Table S1. PCR primers used for the pathogen identification from birds.

Targeted genes / Sequences (5’ – 3’) / Primer ID / Product Size / Reference
16S rRNA / TCCTACGGGAGGCAGCA / 0206 / 762 / a
(universal) / biotin-CTCGTTGCGGGACTTAACC / 0209 / a
Borrelia5S–23S / ACCATAGACTCTTATTACTTTGACCA / 23SN2 / 226 / b
intergenic spacer / biotin-GAGAGTAGGTTATTGCCAGGG / 5SCB / b
Borrelia flaB / AARGAATTGGCAGTTCAATC / FlaBOF / 497 / c
GCATTTTCWATTTTAGCAAGTGATG / FlaBOR / c
(nested PCR) / ACATATTCAGATGCAGACAGAGGTTCTA / FlaBIF / 389 / c
GAAGGTGCTGTAGCAGGTGCTGGCTGT / FlaBIR / c

aPichon et al. (2003)

bRijpkema et al. (1995)

cClark et al. (2005)

Table S2. RLB probes used in pathogen identification from ticks.

Probe ID / Nucleotide sequence
(5’ – 3’) / Target organism (rRNA gene/region) / Reference
Ptg003 / CGAACTTCTGGGTCAAGAC / Borrelia burgdorferis.l. (16S) / a
Ptg007 / TGGGGATTTTTTATCTCTGTG / Anaplasma phagocytophilum (16S) / a
Ptg009 / CTTTGACCATATTTTTATCTTCCA / B. burgdorferis.l. (5S-23SIGS) / b
Ptg010 / AACACCAATATTTAAAAAACATAA / B. burgdorferis.s. (5S-23SIGS) / b
Ptg011 / AACATGAACATCTAAAAACATAAA / B. garinii (5S-23SIGS) / b
Ptg012 / AACATTTAAAAAATAAATTCAAGG / B. afzelii (5S-23SIGS) / b
Ptg013 / CATTAAAAAAATATAAAAAATAAATTTAAGG / B. valaisiana (5S-23SIGS) / b
Ptg020 / AGATAACTACTCTCCGTTTG / B. lonestari (16S) / c
Ptg021 / CTACCACTGACGCTGAT / Rickettsia rickettsii (16S) / c
Ptg022 / TCCTAATAGGGGGAGTC / Ehrlichia chaffeensis (16S) / c
Ptg023 / CTTTTAACAGAGGGAGTCA / E. ewingii (16S) / c
Ptg024 / TCCTAACAGGGGGAGTC / E. canis/ovina/muris (16S)* / c
Ptg026 / CTTGGGGAGGACGTTAC / Francisella tularensistularensis (16S) / c
Ptg027 / CTTCGGAACGCAGTGAC / F. tularensis + F. philomiragia (16S) / c
Ptg028 / TCCTGCGATCTTTCTAGA / F. endosymbiont of Dv (16S) / c
Ptg029 / GCCTATRAGTTAATAGCTTGT / F. philomiragia (16S) / c
Ptg030 / GCTACAACTGACACTGATG / R. endosymbiont of Dv (16S) / c
Ptg031 / TACAACTGACGCTAATGC / R. amblyommii + Rickettsia sp. (16S) / c
Ptg032 / CATCCAGGGAAGTAAGC / Arsenophonus spp. (16S) / c
Ptg035 / TCGGAAGATTATCTTTCGG / R. amblyommii (16S) / c

aDesigned by Pichon et al. (2003)

bDesigned by Rijpkema et al. (1995)

cDesigned by Allan et al. (2010)

*Reference sequence AY318946 should read AF318946

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Table S3. Bird species examined that did not harbor ticks, their migration status, and number examined for Putnam and Champaign counties, Illinois, 2012. Birds are classified into four location-specific migration status categories: Resident (R, present year round), Breeder (B, arrives in spring to breed in summer then departs in fall), Winter (W, arrives in fall to overwinter then departs in spring), or Migrant (M, passes through the area between breeding and wintering grounds; Poole, 2005). Species are arranged in descending order of the number examined.

Common name / Scientific name / Migration status / Number examined
Yellow-rumped warbler / Dendroicacoronata / M / 23
Magnolia warbler / Dendroica magnolia / M / 11
Black-capped chickadee / Poecileatricapillus / R / 8
American robin / Turdus migratorius / R / 7
Dark-eyed junco / Junco hyemalis / W / 6
Ruby-crowned kinglet / Regulus calendula / M / 5
Golden-crowned kinglet / Regulus satrapa / W / 4
Fox sparrow / Passerellailiaca / M / 3
Tufted titmouse / Baeolophus bicolor / R / 3
American goldfinch / Spinustristis / R / 2
American redstart / Setophagaruticilla / B / 2
Black-and-white warbler / Mniotilta varia / B / 2
Carolina wren / Thryothorusludovicianus / R / 2
Eastern phoebe / Sayornis phoebe / B / 2
Swamp sparrow / Melospizageorgiana / W / 2
White-breasted nuthatch / Sitta carolinensis / R / 2
White-crowned sparrow / Zonotrichia leucophrys / W / 2
Alder flycatcher / Empidonax alnorum / M / 1
Brown creeper / Certhia americana / W / 1
Black-throated green warbler / Dendroica virens / M / 1
Downy woodpecker / Picoidespubescens / R / 1
Eastern towhee / Pipilo erythrophthalmus / B / 1
Nashville warbler / Vermivora ruficapilla / M / 1
Orange-crowned warbler / Vermivora celata / M / 1
Rose-breasted grosbeak / Pheucticus ludovicianus / B / 1
Red-bellied woodpecker / Melanerpes carolinus / R / 1
Red-eyed vireo / Vireo olivaceus / B / 1
Red-headed woodpecker / Melanerpes erythrocephalus / R / 1

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