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Good morning! Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving:) From Texas, a suggestion for the general description of habitat under C (Exposure Criteria):
The habitats for the TBRF Borrelia spp. are sympatric with that of their Ornithodoros spp. tick vectors. Ornithodoros hermsi, the vector for B. hermsii, is typically found in rodent nests in rural areas above 3,000 feet in elevation where chipmunks or squirrels are present. The vector for B. parkerii, O. parkeri, is found at lower altitudes in the Southwest and inhabits burrows of prairie dogs, ground squirrels and burrowing owls. Ornithodoros turicata, the vector for B. turicatae, occurs in caves, nests and burrows in the plains regions of the Southwest and feeds primarily on prairie dogs and ground squirrels.
Another suggestion for wording the "exposure" portion: Exposure is defined as having possible exposure to soft ticks in a county with previously reported autochthonous cases; possible exposure includes time spent in cabins, caves, around firewood, or other possible soft tick habitat within 2-18 days of symptom onset.
The habitats for the TBRF Borrelia spp. are sympatric with that of their Ornithodoros spp. tick vectors. Ornithodoros hermsi, the vector for B. hermsii, is typically found in rodent nests in rural areas above 3,000 feet in elevation where chipmunks or squirrels are present. The vector for B. parkerii, O. parkeri, is found at lower altitudes in the Southwest and inhabits burrows of prairie dogs, ground squirrels and burrowing owls. Ornithodoros turicata, the vector for B. turicatae, occurs in caves, nests and burrows in the plains regions of the Southwest and feeds primarily on prairie dogs and ground squirrels.
Another suggestion for wording the "exposure" portion: Exposure is defined as having possible exposure to soft ticks in a county with previously reported autochthonous cases; possible exposure includes time spent in cabins, caves, around firewood, or other possible soft tick habitat within 2-18 days of symptom onset.
Best,
Hanna
Bonny C. Mayes, MA, RYT
Epidemiologist
Texas Department of State Health Services
Zoonosis Control Branch, MC-1956
1100 W. 49th Street
Austin, TX 78756
Phone: (512) 776-2888
FAX (512) 776-7454
Email: bonny.mayes@dshs.texas.gov<mailto:bonny.mayes@dshs.texas.gov>
Web: www.texaszoonosis.org<http://www.texaszoonosis.org/>
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