We examined the role of lizards in the ecology of Lyme disease in New York and Maryland. We collected data on vector tick infestations, measured lizard “realized” reservoir competence for the Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi, and estimated lizard population density. These data were incorporated into a model that predicts a host's ability to influence the prevalence of B. burgdorferi in the tick population, a primary risk factor in the epidemiology of Lyme disease. Published data on other northeastern hosts were included in the model to provide a reference for interpreting the importance of lizards as hosts. The model results indicate that 5-lined skinks (Eumeces fasciatus) are dilution hosts, capable of reducing infection prevalence in the tick population by 10.7–51.5 percentage points, whereas eastern fence lizards (Sceloporus undulatus) are not dilution hosts in the areas studied. Owing to moderate burdens of larval ticks, relatively high population densities, and reservoir incompetence, E. fasciatus may play an important role in the ecology of Lyme disease by reducing vector infection prevalence and associated human risk of infection.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
June 2007
ECTOPARASITOLOGY|
June 01 2007
THE ROLE OF LIZARDS IN THE ECOLOGY OF LYME DISEASE IN TWO ENDEMIC ZONES OF THE NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES
Sean T. Giery;
Sean T. Giery
Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Box AB, Route 44A, Millbrook, New York 12545. [email protected]
* Current address: University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, 3190 Maile Way, Room 501, Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96822
Search for other works by this author on:
Richard S. Ostfeld
Richard S. Ostfeld
Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Box AB, Route 44A, Millbrook, New York 12545. [email protected]
† To whom correspondence should be addressed
Search for other works by this author on:
J Parasitol (2007) 93 (3): 511–517.
Citation
Sean T. Giery, Richard S. Ostfeld; THE ROLE OF LIZARDS IN THE ECOLOGY OF LYME DISEASE IN TWO ENDEMIC ZONES OF THE NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES. J Parasitol 1 June 2007; 93 (3): 511–517. doi: https://doi.org/10.1645/GE-1053R1.1
Download citation file:
Sign in
Don't already have an account? Register
Client Account
You could not be signed in. Please check your email address / username and password and try again.
Could not validate captcha. Please try again.
Sign in via your Institution
Sign in via your InstitutionCiting articles via
SEROPREVALENCE OF TOXOPLASMA GONDII AND ASSOCIATED RISK FACTORS IN ONE-HUMPED CAMELS (CAMELUS DROMEDARIUS) IN QATAR
Sonia Boughattas, Hashim Alhussain, Ahmed Gawish, Nahla O. Eltai
SCOLICIDAL POTENCY OF BILE AGAINST ECHINOCOCCUS GRANULOSUS
İsa Caner Aydın, Noyan İlhan, Ahmet Şeker, Cem Batuhan Ofluoğlu, Fırat Mülküt, Nuri Emrah Göret, Kenan Çetin, Erdal Polat, Gökhan Aygün, Hasan Fehmi Kücük
SYNONYMIZATION OF PLACOBDELLA PICTA (VERRILL, 1872) (HIRUDINEA: GLOSSIPHONIIDAE) WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF TWO NEW SPECIES REVEALED BY MOLECULAR SPECIES DELIMITATION
Anna J. Phillips, Dennis J. Richardson, Charlotte I. Hammond, Brett C. Gonzalez, Eric A. Lazo-Wasem, William E. Moser
A RE-EVALUATION OF ZYGOCOTYLE (DIGENEA, PARAMPHISTOMOIDEA) BASED ON NEW GENETIC DATA SUPPORTS ITS SYNONYMIZATION WITH WARDIUS
Tyler J. Achatz, Dawn W. Cleveland, Sarah A. Orlofske, Robert C. Jadin, Jason Block, Lisa K. Belden, Hudson A. Pinto, Vasyl V. Tkach
DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES OF GYRINICOLA YAMAGUTI, 1938, FROM THE MONTEZUMA FROG, RANA MONTEZUMAE, IN THE TRANSITION ZONE BETWEEN THE NEARCTIC AND NEOTROPICS
Matthew A. Walker, Rogelio Aguilar-Aguilar, Virginia León-Règagnon, F. Agustín Jiménez