More than 50% of mice in Kentucky infected with Lyme bacteria

In their study, Buchholz and colleagues, from Western Kentucky University, found that more than half of the mice in Kentucky tested positive for Borrelia burgdorferi. They also discovered that the prevalence of B. burgdorferi was higher in tissue than in blood – a finding consistent with other studies. “Overall prevalence of B. burgdorferi in mammals examined by blood sampling was 21.8%, while prevalence in tissues was 63.5%,” writes Buchholz. The prevalence rates of infected mammals was similar to those in other southeastern U.S. states. Studies in Georgia, Florida and South Carolina [2] have reported the prevalence to be 6.5% and 41.8%. ...