Spatial and Temporal Dispersion of Immature Ixodes dammini on Peromyscus leucopus in Northwestern Illinois

作者：Uriel Kitron, Carl J. Jones, John K. Bouseman · 发表于：Journal of Parasitology · 年份：1991 · DOI：10.2307/3282747 · 被引用次数：31 · 研究领域：Vector-borne infectious diseases、Viral Infections and Vectors、Insect and Pesticide Research

Infestation by immature Ixodes dammini and infection by Borrelia burgdorferi of the white-footed mouse Peromyscus leucopus were studied in Castle Rock State Park in northwestern Illinois during June-October 1990. Prevalence and intensity of infestation of larvae on mice were highest in August with a smaller peak in early June. The distribution of larvae on mice was highly aggregated during each of the sampling periods. Aggregation appears to be the result of a series of nonrandom successful attachments by single larvae, rather than of simultaneous attachment by clumps of larvae. Infection rate of mice by B. burgdorferi averaged 21.4% with a peak of 28.6% in August. A comparison of the numbers of attached immature ticks collected from mice and of questing ticks collected through dragging indicated that the larvae-to-nymph ratio was higher on mice than on drags. Given the low total numbers of nymphs collected from mice, this suggests a potential role for other hosts of I. dammini nymphs in northwestern Illinois.