First Records of Established Populations of Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) Collected From Three Nebraska Counties

Lindsey E Nielsen; Roberto Cortinas; Paul D Fey; Peter C Iwen; David H Nielsen

doi:10.1093/jme/tjz212

First Records of Established Populations of Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) Collected From Three Nebraska Counties

J Med Entomol. 2020 May 4;57(3):939-941. doi: 10.1093/jme/tjz212.

Authors

Lindsey E Nielsen¹, Roberto Cortinas², Paul D Fey¹, Peter C Iwen³, David H Nielsen⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Microbiology and Pathology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE.
² School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE.
³ Nebraska Public Health Laboratory, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE.
⁴ Animal and Plant Health Protection, Nebraska Department of Agriculture, Lincoln, NE.

PMID: 31776568
DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjz212

Abstract

Reported cases of Lyme disease in Nebraska have been assumed to be imported from other endemic areas. Previous surveillance efforts provided no evidence of established populations as only individual specimens of Ixodes scapularis (Say) had been collected. In the winter of 2018, adult I. scapularis were found on a dog at Two Rivers State Recreation Area, Douglas County, prompting tick collection at the site and nearby natural areas. In May 2019, all life stages of host-seeking I. scapularis were collected using dragging and flagging techniques in sites located near the Platte River in Douglas, Sarpy, and Saunders counties. This is the first documentation of established populations of I. scapularis in Nebraska.

Keywords: Borrelia burgdorferi; Ixodes scapularis; Lyme disease; Nebraska; tick.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animal Distribution*
Animals
Female
Ixodes / growth & development
Ixodes / physiology*
Larva / growth & development
Larva / physiology
Male
Nebraska
Nymph / growth & development
Nymph / physiology