Researchers find no evidence of Lyme disease in grouse — yet

Grouse hearts supplied by hunters for a study into ticks and grouse populations in New Brunswick have shown no birds infected with Lyme disease, yet.

Last year, Douglas Munn, a graduate student in forestry and environmental management at the University of New Brunswick, helped collect 243 spruce and ruffed grouse hearts from hunters and tested them for Lyme disease.

"There was no active infection by any tick-borne pathogen," Munn said of the results from the first part of the study.

"That means that the pathogens weren't present, which also means that an uninfected tick could not feed off these birds and become infected."

The scientists are hoping the study of grouse hearts will provide information about how Lyme disease is spreading in the province. Migratory birds are believed to carry the ticks that carry Lyme disease.

But now the study is in its second year and has switched gears slightly.

Hearts will be tested to see if the birds have ever had Lyme disease.

They've evolved these immune systems that can take care of the infection and then they're no longer able to pass that pathogens on to uninfected ticks.- Douglas Munn, researcher

"Our next step is to test for antigens associated with these tick-borne pathogens," Munn said.

"When we go ahead and test the hearts from last year again [and] test the hearts from this year for the antigens, that's going to tell us 'Was the grouse ever infected?'"

Munn said grouse can get over Lyme disease and not be carriers, but will still carry markers indicating they were infected at one time.

"They've evolved these immune systems that can take care of the infection and then they're no longer able to pass that pathogens on to uninfected ticks," said Munn.

More hearts, please

There is a renewed push this hunting season to collect even more grouse hearts.

Munn said he wants as many as he can get his hands on, but pointed to last year's number as a target.

"If we could meet or exceed that again I would be thrilled," he said.

Grouse season runs from Oct.1 to Dec. 31.

Luckily for hunters, Munn said all the science points to the conclusion that if a grouse is infected, the bird is still good to eat.

"There is no risk of eating an animal even if it were infected," said Munn.

"That's not the means by which that pathogen needs to enter your body."

No gizzards, thanks

Munn said researchers received grouse hearts throughout the province, and he hopes to get them from a vast geographic region this time as well.

But only hearts. Last year, a few gizzards instead of hearts were turned in.

"The gizzard is a muscular organ in the bird and to some it may resemble a heart," said Munn

Any hunters who wouldn't mind giving up their grouse hearts for a good cause are urged to contact Munn.

Hunters are asked to freeze the hearts in a plastic bag, mark the date of the kill on the bag and record the location of the kill as accurately as possible.