@article{norris_levine_menard_nakagaki_howard_apperson_1996, title={EXPERIMENTAL INFECTION OF THE RACCOON (PROCYON LOTOR) WITH BORRELIA BURGDORFERI}, volume={32}, ISSN={0090-3558}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.7589/0090-3558-32.2.300}, DOI={10.7589/0090-3558-32.2.300}, abstractNote={The reservoir competence of the raccoon (Procyon lotor) for the Lyme disease spirochete (Borrelia burgdorferi) was evaluated in the laboratory during September 1991 to April 1993. Five raccoons were exposed to spirochete-infected (JD1 and Wisconsin 210 Wise strains) Ixodes scapularis nymphs (20/raccoon). A second feeding of spirochete-infected (Wisconsin 210 Wise strain) nymphs (20/raccoon) was performed with four of the original raccoons. Xenodiagnosis with cohorts of I. scapularis larvae (300/cohort) or nymphs (150/cohort) that were periodically placed on each animal was used to detect infection. We examined 1943 engorged ticks by a indirect immunofluorescence monoclonal antibody assay, but no spirochetes were detected. After exposure to spirochete-infected ticks, blood samples were collected at approximately weekly intervals and ear-skin biopsy samples were taken from each animal every third week. These tissues were placed in Barbour-Stoenner-Kelly media. Spirochetes were isolated in cultures of skin (wk 3, 5, 9, 81, and 83) and blood (wk 5, 8, 9, 11, and 12) of one raccoon and the skin (wk 28 and 31) of another raccoon. Antibody response of each animal was monitored through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and immunoblotting of blood serum against B. burgdorferi proteins. Except for one animal, raccoons did not have an antibody response until they were fed upon by a second cohort of infected I. scapularis nymphs. Based on Western blot analyses, raccoons exposed to B. burgdorferi via tick bite responded to the 31- (OspA) and 34-KDa (OspB) antigens. Response to other antigens varied among raccoons. Based on our results raccoons may be inefficient reservoirs for B. burgdorferi. Although some raccoons can become infected with B. burgdorferi, they may not transfer the infection to attached ticks.}, number={2}, journal={Journal of Wildlife Diseases}, publisher={Wildlife Disease Association}, author={Norris, Douglas E. and Levine, Jay F. and Menard, Monica and Nakagaki, Kazuhide and Howard, Peter and Apperson, Charles S.}, year={1996}, month={Apr}, pages={300–314} }
 @article{norris_levine_menard_nagagaki_howard_apperson_1996, title={Reservoir competence of raccoons (Procyon lotor) for Borrelia burgdorferi}, volume={32}, journal={Journal of Wildlife Diseases}, author={Norris, D. E. and Levine, J. F. and Menard, M. and Nagagaki, K. and Howard, P. and Apperson, C. S.}, year={1996}, pages={300–314} }
 @article{levin_levine_apperson_norris_howard_1995, title={Reservoir Competence of the Rice Rat (Rodentia: Cricetidae) for Borrelia burgdorferi}, volume={32}, ISSN={1938-2928 0022-2585}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jmedent/32.2.138}, DOI={10.1093/jmedent/32.2.138}, abstractNote={The reservoir competence of the rice rat, Oryzomys palustris, for Borrelia burgdorferi is described. Infected Ixodes scapularis Say (I. dammini, Spielman, Clifford, Piesman & Corwin) nymphs were used to infect animals. Borrelia infection was diagnosed by xenodiagnostic feeding of noninfected I. scapularis larvae and by reisolation of the spirochetes from blood and other tissues. Rice rats acquired B. burgdorferi and maintained spirochete infection for 5-9 wk. B. burgdorferi were cultured from samples of skin and urinary bladders from all animals killed on day 21 (three rats), 35 (three rats), or 56 (three rats) after infection. The spirochetes were also detected in blood samples obtained 1 and 2 wk after exposure. Spirochetes that persisted for 5 wk in rice rats did not lose their infectivity for golden Syrian hamsters. The prepatent period for infecting xenodiagnostic ticks was 1 wk. Overall, 75.6% of I. scapularis larvae (n = 694) that fed on infected rice rats acquired B. burgdorferi. Prevalence of infection reached 83% in ticks that fed on tick-exposed animals during the 2nd-4th wk, 68% during the 5th wk, and 17.4% during the 9th wk. The duration of rice rat infectivity for ticks exceeded 2 mo. I. scapularis nymphs infected as larvae on rice rats transmitted B. burgdorferi. Taken together, these studies confirm the reservoir competence of the rice rat for B. burgdorferi.}, number={2}, journal={Journal of Medical Entomology}, publisher={Oxford University Press (OUP)}, author={Levin, Michael and Levine, Jay F. and Apperson, Charles S. and Norris, Douglas E. and Howard, Peter B.}, year={1995}, month={Mar}, pages={138–142} }