babesia microti and borrelia bissettii transmission by ixodes spinipalpis ticks among prairie voles, microtus ochrogaster, in colorado. | an endemic transmission cycle of babesia microti was discovered in colorado in the foothills of the rocky mountains. b. microti were found by pcr in 4 of 25 ixodes spinipalpis tick pools tested (a 3.2 % minimum infection rate) and in 87% (13 of 15) of microtus ochrogaster (the prairie vole) spleen and blood samples. using naturally infected i. spinipalpis collected from wild-caught m. ochrogaster as vectors, b. microti and borrelia bissettii were successfully transmitted to laboratory-born m. oc ... | 2000 | 11155930 |