Waheed Bajwa, Ashley Kennedy, Zachary Vincent, Garrett Heck, Shamim Riaj, Zahir Shah, Kamesan Kanapathipillai, Cory Casal, Scott Haynes, Hannah Cornman, Andrea Egizi, Ellen Stromdahl, Robyn Nadolny
A total of 2,504 ticks of 5 species (Ixodes scapularis, Dermacentor variabilis, Amblyomma americanum, Haemaphysalis leporispalustris, and H. longicornis) were collected over 2 yr (2014-2015) in New York City parks. Specimens were collected via tick-dragging, identified to species, and tested for pathogens of human diseases. The causative agents of 5 human diseases (Lyme borreliosis, ehrlichiosis, babesiosis, anaplasmosis, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever) were detected in a subset of samples. Results of this surveillance effort further illustrate that risk of tick-borne disease is considerable even in parks located adjacent to densely populated areas...
February 27, 2024: Journal of Medical Entomology