The interaction between Ixodes ricinus and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) is one of the most important host-parasite association supporting the epidemiology of Lyme disease in the Italian Alps. The pattern of infestation of ticks on 534 male roe deer harvested in September 1995 in 56 game districts was assessed. Prevalence and abundance of I. ricinus were analyzed by a model based on classification and regression trees (CART), using both discrete and continuous variables concerning environmental and host parameters. This model discriminated three variables which appear to have the greatest effect on the abundance of ticks on roe deer: altitude, host density and host age, with tick abundance decreasing above 1000 m a.s.l. or with roe deer density below 10 head/100 ha and increasing with host age
Pattern of Infestation of Ixodes Ricinus (Acari: Ixodidae) on Roe Deer in the Italian Alps
Rizzoli, Annamaria;Merler, Stefano;Furlanello, Cesare
1996-01-01
Abstract
The interaction between Ixodes ricinus and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) is one of the most important host-parasite association supporting the epidemiology of Lyme disease in the Italian Alps. The pattern of infestation of ticks on 534 male roe deer harvested in September 1995 in 56 game districts was assessed. Prevalence and abundance of I. ricinus were analyzed by a model based on classification and regression trees (CART), using both discrete and continuous variables concerning environmental and host parameters. This model discriminated three variables which appear to have the greatest effect on the abundance of ticks on roe deer: altitude, host density and host age, with tick abundance decreasing above 1000 m a.s.l. or with roe deer density below 10 head/100 ha and increasing with host ageI documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
