Prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi (the Lyme disease agent) antibodies in king penguin Aptenodytes patagonicus in Crozet Archipelago

The seabird tick Ixodes uriae (White) is common in subantarctic areas and i s likely to be a vector of pathogenic agents. This paper reports on the pre valence of tick-infested adult king penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) and on antibodies to the Lyme disease agent (Borrelia burgdorferi sensu late) i n adult and chick penguins. Fifteen percent of the adults of the colony stu died were tick infested. B. burgdorferi antibodies were detected in 14% of tick-infested adults' and in 6% of chicks' sera. The percentage of tick-inf ested adults differed significantly according to location in the colony, th e highest density occurring on the upper slopes of the colony. The potentia l role of king penguins as B. burgdorferi reservoirs and the effect of this agent on king penguin populations remain unknown. The consequences for hum an health are discussed.