--- title: Spring, Robins, Lyme Disease? description: Spring, Robins, Lyme Disease? --- - **[SEARCH](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/search-0)** ** - **[CONTACT US](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/contact-us)** - **SDS** - [**Companion Animal**](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/companion-animal-msds) - [**Farm Animal**](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/farm-animal-msds) ## Something Powerful # Resources     ## Spring, Robins, Lyme Disease? I admit, the topic for this blog is a bit of a departure from our typical posts, but I hope you'll indulge me.  It's almost spring, the snow is melting, we are starting to see buds on the trees and I was hoping to see my first robin - a sure sign that spring is right around the corner.  At least I was looking forward to spotting a robin until I read the article for the basis of this blog....[Borreliaburgdorferi sensu lato  spirochetes in wild birds in northwestern California](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25714376). For those of you who do not know, [Borrelia burgdorferi](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2440571/), is the bacterium that causes Lyme Disease.  In the north-eastern mid-Atlantic and north-central United States, this bacterium is spread via a bite from an infected blacklegged tick (better known as the deer tick), while on the Pacific coast it is the western [blacklegged tick](http://www.gov.mb.ca/health/lyme/blacklegged.html) that spreads the disease.  These lovely little critters can attach to virtually any part of our bodies, but prefer to hide in the in hard-to-see areas such as the groin, armpits, and scalp.  If you happen to spend lots of time in woodlands and grassy areas and are diligent in wearing long sleeves and pants or checking yourself over after your jaunt in the woods, the risk of transmission from a tick bite is minimal. In most cases, the tick must be attached to you between 36 and 48 hours (or more) before the Lyme disease bacterium can in fact be transmitted. Until reading this article, it was my (and I think most people's) belief that small mammals and rodents such as the [wood rat](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bushy-tailed_woodrat) or [grey squirrel ](http://wdfw.wa.gov/conservation/gray_squirrel/)were the hosts of this disease.  That is until the [researchers at UC Berkeley](http://newscenter.berkeley.edu/2015/02/25/birds-lyme-disease-bacteria/) found that birds - PARTICULARLY [robins](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_robin), [dark-eye juncos](http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/dark-eyed_junco/id) and [golden-crowned sparrows](http://birdweb.org/Birdweb/bird/golden-crowned_sparrow) -were also important hosts.  Hmm....I'm not a birder, but aren't these guys commonly found in suburbia and routinely congregate around backyard bird feeders?  While I do not live on the west coast, I suppose I should be thankful that I ran out of bird seed several weeks ago when I was only attracting the rift-raft... and by rift-raft I mean those loud obnoxious blue jays that torment my cat. According to the CDC, approximately 30,000 cases of Lyme Disease are reported each year and that this number is vastly underreported.  The true number of cases is likely 10 times higher. The fact that birds are now identified as a host is most interesting, as unlike small mammals and rodents, the range of travel is far longer. As we see with [Avian Influenza](https://info.virox.com/avian-influenza-resources) where infected wild birds can infect flocks of chickens or turkeys, these tick infested birds can move from region to region with relative ease bringing Borrelia burgdorferi with them! From a disinfection perspective, infection of Lyme Disease only occurs when bitten by an infected tick. BUT, should there be some blood on the surface left after squashing an infected tick (as we're dealing with a relatively simple vegetative bacteria) rest assured that an EPA or Health Canada registered Hospital Disinfectant should have not issues managing to kill the bacteria! Will you think twice about putting out bird feed to attract the spring robins? I know I will! *Bugging Off!* * * Nicole ## Search All Resources ## Browse by Category - MSDS/SDS - [• Companion Animal →](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/companion-animal-msds) - [• Farm Animal →](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/farm-animal-msds) - [Protocols & Procedures](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/talkcleantome/2015/03/spring-robins-lyme-disease.html#) - [• Companion Animal →](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/topic/protocols-and-procedures-companion-animal) - • Farm Animal → [CDN](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/topic/farm-animal-canada) | [USA](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/topic/protocols-and-procedures-farm-animal) - [Technical Bulletins](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/talkcleantome/2015/03/spring-robins-lyme-disease.html#) - [• Companion Animal →](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/topic/techncial-bulletins-companion-animal) - [• Farm Animal →](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/topic/technical-bulletins-farm-animal) - [Pathogen Fact Sheets](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/pathogen-fact-sheets) - [Industry Guidelines](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/topic/industry-guidelines) - [Industry Publications](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/talkcleantome/2015/03/spring-robins-lyme-disease.html#) - [• Companion Animal →](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/topic/industry-publications-companion-animal) - [• Farm Animal →](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/topic/industry-publications-farm-animal) - [Product Use Information](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/talkcleantome/2015/03/spring-robins-lyme-disease.html#) - [• Companion Animal →](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/topic/product-use-information-companion-animal) - [• Farm Animal →](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/topic/product-use-information-farm-animal) - [Reference Sheets](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/talkcleantome/2015/03/spring-robins-lyme-disease.html#) - [• Companion Animal →](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/topic/reference-sheets-companion-animal) - [• Farm Animal →](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/topic/reference-sheets-farm-animal) - [AHP® Abstracts & Research Posters](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/talkcleantome/2015/03/spring-robins-lyme-disease.html#) - [• Companion Animal →](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/topic/ahp-abstracts-research-posters-companion-animal) - [• Farm Animal →](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/topic/ahp-abstracts-research-posters-farm-animal) - [AHP® Peer Reviewed Articles](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/talkcleantome/2015/03/spring-robins-lyme-disease.html#) - [• Companion Animal →](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/topic/ahp-peer-reviewed-articles-companion-animal) - [• Farm Animal →](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/topic/ahp-peer-reviewed-articles-farm-animal) - [AHP® vs Competitive Chemistries ](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/resources/topic/ahp-vs-competitive-chemistries) - [ AHP® Compatibility ](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/ahp-compatibility) - [ Testimonials ](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/testimonials) - [ Videos ](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/videos) - [ Fear Free](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/fear-free-and-ahp) - [ Blog](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/blog)       [![BottomLogoGrey-VAH](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/hs-fs/hubfs/ViroxAnimalHealth/Logos/BottomLogoGrey-VAH.jpg?width=100&name=BottomLogoGrey-VAH.jpg "BottomLogoGrey-VAH")](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/) [CONTACT US](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/contact-us)  |  [PRIVACY POLICY](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/privacy-policy)  |  [TERMS OF USE](https://www.viroxanimalhealth.com/terms-of-use) [** ** (open in a new window)](https://www.youtube.com/user/ViroxAHP) [** ** (open in a new window)](https://www.linkedin.com/company/virox-animal-health) [** ** (open in a new window)](https://twitter.com/AHPbiosecurity) [** ** (open in a new window)](https://www.facebook.com/ViroxAnimalHealth/)   © 2003-2022 VIROX TECHNOLOGIES INC [Virox® Animal Health is a division of Virox® Technologies Inc.](http://www.virox.com/) Website by [BOLD](http://www.boldinternet.com/) AHP® and Design and Accelerated Hydrogen Peroxide® and Design are trademarks of Diversey, Inc.