Growth Kinetics of the Lyme Disease Spirochete (Borrelia Burgdorferi) in Vector Ticks (Ixodes Dammini)

Joseph Piesman Centers for Disease Control, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Fort Collins, Colorado

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James R. Oliver Centers for Disease Control, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Fort Collins, Colorado

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Richard J. Sinsky Centers for Disease Control, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Fort Collins, Colorado

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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.1990.42.352
Volume/Issue:
Volume 42: Issue 4
Page(s):
352–357
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Lyme disease spirochetes (Borrelia burgdorferi) multiplied rapidly in larval Ixodes dammini, reaching a mean density of 2,735 spirochetes/tick on day 15 post-repletion. A 5-fold drop in spirochete levels occurred during the subsequent premolting period. Recently molted nymphs contained a mean of <300 spirochetes/tick. Following nymphal repletion, spirochete multiplication renewed, reaching a mean abundance of 61,275 spirochetes/nymph on day 75 post-repletion. A 10-fold drop in spirochete abundance occurred again when ticks molted to the adult stage. Tick-derived spirochetes proved to be infectious when >104 spirochetes were inoculated ip into hamsters (4 of 4 animals infected). Inocula of 103–4 spirochetes were not always infectious (8 of 23 animals infected), and inocula of <103 spirochetes were insufficient for establishing infection (0 of 8 animals infected).

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Copyright:
Copyright © 1990 by The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 1990
Published Online:
Apr 1990
Cover The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Print ISSN:
0002-9637
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