Mapping human risk of infection with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, the agent of Lyme borreliosis, in a periurban forest in France.

Lyme borreliosis is a major zoonosis in Europe, with estimates of over 26,000 cases per year in France alone. The etiological agents are spirochete bacteria that belong to the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s. l.) complex and are transmitted by hard ticks among a large range of vertebrate hosts. In Europe, the tick Ixodes ricinus is the main vector. In the absence of a vaccine and given the current difficulties to diagnose and treat chronic Lyme syndromes, there is urgent need for prevention. In this context, accurate information on the spatial patterns of risk of exposure to ticks is of prime importance for public health. The objective of our study was to provide a snapshot map of the risk of human infection with B. burgdorferi s. l. pathogens in a periurban forest at a high resolution, and to analyze the factors that contribute to variation in this risk. Field monitoring took place over three weeks in May 2011 in the suburban Sénart forest (3,200ha; southeast of Paris), which receives over 3 million people annually. We sampled ticks over the entire forest area (from 220 forest stands with a total area of 35,200m(2)) and quantified the density of questing nymphs (DON), the prevalence of infection among nymphs (NIP), and the density of infected nymphs (DIN), which is the most important predictor of the human risk of Lyme borreliosis. For each of these response variables, we explored the relative roles of weather (saturation deficit), hosts (abundance indices of ungulates and Tamias sibiricus, an introduced rodent species), vegetation and forest cover, superficial soil composition, and the distance to forest roads. In total, 19,546 questing nymphs were collected and the presence of B. burgdorferi s. l. was tested in 3,903 nymphs by qPCR. The mean DON was 5.6 nymphs per 10m(2) (standard deviation=10.4) with an average NIP of 10.1% (standard deviation=0.11). The highest DIN was 8.9 infected nymphs per 10m(2), with a mean of 0.59 (standard deviation=0.6). Our mapping and modeling revealed a strong heterogeneity of risk within the forest. The highest risk was found in the eastern part of the forest and localized patches in the northwestern part. Lyme borreliosis risk was positively associated with stands of deciduous trees (mainly oaks) and roe deer abundance. Contrary to expectations, DIN actually increased with distance from the point of introduction of T. sibiricus (i.e., DIN was higher in areas with potentially lower abundances of T. sibiricus). Thus, despite the fact that T. sibiricus is an important reservoir host for B. burgdorferi s. l., our study found that other explanatory factors played a more important role in determining the density of infected ticks. Precise mapping of the risk of exposure to Lyme borreliosis in a highly visited forest represents an important tool for targeting prevention and control measures, as well as making the general public and local health officials aware of the risks.

Invasive house mice facing a changing environment on the Sub-Antarctic Guillou Island (Kerguelen Archipelago).

Adaptation to new environments is a key feature in evolution promoting divergence in morphological structures under selection. The house mouse (Mus musculus domesticus) introduced on the Sub-Antarctic Guillou Island (Kerguelen Archipelago) had and still has to face environmental conditions that likely shaped the pattern and pace of its insular evolution. Since mouse arrival on the island, probably not more than two centuries ago, ecological conditions dramatically differed from those available to their Western European commensal source populations. In addition, over the last two decades, the plant and animal communities of Guillou Island were considerably modified by the eradication of rabbits, the effects of climate change and the spread of invasive species detrimental to native communities. Under such a changing habitat, the mouse response was investigated using a morphometric quantification of mandible and molar tooth, two morphological structures related to food processing. A marked differentiation of the insular mice compared with their relatives from Western Europe was documented for both mandibles and molar shapes. Moreover, these shapes changed through the 16 years of the record, in agreement with expectations of drift for the molar, but more than expected by chance for the mandible. These results suggest that mice responded to the recent changes in food resources, possibly with a part of plastic variation for the mandible prone to bone remodelling. This pattern exemplifies the intricate interplay of evolution, ecology and plasticity that is a probable key of the success of such an invasive rodent facing pronounced shifts in food resources exploitation under a changing environment.

Macroparasites of Pallas's squirrels (Callosciurus erythraeus) introduced into Europe.

