Acarina (2003) 11, 99-104

H.V. Dubinina and A.N. Alekseev (2003)
The role of migratory passerine birds in pathogen exchange between cofeeding Ixodes ricinus ticks (Acarina, Ixodidae)
Acarina 11 (1), 99-104
Abstract: Prevalence of tick-borne pathogens was compared in immature stages of Ixodes ricinus ticks collected from vegetation and from migratory passerine birds on the Curonian Spit, Kalinigrad Region, Russia. Great similarity of pathogen prevalence was noted in both cases in all ticks tested as singletons. No pathogens were detected among the tick larvae captured from vegetation, whereas in the larvae taken from birds a dual (Borrelia afzelii and Borrelia garinii) infection was detected. In one nymph, even a triple infection (B. afzelii, B. garinii and Ehrlichia muris) was revealed. In contrast, this never occurred in tick immatures taken from vegetation. Apparently, bird blood may serve not only a source of tick-borne pathogens (e.g. B. garinii, according to Kurtenbach et al. [2002]), but also as an amplifier for their reproduction. A statistically significant prevalence of the pathogens among ticks collected from birds in pools even as small as 2-3 specimens over singletons allows to emphasize the roles the migratory birds play in pathogen exchange between cofeeding immature ixodid ticks.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Database assignments for author(s): Andrey N. Alekseev

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
population dynamics/ epidemiology

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Ixodes ricinus		Russia (Eur.)