Proceedings of the Vertebrate Pest Conference

Lyme disease is an emerging infectious disease accounting for more than 90% of all reported vector-borne diseases in the United States. In the eastern U.S., the deer tick Ixodes scapularis carries the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi, which causes the disease. The main reservoir for the spirochete in the wild is the white-footed mouse Peromyscus leucopus, which serves as the most common blood-meal host for the larval and nymphal life stages of the tick. Additionally, the enzootic cycle includes the white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus. As the human incidence of Lyme disease continues to increase, effective intervention methods are needed. Control methods for decreasing risk of contracting Lyme disease have been developed and center on targeting the tick or the wildlife hosts that harbor the tick vector. Personal protective measures have also been developed to protect individuals potentially exposed.