Search for blood or water is influenced by Borrelia burgdorferi in Ixodes ricinus

Parasites & Vectors

Table 1 Phenotypic traits modified by tick-borne pathogens in the main vectors of B. burgdorferi

Modified trait	Tick species ^a	Stage ^b	Pathogens ^c	Detailed effect	Reference
Questing activity	Ip	A	Bb	Walk shorter distances	[50,79]
	Ip	N, A	Bb	Questing activity is increased but inhibited more importantly by temperature	[80]
	Ip	N, A	Bb	Questing triggered by higher temperature and lower relative humidity	[66]
	Ip	A	Bb	Reach higher questing height, walk slower	[52]
	Ip	A	TBEv	Walk faster, reach higher questing height, more tolerant of desiccation	[50]
	Ir	L, N, A	Bb	Walk shorter distances	[81]
	Ir	N	Bb	Walk less, stay in a relatively dry environment	[53]
	Ir	A	TBEv	Walk faster, more tolerant to tick-repellent	[82]
	Is	N	Bb	Walk longer distances, reach higher questing height, attracted by vertical surfaces	[51]
	Is	A	Bb	Walk shorter distances, reach lower questing height, avoid vertical surfaces	[51]
Survival & energy reserves	Ip, Ir	A	Bb	Prolonged survival	[67]
	Ir	N, A	Bb	Increased survival under desiccating conditions	[56]
	Ir	N	Bb	Higher energy reserves (fat content)	[61]
	Is	N	Ap	Increased survival under cold conditions	[55]
	Is	N	Bm	Increased blood meal size	[63]

^a Ip, I. persulcatus; Ir, I. ricinus; Is, I. scapularis.
^bL, larvae; N, nymphs; A, adults.
^c Ap, A. phagocytophilum; Bm, B. microti; Bb, B. burgdorferi s.l.; TBEv, TBE virus.

ISSN: 1756-3305