Ticks Multi-infested on Turdus pallidus (Aves: Turdidae) and Their Borrelia Prevalence

Abstract

We encountered two cases of multi-infestation with immature stages of Haemaphysalis flava and Ixodes turdus on Turdus pallidus, a migratory bird, in autumn 1996 and 1999, and isolated Borrelia garinii from those ticks. Since the borreliae were primarily derived from the tick host T. pallidus, this indicated that T. pallidus plays an important role as a reservoir of Lyme disease spirochetes in mainland Japan.