Publications

new ruminant hosts and wider geographic range identified for babesia odocoilei (emerson and wright 1970).	babesia odocoilei was found to infect two previously unknown host species, desert bighorn sheep (ovis canadensis nelsoni) and musk oxen (ovibos moschatus), both of which are members of the family bovidae. previously, b. odocoilei has been reported in only cervidae hosts. new geographic regions where b. odocoilei infections have not been reported previously include pennsylvania and new york, where fatal babesiosis has occurred in reindeer (rangifer tarandus tarandus); new hampshire, where elk (ce ...	2005	16456156
a novel bacteroidetes symbiont is localized in scaphoideus titanus, the insect vector of flavescence dorée in vitis vinifera.	flavescence dorée (fd) is a grapevine disease that afflicts several wine production areas in europe, from portugal to serbia. fd is caused by a bacterium, "candidatus phytoplasma vitis," which is spread throughout the vineyards by a leafhopper, scaphoideus titanus (cicadellidae). after collection of s. titanus specimens from fd-contaminated vineyards in three different areas in the piedmont region of italy, we performed a survey to characterize the bacterial microflora associated with this insec ...	2006	16461701
host associations of ixodes scapularis (acari: ixodidae) in residential and natural settings in a lyme disease-endemic area in new jersey.	we live-trapped small mammals and flagged vegetation within wooded natural and residential landscapes to examine how any observed differences in small mammal species composition may influence ixodes scapularis say burdens and the abundance of host-seeking ticks. two years of live trapping showed that eastern chipmunks, tamias striatus, were captured with significantly greater frequency in some residential areas than white-footed mice, peromyscus leucopus, whereas the proportion of white-footed m ...	2005	16465736
three multiplex assays for detection of borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and borrelia miyamotoi sensu lato in field-collected ixodes nymphs in north america.	two hundred fifty new jersey field-collected ixodes scapularis say ticks and 17 colorado ixodes spinipalpis hadwen & nuttall ticks were tested using three separate multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction (pcr) assays. one assay targets the rrs-rrla igs region of borrelia spp. to detect borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) and borrelia miyamotoi s.l. the second assay targets the ospa region of b. burgdorferi s.l. to detect b. burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.), borrelia bissettii, and borre ...	2005	16465748
high-throughput molecular testing of ticks using a liquid-handling robot.	to meet the need for high-throughput sample testing, dna extraction kits based on the 96-well plate format have been developed for use with blood and tissue samples. these methods have not been applied to dna extractions from ticks. to meet this need, we developed a high-throughput method for dna extraction and polymerase chain reaction (pcr) testing of tick samples. a liquid-handling robot was used to extract dna in a 96-well binding column plate with vacuum manifold. the quantity, purity, and ...	2005	16465749
the interactions of anaplasma phagocytophilum, endothelial cells, and human neutrophils.	ixodes scapularis ticks transmit anaplasma phagocytophilum (ap), agent of human granulocytic anaplasmosis (hga). invasion of neutrophil granulocytes (pmn) by ap is the hallmark of the disease, but these short-lived phagocytes are not likely the sole cell type required for productive infection. we analyzed infection of microvascular endothelial cells during pathogenesis of anaplasmosis in vivo and in vitro. organs from ap-infected mice were processed for confocal microscopy 41 days p.i. fluoresce ...	2005	16481545
bridging the gaps in vector biology. workshop on the molecular and population biology of mosquitoes and other disease vectors.		2006	16485025
kinetics of borrelia burgdorferi infection in larvae of refractory and competent tick vectors.	the acquisition of borrelia burgdorferi by the larvae of competent and refractory ixodid ticks was assessed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (pcr). larvae were fed on infected mice, and the spirochete loads were determined during feeding and up to 93 d postfeeding. amblyomma americanum (l.) was refractory to b. burgdorferi infection, with almost no detection of spirochete dna during or postfeeding. in contrast, ixodes scapularis say supported high loads of spirochetes (10(3)-10(4) per l ...	2006	16506448
detection of a borrelia miyamotoi sensu lato relapsing-fever group spirochete from ixodes pacificus in california.	we investigated whether host-seeking nymphs and adults of the western blacklegged tick, ixodes pacificus cooley & kohls, the primary vector of lyme disease spirochetes in far-western north america, are infected naturally with relapsing-fever group spirochetes in mendocino county, california. relapsing-fever group borreliae were detected in four (1.7%) of 234 nymphal and two (0.7%) of 282 adult host-seeking i. pacificus ticks by polymerase chain reaction and sequence analysis of the 16s rrna and ...	2006	16506458
