Tick range expansion to higher elevations: does Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato facilitate the colonisation of marginal habitats?

Table 1 Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. prevalence in questing nymphs at 15 sites in the Swiss Alps

Site	Label	GPS Coordinates		Elevation	Range	N adult	N nymph	N all	Ticks /h	Analysed	Borrelia	Borrelia	% nymphs
Site	Label	North	East	(m.a.s.l.)	exp	I. ricinus	I. ricinus	I. ricinus	Ticks /h	nymphs	afzelii	others	infected
Untevaz	UNT	46.938	9.547	528	C	11	63	74	24.7	34	10	2	35
Malans	MAL	46.992	9.558	560	C	10	48	58	19.3	35	4	2	17
Rodels	ROD	46.761	9.426	630	C	13	63	76	25.3	34	10	4	41
Sagogn	SAG	46.783	9.233	693	C	57	19	76	25.3	35	8	2	29
Passug	PAS	46.841	9.538	732	C	56	241	297	99	34	9	0	26
Trimmis	TRI	46.882	9.56	762	C	35	271	306	102	35	6	4	29
Bonaduz	BON	46.799	9.353	944	C	33	68	101	33.7	32	6	0	19
Castiel	CAS	46.826	9.57	1094	C	17	116	133	44.3	34	4	2	18
Seewis	SEE	46.996	9.637	1106	C	18	88	106	35.3	35	8	0	23
Flims	FLI	46.827	9.281	1138	C	4	20	24	8	35	3	0	9
Tomils	TOM	46.772	9.454	1144	C	13	102	115	38.3	34	15	1	47
Ruschein	RUS	46.795	9.169	1454	M	2	26	28	9.3	22	1	0	5
Praden	PRA	46.818	9.59	1582	M	1	11	12	4	9	0	0	0
Feldis	FEL	46.789	9.453	1673	M	0	2	2	0.7	3	0	0	0
Vilan	VIL	47.02	9.583	1774	O	0	0	0	0	0	–	–	–

Sampling site and acronym, GPS coordinates, elevation, number of I. ricinus adults and nymphs collected over the three sampling sessions as well as the average tick abundance per hour (Tick/h) and tick range position of the site [range core (C), range margin (M) and outside of the range (O)] are given. Furthermore, the number of nymphs screened for Borrelia infection (analysed nymphs), the number of nymphs infected with B. afzelii and other B. burgdorferi s.l. genospecies and the infection prevalence (%) considering all B. burgdorferi s.l. genospecies are reported

ISSN: 2730-7182