Lyme disease, caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi, and transmitted by the black-legged tick, Ixodes scapularis, is the most commonly reported vector-borne disease in the United States. Although chemical pesticides and repellents are available to combat these disease transmitting pests, many citizens are hesitant about the use of these pesticides due to concerns about short range toxicity and long range health problems attributed to these chemicals. DVBID scientists have developed host-targeted methods of controlling disease vectors thereby reducing populations of infected rodent reservoirs and questing ticks. Development of new, environmentally safe vector-control methods is a very high priority for DVBID and CDC. Because these DVIBD patented, host-targeted bait boxes and other host-targeted technologies use such small amounts of pesticides enclosed in a box, they provide an especially eco-friendly method of vector-borne disease control in a residential setting. The latest development of host-targeted technologies comes as a new adaptation to the bait box technology. Initial studies were performed in DVBID laboratories. A novel doxycycline hyclate impregnated bait formulation was shown to be efficacious in preventing tick-transmitted B. burgdorferi infection as well as providing a cure for early established infection in a murine model of Lyme borreliosis. In addition, this doxycycline bait formulation, encompassing a bacteriostatic drug, demonstrated the unexpected result of clearing spirochete infection in feeding ticks. These data provide evidence for exploring alternative techniques to prevent transmission of Lyme disease spirochetes. These studies were performed at CDC, DVBID and have been accepted for publication in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention intends to issue a sole source purchase order as a follow-on to a 2007 project to accomplish the following two projects: Project 1: To evaluate doxycycline hyclate impregnated rodent bait in a palatable formulation. The doxycycline bait will need to be formulated at 500 mg/Kg based on soon-to-be-published DVBID laboratory studies. The doxycycline bait will be made available to rodents and delivered in a childproof rodent bait box to determine the ability of this formulation to prophylactically protect mice, cure infected mice, and clear ticks feeding on treated mice of the spirochete that causes Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi, and the agent, Anaplasmosis phagocytophilum in Peromyscus leucopus, Tamias striatus, Sciurus carolinensis, and Blarina brevicauda, the primary reservoirs of these two vector-borne diseases. Project 2: To evaluate the ability of modified Maxforce Tick Management System (TMS) bait boxes that contain the acaricide fipronil and are retrofitted with Doxycycline hyclate proprietary rodent baits formulated at 500 mg/Kg. Bait boxes will be serviced weekly. The ability of this dual system bait box to prophylactically protect mice, cure infected mice, and clear ticks feeding on treated mice with the use of doxycycline bait and the ability of fipronil-treated wicks to kill ticks on rodent hosts and to significantly decrease overall populations of questing ticks that transmit the spirochete that causes Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi, and the agent, Anaplasmosis phagocytophilum in Peromyscus leucopus, Tamias striatus, Sciurus carolinensis, and Blarina brevicaud, the primary reservoirs of these two vector-borne diseases will be determined. Research shall take place in two residential areas located in Perrineville and NWS Earle, NJ (one treatment area and one untreated control area).

The vendor shall furnish all labor, materials and equipment necessary to evaluate the efficacy of doxycycline hyclate palatable rodent baits formulated at 500 mg/Kg. This will include but is not limited to all necessary equipment to perform rodent reservoir and questing tick evaluations. The vendor will need to have access to suitable tick/rodent/Lyme disease habitat with a minimum of 0.1 tick/m2 and adequate species of Peromyscus leucopus, Tamias striatus, Sciurus carolinensis, and Blarina brevicauda. The vendor shall furnish all labor, materials, processing equipment, live mammalian traps (Sherman and Tomahawk), bait boxes, and equipment necessary to evaluate the efficacy of doxycycline impregnated rodent bait to reduce infected rodent reservoirs and infected questing ticks in residential areas. The vendor will identify suitable test plots for each study, conduct weekly pre- and post-treatment flagging and trapping of animals in plots to determine the ability of these host-targeted technologies to kill ticks, reduce infected reservoirs, and reduce the risk of tick-borne diseases. Vendor will provide weekly reports and perform statistical analysis. All data will be sent to CDC/NCID/DVBID, Fort Collins, CO. All laboratory and field work should be performed under GLP guidelines for future FDA/EPA registration. Animal work will need to be performed under an approved IACUC protocol so the data can be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

CDC believes that this requirement is met by only one provider. This procurement will be processed under the authority of FAR 6.302-1 and 6.302-2. Only one responsible source and no other sources will satisfy agency requirements. No solicitation is being issued. Interested persons may identify their interest and capability to respond to this requirement. This procurement is not set-aside for small business. For contractual questions contact Linda M. Young.