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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #74715
Title: ISOLATION OF AEROBIC MICROBES FROM THE VECTOR OF LYME DISEASE IXODES SCAPULARIS (ACARI: IXODIDAE) AND ITS ENVIRONMENT

Author
item MARTIN, PHYLLIS
item SCHMIDTMANN, EDWARD

Submitted to: In Vitro Cellular And Developmental Biology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/1/1998
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Black legged ticks can spread Lyme disease to humans and livestock. Trying to control the tick with chemical pesticides is difficult and creates problems with residual chemicals in the environment. Biocontrol (non-chemical control) of ticks using pathogens (bacteria that kill ticks) is an alternative to chemical control. In order to identify naturally occurring bacteria which might be able to control these ticks, we isolated bacteria from adult ticks as well as immature forms. Some of the bacteria we isolated are known to kill insects which are related to ticks. The identification of these bacteria will enable scientists to search for similar bacteria which would kill the ticks or interrupt the spread of Lyme disease.

Technical Abstract: The spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, is transmitted by Ixodes scapularis Say, the vector of Lyme disease. We investigated the possibility of biocontrol of the tick by identifying the microbiota associated with the ticks. We collected, identified, and sexed ticks from foliage and deer. Eighty-four initial bacterial isolates were recovered from 41 ticks (23 adults and 17 nymphs). The bacteria isolated from nymph-stage ticks were qualitatively different (mainly Gram- cocci) from the bacteria isolated from adult ticks (Gram- and Gram+ rods). To determine long-term viability, these isolates were stored for six months. After storage, 63 surviving bacterial isolates were characterized using the Biolog System of identification by substrate utilization. Fifty-six isolates were identified to the species level. We concentrated our characterization efforts on the 46 spore forming bacteria, which may prove useful in the biocontrol of ticks. Twelve species of Bacillus were identified. B. thuringiensis/B. cereus was the predominant species group isolated. Six isolates from this group formed crystals. Some of these crystals were toxic to insects.