Surveillance for Ixodes scapularis and Ixodes pacificus ticks and their associated pathogens in Canada, 2019

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DOI

https://doi.org/10.14745/ccdr.v48i05a04

Language of the publication
English
Date
2022
Type
Accepted manuscript
Author(s)
  • Wilson, Christy H.
  • Gasmi, Salima
  • Bourgeois, Annie-Claude
  • Badcock, Jacqueline
  • Chahil, Navdeep
  • Kulkarni, Manisha A.
  • Lee, Min-Kuang
  • Lindsay, L. Robbin
  • Leighton, Patrick A.
  • Morshed, Muhammad G.
  • Smolarchuk, Christa
  • Koffi, Jules K.
Publisher
The Public Health Agency of Canada

Abstract

Background: The primary vectors of the agent of Lyme disease in Canada are Ixodes scapularis and Ixodes pacificus ticks. Surveillance for ticks and the pathogens they can transmit can inform local tick-borne disease risk and guide public health interventions. The objective of this article is to characterize passive and active surveillance of the main Lyme disease tick vectors in Canada in 2019 and the tick-borne pathogens they carry. Methods: Passive surveillance data were compiled from the National Microbiology Laboratory Branch and provincial public health data sources. Active surveillance was conducted in selected sentinel sites in all provinces. Descriptive analysis of ticks submitted and infection prevalence of tick-borne pathogens are presented. Seasonal and spatial trends are also described. Results: In passive surveillance, specimens of I. scapularis (n=9,858) were submitted from all provinces except British Columbia and I. pacificus (n=691) were submitted in British Columbia and Alberta. No ticks were submitted from the territories. The seasonal distribution pattern was bimodal for I. scapularis adults, but unimodal for I. pacificus adults. Borrelia burgdorferi was the most prevalent pathogen in I. scapularis (18.8%) and I. pacificus (0.3%). In active surveillance, B. burgdorferi was identified in 26.2% of I. scapularis; Anaplasma phagocytophilum in 3.4% of I. scapularis, and Borrelia miyamotoi and Powassan virus in 0.5% or fewer of I. scapularis. These same tick-borne pathogens were not found in the small number of I. pacificus tested. Conclusion: This surveillance article provides a snapshot of the main Lyme disease vectors in Canada and their associated pathogens, which can be used to monitor emerging risk areas for exposure to tick-borne pathogens.

Subject

  • Health

Keywords

  • Ixodes scapularis,
  • Ixodes pacificus,
  • surveillance,
  • Borrelia,
  • Anaplasma,
  • Babesia

Rights

Pagination

208-218

Peer review

Yes

Open access level

Green

Identifiers

ISSN
1481-8531

Article

Journal title
Canada Communicable Disease Report
Journal volume
48
Journal issue
5

Citation(s)

Wilson CH, Gasmi S, Bourgeois A-C, Badcock J, Chahil N, Kulkarni MA, Lee M-K, Lindsay LR, Leighton PA, Morshed MG, Smolarchuk C, Koffi JK. Surveillance for Ixodes scapularis and Ixodes pacificus ticks and their associated pathogens in Canada, 2019. Can Commun Dis Rep 2022;48(5):208–18. https://doi.org/10.14745/ccdr.v48i05a04

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Collection(s)

Public health surveillance

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