089/153036601316977732
DO - 10.1089/153036601316977732
M3 - Article
C2 - 12653143
AN - SCOPUS:0035384618
SN - 1530-3667
VL - 1
SP - 129
EP - 138
JO - Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases
JF - Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases
IS - 2
ER -