Introduced pets released in natura can lead to sanitary risks for native fauna and humans. We analysed the macroparasite fauna of a total of 49 Pallas's squirrels, Callosciurus erythraeus, from two populations introduced into urbanised areas in Europe (n=16 female symbol and 13 male symbol from Antibes, France, 43 degrees 33'N-7 degrees 7'E; n=11 female symbol and 9 male symbol in from Dadizele, Belgium, 50 degrees 52'N-3 degrees 5'E). Of the 185 identified ectoparasites from Antibes, 183 were sucking lice Enderleinellus kumadai, with male squirrels 10 times more intensely infested than females. The flea Nosopsyllus fasciatus was found on two hosts. No hard ticks were recovered. Of the 131 arthropods specimens from Dadizele, 45 belonged to E. kumadai, with male squirrels three times more intensely infested than females. Eighty-six arthropods belonged to another sucking louse, Hoplopleura erismata, with males infested twice as intensely as females. No fleas or hard ticks were found. We only found 12 immature Hymenolepis sp. cestodes in the small intestine of three squirrels from Antibes and two immature Mastophorus sp. female nematodes in the stomach of a squirrel from Dadizele. We found no other helminths in the body cavity, heart, lung, liver, kidney or bladder. The macroparasite fauna of these two squirrel populations is consistent with what is expected from an introduced host, i.e., a few species dominated by specialist taxa imported with founders. The scarcity of other rodent species in the urbanized areas where Pallas's squirrels were sampled may explain the low variety of newly acquired macroparasites. The discrepancy in sucking lice infestations between males and females could be due to differences in either behaviour or physiology in this non-sexually dimorphic host. Based on the macroparasites found in this study, we expect minimal sanitary risks for both native fauna and humans in urbanized habitats such as those in our study.

Introduced Siberian chipmunks are more heavily infested by ixodid ticks than are native bank voles in a suburban forest in France.

By serving as hosts for native vectors, introduced species can surpass native hosts in their role as major reservoirs of local pathogens. During a 4-year longitudinal study, we investigated factors that affected infestation by ixodid ticks on both introduced Siberian chipmunks Tamias sibiricus barberi and native bank voles Myodes glareolus in a suburban forest (Forêt de Sénart, Ile-de-France). Ticks were counted on adult bank voles and on adult and young chipmunks using regular monthly trapping sessions, and questing ticks were quantified by dragging. At the summer peak of questing Ixodes ricinus availability, the average tick load was 27-69 times greater on adult chipmunks than on adult voles, while average biomass per hectare of chipmunks and voles were similar. In adult chipmunks, individual effects significantly explained 31% and 24% of the total variance of tick larvae and nymph burdens, respectively. Male adult chipmunks harboured significantly more larvae and nymphs than adult females, and than juveniles born in spring and in summer. The higher tick loads, and more specifically the ratio of nymphs over larvae, observed in chipmunks may be caused by a higher predisposition--both in terms of susceptibility and exposure--to questing ticks. Tick burdens were also related to habitat and seasonal variation in age- and sex-related space use by both rodents. Introduced chipmunks may thus have an important role in the dynamics of local vector-borne pathogens compared with native reservoir hosts such as bank voles.

[Enderleinellus tamiasis Fahrenholz, 1916 (Anoplura: Enderleinellidae), an introduced species, and a new sucking louse for the French fauna]. / Enderleinellus tamiasis Fahrenholz, 1916 (Anoplura: Enderleinellidae), espèce importée, implantée et nouvelle pour la Faune de France.

A new sucking louse is recorded for the French Anopluran fauna, Enderleinellus tomiasis found on the introduced Sciurid Tamias sibiricus. This observation highlights the maintenance of parasites when introduced with their hosts and when their hosts settle into a novel environments. It suggests a common origin for two out of four populations of Siberian chipmunks examined. The authors describe the morphological criteria that allow the distinction between the two species of Enderleinellus and each infecting a sciurid host found in our country.

[Fleas community in introduced Siberian chipmunks (Tamias sibiricus Laxmann) in Forest of Sénart, France]. / Diversité du cortège en siphonaptères chez le tamia de Sibérie (Tamias sibiricus Laxmann) introduit en Forêt de Sénart (Ile-de-France).

We examined the fleas community in an introduced population of Siberian chipmunks, Tamias sibiricus, between 2005 and 2007, in the Forest of Sénart (Essonne, France). We collected and identified 383 fleas on 463 chipmunks (total: 1,891 captures on 471 chipmunks). In 2005, 120 fleas were also collected on 65 bank voles, Clethrionomys glareolus, and on 25 wood mice, Apodemus sylvaticus, trapped within the same area. Ceratophyllus sciurorum sciurorum formed 73.6% of the chipmunks' flea community, with an annual prevalence (P) ranging between 8 and 13% and a mean intensity (I) ranging between 1.1 and 1.6 fleas per individual. Among the six other species infecting this Sciurid, Ctenophthalmus agyrtes impavidus constituted 17.2% (P: 1.6-2.2%; I: 1.1-2.6), and Megabothris turbidus 8.1% (P: 0.8-1.9%; I: 1.0-1.4) of the flea community, respectively. These last two species represented respectively 60.8% and 36.6% of the flea community on the bank vole and the wood mouse. Originated from Asia, chipmunks did not import any flea species to Sénart, probably because they were used as pets before their release in the wild. Abundance in C. s. sciurorum increased with adult chipmunk density and with juvenile density in summer. On adult chipmunks C. s. sciurorum tented to decrease with increasing abundance of red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris]. Moreover, the two other flea species mainly infected young chipmunks during the fall, and their number was not related to chipmunk density. However, the distribution of species within the flea community became more balanced with increase juvenile chipmunk density. Overall, these results indicate that the close phyletic relationship between chipmunks and red squirrels contributed in the acquisition and the spread of fleas by chipmunks. Primary and secondary hosts densities, their habitat use, and more specifically burrowing activities and tree canopy use, also played a role in the spread of fleas on chipmunks.