application of rna interference in tick salivary gland research.	ticks are obligate ectoparasites that feed on a variety of hosts including mammals, birds and reptiles. prolonged attachment on the host and an ability to transmit a wide variety of pathogens are the special features of tick feeding. salivary glands are the major route for secretion of excess fluid, several proteins, and factors that counteract the host immune response and hence play a significant role in the success of tick feeding. rna interference (rnai) enables scientists to silence genes en ...	0	16522848
strategies for reducing the risk of lyme borreliosis in north america.	the incidence of lyme borreliosis continues to increase in the united states. in 1991, when lyme borreliosis first became a nationally reportable disease to the centers for disease control and prevention (cdc), a total of 9470 cases were reported; in contrast, by 2002 a total of 23,763 cases were reported, >2.5x the total in 1991. area-wide acaricides can be highly effective in killing nymphal ixodes scapularis, with >95% of nymphs killed in studies using cyfluthrin, deltamethrin, or carbaryl. t ...	2006	16524769
comparative salivary gland transcriptomics of sandfly vectors of visceral leishmaniasis.	immune responses to sandfly saliva have been shown to protect animals against leishmania infection. yet very little is known about the molecular characteristics of salivary proteins from different sandflies, particularly from vectors transmitting visceral leishmaniasis, the fatal form of the disease. further knowledge of the repertoire of these salivary proteins will give us insights into the molecular evolution of these proteins and will help us select relevant antigens for the development of a ...	2006	16539713
salivary apyrases of triatoma infestans are assembled into homo-oligomers.	apyrase activity is present in the saliva of haematophagous arthropods. it is related to blood-feeding because of the apyrase ability to hydrolyse adp, a key component of platelet aggregation. five apyrases with apparent molecular masses of 88, 82, 79, 68 and 67 kda were identified in the saliva of the vector of chagas disease, triatoma infestans. the large size observed during purification of these enzymes suggested oligomerization. in the present study, we confirmed, using gel-filtration and a ...	0	16542158
differences in the transmissibility of two anaplasma phagocytophilum strains by the north american tick vector species, ixodes pacificus and ixodes scapularis (acari: ixodidae).	the etiologic agent of granulocytic anaplasmosis, anaplasma phagocytophilum, has a circum-global distribution within the northern hemisphere and shows a host species predilection that varies by the geographic region in which the disease is found. adaptation by the bacterium to a host species potentially contributes to the variation found worldwide but this is confounded by the bacterium's relationship with its tick vectors, all of which belong to the ixodes ricinus group. we tested the hypothesi ...	2006	16550334
in vitro cultivation and antibiotic susceptibility of a cytophaga-like intracellular symbiote isolated from the tick ixodes scapularis.	a cytophaga-like organism (clo), isolated from the tick ixodes scapularis (isclo), was adapted to growth in insect cell lines and its antibiotic sensitivity was tested. isclo were introduced to four insect cell lines, and their growth was measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. isclo propagated well in a mosquito cell line, aeal-2, and caused cytopathic effects in host cells. a lepidopteran cell line, hz-am1, was also suitable for propagation of isclo and kept a steady state with bac ...	2006	16550461
myd88 deficiency enhances acquisition and transmission of borrelia burgdorferi by ixodes scapularis ticks.	borrelia burgdorferi strains exhibit various degrees of infectivity and pathogenicity in mammals, which may be due to their relative ability to evade initial host immunity. innate immune cells recognize b. burgdorferi by toll-like receptors (tlrs) that use the intracellular molecule myd88 to mediate effector functions. to determine whether impaired tlr signaling enhances ixodes scapularis acquisition of b. burgdorferi, we fed nymphs on wild-type (wt) and myd88-/- mice previously infected with tw ...	2006	16552045
a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction assay of borrelia burgdorferi 16s rrna for highly sensitive quantification of pathogen load in a vector.	we developed a real-time quantitative detection assay for the pathogen borrelia burgdorferi, a lyme borreliosis (lb) agent, using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (rt-pcr) with primers and probe for a borrelia genus-specific region of 16s ribosomal rna. the standard curve of the assay was linear by semi-log plot over more than five orders of magnitude, and the detection limit of the assay was one thousandth of a single cell of b. burgdorferi. the minimum target level for detection ...	2006	16584333
seasonal and geographical distribution of adult ixodes scapularis say (acari: ixodidae) in louisiana.	the distribution and seasonality of adult black-legged ticks (ixodes scapularis say) in louisiana was measured. the presence of adult ticks was determined by flagging at 106 sites throughout louisiana. it was concluded that ixodes scapularis is widely distributed throughout louisiana. ticks were also collected twice per month at one site over a 15-month period by flagging and use of co2 traps to establish the relative seasonal abundance pattern of free-living adult ticks. host-seeking, black-leg ...	2005	16599148
