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Molecular Detection of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Babesia odocoilei, Babesia microti and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in Ixodes Ticks in British Columbia, Canada

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Article Type Research Article
Subject Biology Group
OCLC JBRES Record
John D Scott* and Catherine M Scott
Issue: Volume6-Issue9
Pages: 1367-1379
Received: 2025-09-22
Accepted: 2025-09-27
Published: 2025-09-30

Abstract

In total, 76 Ixodes ticks were collected in southwestern British Columbia (BC). Five Ixodes species (I. angustus, I. cookei, I. pacificus, I. scapularis, and I. spinipalpis), which bite humans, were collected and tested. Two Ixodes spp. (I. rugosus, I. sculptus), which do not bite humans, were collected and tested. Using real-time and nested PCR, the four pathogens were detected, namely Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (19/76, 25%), Babesia odocoilei (12/76, 16%), Babesia microti (1/76, 1%), and Anaplasma phagocytophylum (2/76, 3%). We provide the first report of Ixodes scapularis parasitizing an eastern cottontail, Sylvilagus floridanus, in Canada. We document the first molecular identification of Ixodes sculptus parasitizing an American mink, Neogale vision; this tick-host parasitism occurred on Vancouver Island, BC. At an established population on mainland BC, Ixodes pacificus adults (7/15, 51%) were positive for Babesia odocoilei. We report the first Ixodes pacificus parasitizing a Mallard Duck, Anas platyrhynchos. Based on the findings of this tick-host-pathogen study, healthcare practitioners must be aware that at least 5 different Ixodes spp. transmit tick-borne zoonotic pathogens in BC. Babesia odocoilei does not respond to doxycycline treatment.

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© 2025 Scott JD, Scott CM. Distributed under Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 Creative CommonsAttribution

How to cite this article

Scot JD, Scott CM. Molecular Detection of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Babesia odocoilei, Babesia microti and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in Ixodes Ticks in British Columbia, Canada. J Biomed Res Environ Sci. 2025 Sept 30; 6(9): 1367-1379. doi: 10.37871/jbres2192, Article ID: JBRES2192, Available at: https://www.jelsciences.com/articles/jbres2192.pdf

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