Table 2.
Interstage infection dynamics in ticks fed on SCID mice. Proportion infected (% prevalence) and purB copy numbers are listed (median copies, range) for life stages for I. scapularis exposed to infected SCID mice as larvae (top) or nymphs (bottom).
| life stage | stage infection introduced | timepoint | % prevalence (no. + /no. tested) | median copies (range) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| larva | larva | drop-off | 100 (150/150) | 12,531 (3480 – 35,220) |
| larva | larva | 21 d.p.d. | 44.4 (40/90) | 9905 (300–187,319) |
| nymph | larva | 0 d.p.m. | 22.2 (30/135) | 110,026 (42,346 – 315,890) |
| nymph | larva | 60 d.p.m. | 24.0 (18/75) | 74,888 (42,913 – 393,235) |
| adult male | larva | p.r.f. | 37.0 (10/27) | NA |
| adult female | larva | p.r.f. | 55.6 (15/27) | NA |
| F1 larva | larva | eclosure | 100 (15/15) | 24,816 (3709– 109,101) |
| nymph | nymph | drop-off | 100 (8/8) | 72,148 (3480– 35,220) |
| adult male | nymph | 2–3 m.p.m. | 25.0 (9/36) | 199,300 (20–3,367,500) |
| adult female | nymph | 2–3 m.p.m. | 30.9 (21/68) | 916,900 (200–5,191,162)a |
d.p.d. = days post-drop off; d.p.m. = days post-molt; p.r.f. = post-rabbit feed; m.p.m. = months post-molt; NA = not available.
a
5 females that were engorged were excluded from calculations.