Table 2.
Ixodes ricinus ticks collected after feeding on A. phagocytophilum-infected sheep during both the acute or the persistent phases of infection, and detection of infection in engorged and molted ticks.
| Sheep n° | Day post-infection | Number of infesting ticks | Number of engorged ticks (%) | Number of ticks recovered after molting (%) | A. phagocytophilum-positive molted ticks/tested ticks (%) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Larvae | Nymphs | Larvae | Nymphs | Nymphs | Adults | Nymphs | Adults | ||
| 320 | 6 | – | 900 | – | 160 (17.7%) | – | 80 (50%) (37 females, 43 males) |
– | 8/10 Salivary glands (80%) 9/10 midgut (90%) |
| 648 | 6 | 2000 | – | 925 (46.2%) | – | 252 (27.2%) | 0/10 | – | |
| 381 | 7 | 2000 | 950 | 1060 (53%) | 43 (4.5%) | 411 (38.8%) | 15 (34.9%) (9 females, 6 males) |
7/10 (70%) | – |
| 108 | 4000 | – | 3414 (85.3%) | – | 2236 (65.5%) | – | 2/72 (2.8%) | – | |