Borrelia in mice – no symptoms?

Link: http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs/10.1089/vbz.2009.0215

Excerpt:

 The epidemiology of vector-borne zoonotic diseases is determined by
encounter rates between vectors and hosts. Alterations to the behavior of
reservoir hosts caused by the infectious agent have the potential to
dramatically alter disease transmission and human risk. We examined the
effect of Borrelia burgdorferi, the etiological agent of Lyme disease, on
one of its most important reservoir hosts, the white-footed mouse,
Peromyscus leucopus. We mimic natural infections in mice using the vector
(Black-legged ticks, Ixodes scapularis) and examine the immunological and
behavioral responses of mouse hosts. Despite producing antibodies against B.
burgdorferi, infected mice did not have elevated white blood cells compared
with uninfected mice. In addition, infected and uninfected mice did not
differ in their wheel-running activity. Our results suggest that infection
with the spirochete B. burgdorferi has little impact on the field activity
of white-footed mice. Lyme disease transmission appears to be uncomplicated
by pathogen-altered behavior of this reservoir host.