an antivector vaccine protects against a lethal vector-borne pathogen.	vaccines that target blood-feeding disease vectors, such as mosquitoes and ticks, have the potential to protect against the many diseases caused by vector-borne pathogens. we tested the ability of an anti-tick vaccine derived from a tick cement protein (64trp) of rhipicephalus appendiculatus to protect mice against tick-borne encephalitis virus (tbev) transmitted by infected ixodes ricinus ticks. the vaccine has a "dual action" in immunized animals: when infested with ticks, the inflammatory and ...	2006	16604154
a modest model explains the distribution and abundance of borrelia burgdorferi strains.	the distribution and abundance of borrelia burgdorferi, including human lyme disease strains, is a function of its interactions with vertebrate species. we present a mathematical model describing important ecologic interactions affecting the distribution and abundance of b. burgdorferi strains, marked by the allele at the outer surface protein c locus, in ixodes scapularis ticks, the principal vector. the frequency of each strain in ticks can be explained by the vertebrate species composition, t ...	2006	16606995
spatiotemporal patterns of host-seeking ixodes scapularis nymphs (acari: ixodidae) in the united states.	the risk of lyme disease for humans in the eastern united states is dependent on the density of host-seeking ixodes scapularis say nymphal stage ticks infected with borrelia burgdorferi. although many local and regional studies have estimated lyme disease risk using these parameters, this is the first large-scale study using a standardized methodology. density of host-seeking i. scapularis nymphs was measured by drag sampling of closed canopy deciduous forest habitats in 95 locations spaced amon ...	2006	16619595
evaluating satellite sensor-derived indices for lyme disease risk prediction.	the wetness and greenness indices created using landsat thematic mapper (tm) data from june 1995 and 1997 and july 2002 were tested for their ability to predict the location of sites with different levels of nymphal blacklegged tick, ixodes scapularis say, abundance in rhode island. in 1995, there were statistically significant differences in the mean of greenness and wetness indices between sites classified as low and moderate tick abundance areas (p = 0.005 and p = 0.041, respectively). in 199 ...	2006	16619620
investigation of ground level and remote-sensed data for habitat classification and prediction of survival of ixodes scapularis in habitats of southeastern canada.	in southeastern canada, most populations of ixodes scapularis say, the lyme disease vector, occur in carolinian forests. climate change projections suggest a northward range expansion of i. scapularis this century, but it is unclear whether more northerly habitats are suitable for i. scapularis survival. in this study, we assessed the suitability of woodlands of the lower great lakes/st. lawrence plain region for i. scapularis by comparing tick egg survival in four different woodlands. woodlands ...	2006	16619627
detection of anaplasma phagocytophilum and babesia odocoilei dna in ixodes scapularis (acari: ixodidae) collected in indiana.	the blacklegged tick, ixodes scapularis say, first reported in indiana in 1987, has now been detected in more than half of indiana's counties. the first case of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (human anaplasmosis) in indiana was reported in 2002. we now report the detection of anaplasma phagocytophilum and babesia odocoilei (emerson and wright 1968) in i. scapularis ticks collected in northern indiana. using polymerase chain reaction analysis, 41 of 193 adult ticks (21.2%) collected from deer we ...	2006	16619631
molecular analysis of microbial communities identified in different developmental stages of ixodes scapularis ticks from westchester and dutchess counties, new york.	ixodes scapularis ticks play an important role in the transmission of a wide variety of pathogens between various mammalian species, including humans. pathogens transmitted by ticks include borrelia, anaplasma and babesia. although ticks may harbour both pathogenic and non-pathogenic microflora, little is known about how the diversity of the microflora within ticks may influence the transmission of pathogens. to begin addressing this question, we examined the composition of bacterial communities ...	2006	16623735
climate, deer, rodents, and acorns as determinants of variation in lyme-disease risk.	risk of human exposure to vector-borne zoonotic pathogens is a function of the abundance and infection prevalence of vectors. we assessed the determinants of lyme-disease risk (density and borrelia burgdorferi-infection prevalence of nymphal ixodes scapularis ticks) over 13 y on several field plots within eastern deciduous forests in the epicenter of us lyme disease (dutchess county, new york). we used a model comparison approach to simultaneously test the importance of ambient growing-season te ...	2006	16669698
