Tick-host-Borrelia population interactions: long-term records in Eastern Europe

During 10 spring and summer seasons (1992-2001), the dynamics of the epizootic process in natural foci were studied in taiga forests of the Pre-Ural region, Russia. In these foci, Borrelia garinii, Borrelia afzelii and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus circulate transmitted by their main vector tick, Ixodes persulcatus. Main parameters of the epizootic process were calculated for each season. In three seasons (1993, 1996, and 1999) all parameters characterizing the abundance of unfed nymphs and adult ticks, as well as the prevalence of Borrelia and TBE virus in them, increased sharply and simultaneously. These seasons were preceded by years of population peaks in forest rodents (1992, 1995, and 1998), especially Clethrionomys glareolus voles, the dominant species in the local mammalian fauna. Apparently, the possibility of horizontal transmission of the agents of tick-borne infections sharply increases in such years and this results in the intensification of their dissemination.