Abstract
Bird-facilitated introduction of ticks and associated pathogens is postulated to promote invasion of tick-borne zoonotic diseases into urban areas. Results of a longitudinal study conducted in suburban Chicago, Illinois, USA, during 2005-2010 show that 1.6% of 6,180 wild birds captured in mist nets harbored ticks. Tick species in order of abundance were Haemaphysalis leporispalustris, Ixodes dentatus, and I. scapularis, but 2 neotropical tick species of the genus Amblyomma were sampled during the spring migration. I. scapularis ticks were absent at the beginning of the study but constituted the majority of ticks by study end and were found predominantly on birds captured in areas designated as urban green spaces. Of 120 ticks, 5 were infected with Borrelia burgdorferi, spanning 3 ribotypes, but none were infected with Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Results allow inferences about propagule pressure for introduction of tick-borne diseases and emphasize the large sample sizes required to estimate this pressure.
Highlights
Bird-facilitated introduction of ticks and associated pathogens is postulated to promote invasion of tick-borne zoonotic diseases into urban areas
We investigated the role of birds in the urban ecology of tick-borne zoonotic diseases
Our objectives were to 1) ascertain the prevalence of tick parasitism of birds in residential and urban green spaces in southwestern suburban Chicago, Illinois, USA, during a 6-year period; 2) estimate the infection prevalence of Borrelia spp. and A. phagocytophilum in ticks removed from birds; and 3) characterize the diversity of pathogens in ticks removed from birds by using genetic methods
Summary
Bird-facilitated introduction of ticks and associated pathogens is postulated to promote invasion of tick-borne zoonotic diseases into urban areas. Host variation impacts the survival of vectors that feed on birds rather than on other vertebrates [4], and avian species exhibit differential reservoir competency for vector-borne pathogens [5] In combination, these factors influence disease risk; for example, just a few avian species that are heavily fed upon by mosquitoes and highly competent for WNV apparently drive most WNV transmission [6]. Urban environments may promote pathogen transmission through increased host contact rates, high rates of pathogen introduction (i.e., propagule pressure), and warmer microclimates that are favorable to pathogens and vectors [8] These effects, in turn, may elevate disease risk to high-density urban human populations. Our objectives were to 1) ascertain the prevalence of tick parasitism of birds in residential and urban green spaces in southwestern suburban Chicago, Illinois, USA, during a 6-year period; 2) estimate the infection prevalence of Borrelia spp. and A. phagocytophilum in ticks removed from birds; and 3) characterize the diversity of pathogens in ticks removed from birds by using genetic methods
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