In Europe, 6 of the 11 genospecies of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato are prevalent in questing Ixodes ricinus ticks. In most parts of Central Europe, B. afzelii, B. garinii, and B. valaisiana are the most frequent species, whereas B. burgdorferi sensu stricto, B. bissettii, and B. lusitaniae are rare. Previously, it has been shown that B. afzelii is associated with European rodents. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify reservoir hosts of B. garinii and B. valaisiana in Slovakia. Songbirds were captured in a woodland near Bratislava and investigated for engorged ticks. Questing I. ricinus ticks were collected in the same region. Both tick pools were analyzed for spirochete infections by PCR, followed by DNA-DNA hybridization and, for a subsample, by nucleotide sequencing. Three of the 17 captured songbird species were infested with spirochete-infected ticks. Spirochetes in ticks that had fed on birds were genotyped as B. garinii and B. valaisiana, whereas questing ticks were infected with B. afzelii, B. garinii, and B. valaisiana. Furthermore, identical ospA alleles of B. garinii were found in ticks that had fed on the birds and in questing ticks. The data show that songbirds are reservoir hosts of B. garinii and B. valaisiana but not of B. afzelii. This and previous studies confirm that B. burgdorferi sensu lato is host associated and that this bacterial species complex contains different ecotypes.Lyme borreliosis is the most frequent arthropod-borne disease in humans living in moderate climates. Under the umbrella of the wider taxon Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, the bacteria constitute a group of 11 named genospecies, which were delineated based on DNA-DNA hybridization and sequence divergence of selected loci (2,32,34,39,40). In Europe, six genospecies are recorded as infecting Ixodes ricinus ticks (8,15,25), and the most prevalent genospecies are B. afzelii, B. garinii, and B. valaisiana (13, 25). In contrast to the case in northern America, B. burgdorferi sensu stricto and B. bissettii are relatively rare in Europe (8,13,15,25). B. lusitaniae seems to be restricted to the western Mediterranean Basin, where its infection prevalence in ticks has been reported to be very high locally (3).Since the delineation of genospecies in B. burgdorferi sensu lato, it has been discussed whether the species complex is differentiated ecologically (4,17,18,26,44 B. valaisiana (12, 17, 19, 27, 29). The transmission model also predicts that bird-and rodent-associated ecotypes of B. burgdorferi sensu lato segregate in individual questing ticks, a prediction that has also been validated (25).The present work was carried out in a region of Europe where B. afzelii, B. garinii, and B. valaisiana are prevalent in questing ticks. In a previous study carried out in the same region, we have demonstrated that rodents are the reservoir hosts of B. afzelii but not of B. garinii and B. valaisiana (13). For this reason, hosts other than rodents must contribute to the prevalence of B. garinii and B. valaisiana in questing tic...

Genome sizes and the organization of repetitive DNA were determined in the hard ticks Ixodes scapularis and Boophilus microplus using reassociation kinetics. The I. scapularis genome contains ∼2.15 pg (2.1 × 103 Mbp) of DNA and consists of no foldback (FB), 27% highly repetitive (HR), 39% moderately repetitive (MR), and 34% unique DNA. The B. microplus genome contains 7.5 pg (7.1 × 103 Mbp) DNA, and consists of 0.82% FB, 31% HR, 38% MR, and 30% unique DNA. In both species, repetitive sequences occur in a mixture of long and short period interspersion but most (65–80%) of the DNA follows a pattern of short period interspersion. Genome size and organization in the three tick species so far examined are distinct from other arthropods in having a greater proportion of MR, a lower proportion of unique and HR DNA of very low sequence complexity.

We report a novel host-targeted approach using doxycycline hyclate-impregnated bait.14-16 After promising laboratory studies, we conducted a field trial in a Lyme disease-endemic area in central New Jersey to assess the ability of these baits to prophylactically protect small-mammal reservoirs, cure infected reservoirs, and reduce infection of immature I. scapularis ticks by both the Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi , and the agent of human granulocytic anaplasmosis, Anaplasma phagocytophilum . MATERIALS AND METHODSStudy areas. The study was conducted in an area of mixed hardwood forest located in Millstone Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey, where I. scapularis and its small-mammal hosts are well-established. 12,17,18 The 10-to 15-m canopy was dominated by chestnut oak ( Quercus prinus L.), red oak ( Q. rubra L.), and white oak ( Q. alba L.), with associated species including red maple ( Acer rubrum L.), yellow poplar ( Liriodendron tulipifera L.), black gum ( Nyssa sylvatica Marsh.), and American beech ( Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.). The understory and shrub layer consisted of saplings and seedlings of canopy species, highbush blueberry ( Vaccinium corymbosum L.), lowbush blueberry ( V. angustifolium Ait.), huckleberries ( Gaylussacia spp.), sweet pepperbush ( Clethra alnifolia L.), and greenbriar ( Smilax glauca Walt.). The treatment site and one of the control sites were ~2.5-ha singlefamily residential properties located ~200 m apart. A second undeveloped control site (~3 ha) was located ~1,000 m south in nearby Assunpink Wildlife Management Area (WMA).Deployment and maintenance of bait stations. Beginning in May of 2007 and 2008, 50 Protecta LP bait stations (Bell Laboratories, Inc., Madison, WI) were fitted with ~135 g extruded, wax-based bait blocks containing 500 mg/kg doxycycline (Genesis Laboratories, Inc., Wellington, CO) and deployed at the treatment site. Bait stations were placed in forested habitat at ~20-m intervals along two concentric perimeters at distances of ~5 and 25 m from the lawn-forest interface. Whenever possible, bait stations were deployed adjacent to natural structures, including fallen trees, stumps, brush piles, woodpiles, and outbuildings, which are considered to be likely foraging or nesting sites for small mammals. Bait stations were inspected weekly to assess overall condition and bait consumption, and they were rebaited as necessary. Consumption of bait was recorded using a five-point Activity Index (1 = no bait consumption, 2 = 25% bait consumed, 3 = 50% bait consumed, 4 = 75% bait consumed, and 5 = 100% bait consumed) ( Figure 1 ). In addition, any bait station that was significantly damaged by eastern gray squirrels ( Sciurus carolinensis ) was replaced. All bait stations were withdrawn in September of both years after 19 consecutive weeks of deployment.Small-mammal trapping and tick burdens. Small mammals were collected using 7.6 × 8.9 × 30. Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado; Terry L. Schulze, PhD, Inc., Perrineville, New Jersey; Freehold Area...