Syphacia obvelata infections and reproduction of male domestic mice Mus musculus domesticus on a sub-Antarctic Island.

The reproductive activity of feral male mice on an island of the sub-Antarctic Kerguelen archipelago was influenced by biological factors depending on periods within the breeding season. After having controlled host reproductive activity indices for body size, i.e. age, and body condition effects, Syphacia obvelata prevalence did not vary with host reproductive status or age either during the beginning or the middle-end of the reproductive season. Considering the beginning of the breeding season, worm abundance was more pronounced in males the year following a strong winter crash of the population than in years when high over wintering survival occurred. During the middle-end of the breeding season, males with the highest reproductive status were more infected than males with a lower reproductive status in years when oldest individuals dominated the population. It is suggested that this situation was due to an endocrine related increased host susceptibility partly influenced by a change in the age structure of the population, and that an increase in worm transmission was not directly related to male activity concurrent with reproductive status, nor to population density.

Helminths from introduced small mammals on Kerguelen, Crozet, and Amsterdam Islands (southern Indian Ocean).

Four monoxenous nematodes and 1 heteroxenous cestode were found in 4 species of introduced small mammals on isolated sub-Antarctic islands of the Indian Ocean. In the Kerguelen Archipelago, Syphacia obvelata, Passalurus ambiguus (Nematoda: Oxyuridae), and Rodentolepis straminea (Cestoda: Cyclophyllidae) were respectively found in the house mouse Mus musculus, the rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus, and the black rat Rattus rattus. One accidental nematode, Trichostrongylus sp. (Nematoda: Trichostrongylidae), was also found in a black rat on Kerguelen. On Possession Island (Crozet Archipelago), R. straminea was present in the black rat. On Amsterdam Island, the brown rat R. norvegicus harbored 2 species, R. straminea and Nippostrongylus brasiliensis (Nematoda: Heligmonellidae). The small number of founder hosts and the depauperate terrestrial communities on these remote islands explain the low diversity in the helminth communities of these introduced mammals compared with continental populations.

Aonchotheca musimon n. sp. (Nematoda : Capillariinae) from the mouflon Ovis musimon in the sub-antarctic Kerguelen archipelago, with comments on the relationships with A. bilobata (Bhalerao, 1933) Moravec, 1982 and other species of the genus.

An intestinal capillariid nematode, Aonchotheca musimon n. sp., is described from Ovis musimon imported into the Kerguelen archipelago (Terres Australes et Antarctiques Françaises). The comparison of this new material with other Aonchotheca spp. is based on the usual characters, i.e. spicule, caudal bursa, number of papillae, stichosome, bacillary bands, shape of the cirrus, and on the length of the ejaculatory duct which appears to be of some phylogenetic value. A. musimon, of which the spicule is 208-230 microm long, is close to A. bilobata, another parasite of bovids, which is redescribed here. It is distinct from this species because the posterior region of the female worm is cylindrical instead of conical, the lateral alae of the male worm are longer, quadrangular and vesicular instead of triangular and smooth, the caudal bursa has a folded dorso-lateral edge, there is a recurrent ventral fold of the cirrus, the slender distal part of the spicule is longer, the oesophagus is shorter in both sexes and the slightly larger eggs have a thicker shell. These two species from bovids and A. murissylvatici from murid rodents, of which the main characters are similar, represent a small group with a very elongate ejaculatory duct (1.9-2.5 mm). This is in contrast to a larger group of species with a short ejaculatory duct (350-600 microm), which are parasites of Chiroptera (A. brosseti, A. chabaudi, A. landauae, A. gabonensis), Insectivora (A. erinacei), mustelid Carnivora (A. putorii, A. mustelorum) and glirid rodents (A. myoxinitelae, A. legerae). A. bovis and A. dessetae, respectively parasites of bovids and lagomorphs, present an ejaculatory duct of intermediary length and do not belong to these groups. Several species are transferred to the genus Aonchotheca: A. kashmirensis (Raina & Kaul, 1982) n. comb., A. legerae (Justine, Ferté & Bain, 1987) n. comb., A. forresteri (Kinsella & Pence, 1987) n. comb., A. chabaudi (Justine, 1989) n. comb., A. landauae (Justine, 1989) n. comb., A. brosseti (Justine, 1989) n. comb., A. gabonensis (Justine, 1989) n. comb. and A. dessetae (Justine, 1990) n. comb.