RESERVOIR COMPETENCE OF THE SOUTHEASTERN 5-LINED SKINK (EUMECES-INEXPECTATUS) AND THE GREEN ANOLE (ANOLIS-CAROLINENSIS) FOR BORRELIA-BURGDORFERI

The reservoir competence of two lizard species, the southeastern five- lined skink (Eumeces inexpectatus) and the green anole (Anolis carolin ensis), for Borrelia burgdorferi was evaluated. Skinks and anoles were exposed by needle inoculation or tick bite to B. burgdorferi. Xenodia gnosis with larval Ixodes scapularis and culture of tissues were used to assess infection and the ability of infected lizards to infect atta ched ticks. Both lizard species were susceptible to B. burgdorferi by both routes of exposure. Xenodiagnostic ticks acquired spirochetes whi le feeding on both species. One tick that dropped from a skink on the ninth day after exposure was infected. The remainder of xenodiagnostic ticks that acquired spirochetes fed three weeks after exposure of the lizards to the spirochete. Lizards remained infectious to attached ti cks for at least five weeks. Overall, more than 20% of xenodiagnostic larvae fed on southeastern five-lined skinks acquired spirochetes. Ind ividual skinks infected up to 34% of attached ticks. A smaller proport ion of ticks feeding on green anoles became infected. Borrelia burgdor feri recovered from infected lizards retained their infectivity for ma mmalian hosts. The ability of the lizards to sustain a Borrelia infect ion and infect attached ticks suggests that they may play a role in th e maintenance of spirochete transmission.