Effect of \kur{Ixodes ricinus} feeding duration on transmission of the spirochete \kur{Borrelia afzelii}

Lyme borreliosis is a multisystem infectious disease caused by tick-borne spirochetes belonging to the \kur{Borrelia burgdorferi} sensu lato complex. It is generally believed that if a tick is attached for less than 24 hours, infection is unlikely because it requires between 36 and 48 hours of attachment for \kur{Borrelia burgdorferi} to travel from within the tick into its saliva. Nevertheless, there is evidence that transmission to a host may even occur in the early phases of tick feeding. We investigated the dynamics of \kur{Borrelia afzelii} transmission by nymphal \kur{Ixodes ricinus} ticks with special respect to the first day of tick attachment