Ticks and Antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi from Mammals at Cape Hatteras, NC and Assateague Island, MD and VA

Results of a survey for ixodid ticks and/or serum antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi</it> from 14 species of small to large mammals from eastern coastal areas of the United States are presented. Most samples were obtained from July 1987 through June 1989 (excluding December–March) at 3 locales: Assateague Is. National Seashore, Worcester Co., MD., and Accomack Co., VA. (≈38° 05' N 75° 10' W), and Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Dare Co., NC (≈35° 30' N 76° 35' W). Hosts sampled included opossums (Didelphis virginiana</it>), least shrews (Cryptotis parva</it>), gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus</it>), red foxes (Vulpes vulpes</it>), raccoons (Procyon lotor</it>), feral cats (Felis sylvestris</it>), feral horses (Equus caballus</it>), sika deer (Cervus nippon</it>), rice rats (Oryzomys palustris</it>), white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus</it>), meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus</it>), house mice (Mus musculus</it>), norway rats (Rattus norvegicus</it>) and jumping mice (Zapus hudsonius</it>). An indirect fluorescent antibody test was used for testing sera from opossums, raccoons, and feral cats; enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were used for sera from foxes, horses, deer, and house and white-footed mice. Antibodies to B. burgdorferi</it> were found in all species tested from each locale. Seasonal data reinforce the contention that P. leucopus</it> is a suitable sentinel species for B. burgdorferi.</it> Ticks on hosts included Ixodes scapularis</it> Say, I. texanus</it> Banks, Dermacentor variabilis</it> (Say), D. albipictus</it> (Packard), and Amblyomma americanum</it> (L.). Males comprised ≈0–22 and 60–81% of Ixodes</it> sp. and Amblyomma-Dermacentor</it> adults collected from hosts, respectively. All stages of A. americanum,</it> adult D. variabilis,</it> and larval I. scapularis</it> were collected from vegetation. The highest seropositivity rate (67%) was recorded for 45 P. leucopus</it> at Assateague during July, ≈1 mo. after peak nymphal I. scapularis</it> intensity. Borrelia burgdorferi</it> was isolated from 6 nymphal and 12 female I. scapularis</it> collected from P. leucopus</it> and C. nippon,</it> respectively, on Assateague.