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Research Article

Features of Consistent Powassan Virus Lineage II Focus in Southern Maine, United States

Lindsay Baxter Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Ithaca, New York;

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Charles Lubelczyk MaineHealth Institute for Research Lyme and Vector-Borne Disease Laboratory, Scarborough, Maine

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Laura C. Harrington Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Ithaca, New York;

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Jake Angelico Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Ithaca, New York;
MaineHealth Institute for Research Lyme and Vector-Borne Disease Laboratory, Scarborough, Maine

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Molly C. Meagher MaineHealth Institute for Research Lyme and Vector-Borne Disease Laboratory, Scarborough, Maine

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Robert P. Smith MaineHealth Institute for Research Lyme and Vector-Borne Disease Laboratory, Scarborough, Maine

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Rebecca M. Robich MaineHealth Institute for Research Lyme and Vector-Borne Disease Laboratory, Scarborough, Maine

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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.23-0532
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Ahead of Print
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Powassan virus lineage II or deer tick virus (DTV) is a rare but increasingly reported human infection in the United States transmitted by Ixodes scapularis ticks. The virus is thought to be maintained in environmental foci that are optimal for tick and vertebrate reservoirs, but details on DTV ecology are poorly understood. We investigated DTV tick infection rates and reservoir host abundance in a focus of consistent DTV activity in Maine, USA. Host and tick abundance, vegetation, and microclimate conditions were measured in three forest sites representing increasing invasive understory infestation. Sites were selected representing native understory, mixed vegetation with some invasive Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii), and a highly invasive site dominated by Japanese barberry. Japanese barberry in the mixed vegetation site averaged 1 m in height with space between plants, whereas the highly invasive site had impenetrable Japanese barberry over 1.5 m. The DTV infection rate was greater in the highly invasive site. Density of I. scapularis ticks were significantly lower in the native forest site, and no DTV was found. Another feature of the DTV focus was more stable humid microclimate throughout the year compared with the other sites and a nearby continuous section of forest, consistent with reports from Connecticut, USA. We conclude that invasive Japanese barberry stands provide favorable and consistent microclimate conditions to maintain high DTV infection rates annually among questing I. scapularis ticks. Understanding environmental and landscape features that support high infection rates could lead to the identification of high-risk habitats for contracting DTV.

Author Notes

Financial support: This work was supported through Cooperative Agreement U01CK000509 between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Cornell University/Northeast Regional Center for Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases. The authors take full responsibility for the content of this work. The conclusions herein do not necessarily represent the official views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the Department of Health and Human Services.

Current contact information: Charles Lubelczyk, Molly C. Meagher, Robert P. Smith, and Rebecca M. Robich, MaineHealth Institute for Research Lyme and Vector-Borne Disease Laboratory, Scarborough, Maine, E-mails: Charles.lubelczyk@mainehealth.org, Molly.meagher@mainehealth.org, smithr@mmc.org, and Rebecca.robich@mainhealth.org. Laura C. Harrington and Jake Angelico, Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, E-mails: lch27@cornell.edu and ja652@cornell.edu.

Address correspondence to Lindsay Baxter, Cornell University, 129 Garden Ave. 3131, Comstock Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853. E-mail: LB694@cornell.edu
Copyright:
© American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 2024
Received:
28 Sep 2023
|
Accepted:
11 May 2024
|
Published Online:
30 Jul 2024
Cover The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Print ISSN:
0002-9637
Online ISSN:
1476-1645
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