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Appl. Environ. Microbiol. doi:10.1128/AEM.00310-08
Copyright (c) 2008, American Society for Microbiology and/or the Listed Authors/Institutions. All Rights Reserved.

Variations in Ixodes ricinus density and Borrelia infections associated with cattle introduced into a woodland in the Netherlands

Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 8031, 6700 EH Wageningen, the Netherlands; Resource Ecology Group, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 3A, 6708 PB Wageningen, the Netherlands

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. Email: willem.takken{at}wur.nl.

	Abstract

The effect of introduced large herbivores on the abundance of Ixodes ricinus and their Borrelia infections was studied in a natural woodland in the Netherlands. Oak and pine plots either ungrazed or grazed by cattle were selected. Ticks were collected weekly by blanket dragging. Borrelia infections were determined by PCR and RFLP. Rodent densities were estimated using mark-release recapture methods. On occasion, the cattle were inspected for tick infestations. Meteorological data were recorded in each habitat.

Significantly more ticks were collected in the ungrazed woodland than in the grazed woodland. Ungrazed oak habitat had higher tick densities than pine habitat, while in the grazed habitats tick densities were similar. Borrelia infections ranged from zero in larvae, 26% in nymphs to 33% in adult ticks and consisted of B. afzelii, B. burgdorferi s.s., B. garinii or B. valaisiana. Co-infections were found in five ticks. There was no effect of cattle on Borrelia infections in the ticks. In the ungrazed area Borrelia infections in nymphs were significantly higher in oak habitat than in pine habitat. More mice were captured in the ungrazed area and these had a significantly higher tick burden than mice from the grazed area. Tick burden on cattle was low.

The results suggest that grazing has a negative effect on small rodents as well as on ticks, but not on Borrelia infections. Implications of these results for management of woodland reserves and risk of Lyme disease are discussed.