<i>Ixodes (Pholeoixodes) hexagonus</i>, an efficient vector of <i>Borrelia burgdorferi</i> in the laboratory

<i>Borrelia burgdorferi</i> Johnson et al. was first isolated from the midgut of <i>Ixodes dammini</i> Spielman <i>et al. </i> in the U.S.A. and from the midgut of Lricinus (L.) in Europe. <i>I.ricinus</i> was considered to be the only tick vector of this borrelia, in Europe, until <i>I.hexagonus</i> Leach, the hedgehog tick, was found to harbour spirochaetes. This paper reports an evaluation of the vector competence of <i>I. hexagonus</i> for the spirochaete <i>B. burgdorferi</i>. Transovarial and trans-stadial survival were demonstrated and the spirochaete was transmitted to laboratory mice via the bites of trans-stadially infected <i>I.hexagonus</i> females.