Far-Reaching Dispersal of Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato-Infected Blacklegged Ticks by Migratory Songbirds in Canada

Lyme disease has been documented in northern areas of Canada, but the source of the etiological bacterium, sensu lato (Bbsl) has been in doubt. We collected 87 ticks from 44 songbirds during 2017, and 24 (39%) of 62 nymphs of the blacklegged tick, , were positive for Bbsl. We provide the first repor...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Healthcare (Basel) 2018-07, Vol.6 (3), p.89
Main Authors: Scott, John D, Clark, Kerry L, Foley, Janet E, Bierman, Bradley C, Durden, Lance A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Antibiotics
Arachnids
bird migration
Birds
blacklegged ticks
Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato
Deoxyribonucleic acid
DNA
Identification
Ixodes scapularis
Lyme disease
northern Canada
songbirds
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Summary:Lyme disease has been documented in northern areas of Canada, but the source of the etiological bacterium, sensu lato (Bbsl) has been in doubt. We collected 87 ticks from 44 songbirds during 2017, and 24 (39%) of 62 nymphs of the blacklegged tick, , were positive for Bbsl. We provide the first report of Bbsl-infected, songbird-transported in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia; Newfoundland and Labrador; north-central Manitoba, and Alberta. Notably, we report the northernmost account of Bbsl-infected ticks parasitizing a bird in Canada. DNA extraction, PCR amplification, and DNA sequencing reveal that these Bbsl amplicons belong to sensu stricto (Bbss), which is pathogenic to humans. Based on our findings, health-care providers should be aware that migratory songbirds widely disperse -infected in Canada's North, and local residents do not have to visit an endemic area to contract Lyme disease.
ISSN:2227-9032
2227-9032
DOI:10.3390/healthcare6030089