Relative Importance of Ixodes ricinus and Ixodes trianguliceps as Vectors for Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Babesia microti in Field Vole (Microtus agrestis) Populations
Relative Importance of Ixodes ricinus and Ixodes trianguliceps as Vectors for Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Babesia microti in Field Vole (Microtus agrestis) Populations
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DOI：
10.1128/aem.00625-08
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发表时间：
2008-12-01
影响因子：
4.4
通讯作者：
Birtles, R. J.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Bown, K. J.;Lambin, X.;Birtles, R. J.
英国和整个欧洲都清楚地认识到，蓖麻硬蜱在硬蜱传播病原体的传播中的重要性。然而，作为这些病原体的替代媒介，共存的硬皮动物物种，如广泛分布的三角硬皮动物，所起的作用几乎没有受到关注。本研究的目的是评估在英国田鼠(Microtus Agrestis)中，作为这两种病原体的储藏宿主的蓖麻黄单胞菌(I.ricinus)和三角单胞虫(I.triangulicep)在巨噬无浆体和微小巴贝斯虫(Barbesia Microti)传播中的相对重要性。虽然三角斑潜蝇的所有幼虫都只以小型哺乳动物为食，但成虫主要以鹿等较大的宿主为食。在不包括鹿的栅栏周围和鹿可以自由漫步的地点，监测了田鼠体内扁虱物种的丰度和病原体感染的流行率。围栏显著降低了蓖麻黄粉虱对田鼠的幼虫负荷量和寻找若虫的丰度，但对三角头金龟幼虫负荷量影响不大。栅栏的存在对吞噬艾美耳球虫和微小巴氏艾美耳球虫的感染率没有显著影响，这表明三角艾美耳球虫是它们的主要媒介。若虫和成虫在田鼠身上的流行也没有受到影响，这表明非幼虫I ricinus ticus以田鼠为食的相对较少。这项研究提供了令人信服的证据，证明了三角头肌在维持这些地方性扁虱传播感染方面的重要性，同时强调了这种感染通过蓖麻单胞菌逃逸到另一宿主的可能性。
The importance of Ixodes ricinus in the transmission of tick-borne pathogens is well recognized in the United Kingdom and across Europe. However, the role of coexisting Ixodes species, such as the widely distributed species Ixodes trianguliceps, as alternative vectors for these pathogens has received little attention. This study aimed to assess the relative importance of I. ricinus and I. trianguliceps in the transmission of Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Babesia microti among United Kingdom field voles (Microtus agrestis), which serve as reservoir hosts for both pathogens. While all instars of I. trianguliceps feed exclusively on small mammals, I. ricinus adults feed primarily on larger hosts such as deer. The abundance of both tick species and pathogen infection prevalence in field voles were monitored at sites surrounded with fencing that excluded deer and at sites where deer were free to roam. As expected, fencing significantly reduced the larval burden of I. ricinus on field voles and the abundance of questing nymphs, but the larval burden of I. trianguliceps was not significantly affected. The prevalence of A. phagocytophilum and B. microti infections was not significantly affected by the presence of fencing, suggesting that I. trianguliceps is their principal vector. The prevalence of nymphal and adult ticks on field voles was also unaffected, indicating that relatively few non-larval I. ricinus ticks feed upon field voles. This study provides compelling evidence for the importance of I. trianguliceps in maintaining these enzootic tick-borne infections, while highlighting the potential for such infections to escape into alternative hosts via I. ricinus.