possibilities for relapsing fever reemergence.	relapsing fever borrelia infections have attracted little attention in recent years; however, where endemic, these infections still result in considerable illness and death. despite the marked antimicrobial drug susceptibility of these organisms, therapy is often delayed through lack of clinical suspicion. with increasing travel, infections may be imported, through exotic relapsing fever infection or through resurgence of infected disease vectors. although louseborne relapsing fever is now geogr ...	2006	16704771
epidemic spread of lyme borreliosis, northeastern united states.	we examined the degree of host specialization of different strains of borrelia burgdorferi, the tickborne pathogen that causes lyme borreliosis in the northeastern united states. we first assessed the genetic population structures of b. burgdorferi in ticks obtained from different mammalian host species and in questing ticks sampled in a woodland ecosystem in connecticut. by comparing the patterns found in our study with data from another cross-sectional study, we demonstrate that b. burgdorferi ...	2006	16704808
babesia microti primarily invades mature erythrocytes in mice.	babesia microti is a tick-borne red blood cell parasite that causes babesiosis in people. its most common vertebrate reservoir is the white-footed mouse. to determine whether b. microti invades reticulocytes, as does the canine pathogen b. gibsoni, we infected the susceptible inbred mouse strains c.b-17.scid and dba/2 with a clinical isolate of b. microti. staining of fixed permeabilized red blood cells with 4',6'-diamidino-2-phenylindole or yoyo-1, a sensitive nucleic acid stain, revealed paras ...	2006	16714547
borrelia burgdorferi lacking bbk32, a fibronectin-binding protein, retains full pathogenicity.	bbk32, a fibronectin-binding protein of borrelia burgdorferi, is one of many surface lipoproteins that are differentially expressed by the lyme disease spirochete at various stages of its life cycle. the level of bbk32 expression in b. burgdorferi is highest during infection of the mammalian host and lowest in flat ticks. this temporal expression profile, along with its fibronectin-binding activity, strongly suggests that bbk32 may play an important role in lyme pathogenesis in the host. to test ...	2006	16714558
differential expression and sequence conservation of the anaplasma marginale msp2 gene superfamily outer membrane proteins.	bacterial pathogens in the genera anaplasma and ehrlichia encode a protein superfamily, pfam01617, which includes the predominant outer membrane proteins (omps) of each species, major surface protein 2 (msp2) and msp3 of anaplasma marginale and anaplasma ovis, anaplasma phagocytophilum msp2 (p44), ehrlichia chaffeensis p28-omp, ehrlichia canis p30, and ehrlichia ruminantium map1, and has been shown to be involved in both antigenic variation within the mammalian host and differential expression b ...	2006	16714578
borrelia burgdorferi ospc protein required exclusively in a crucial early stage of mammalian infection.	this study demonstrates a strict temporal requirement for a virulence determinant of the lyme disease spirochete borrelia burgdorferi during a unique point in its natural infection cycle, which alternates between ticks and small mammals. ospc is a major surface protein produced by b. burgdorferi when infected ticks feed but whose synthesis decreases after transmission to a mammalian host. we have previously shown that spirochetes lacking ospc are competent to replicate in and migrate to the sali ...	2006	16714588
infectivity of the highly transformable bbe02- lp56- mutant of borrelia burgdorferi, the lyme disease spirochete, via ticks.	infectious borrelia burgdorferi strains that have increased transformability with the shuttle vector pbsv2 were recently constructed by inactivating the gene encoding bbe02, a putative restriction-modification gene product expressed by the linear plasmid lp25 (kawabata et al., infect. immun. 72:7147-7154, 2004). the absence of the linear plasmid lp56, which carries another putative restriction-modification gene, further enhanced transformation rates. the infectivity of these mutants was assessed ...	2006	16714602
an ixodes scapularis protein required for survival of anaplasma phagocytophilum in tick salivary glands.	anaplasma phagocytophilum is the agent of human anaplasmosis, the second most common tick-borne illness in the united states. this pathogen, which is closely related to obligate intracellular organisms in the genera rickettsia, ehrlichia, and anaplasma, persists in ticks and mammalian hosts; however, the mechanisms for survival in the arthropod are not known. we now show that a. phagocytophilum induces expression of the ixodes scapularis salp16 gene in the arthropod salivary glands during vector ...	2006	16717118
sacred cows and sympathetic squirrels: the importance of biological diversity to human health.		2006	16729846
bioinformatics and multiepitope dna immunization to design rational snake antivenom.	snake venom is a potentially lethal and complex mixture of hundreds of functionally diverse proteins that are difficult to purify and hence difficult to characterize. these difficulties have inhibited the development of toxin-targeted therapy, and conventional antivenom is still generated from the sera of horses or sheep immunized with whole venom. although life-saving, antivenoms contain an immunoglobulin pool of unknown antigen specificity and known redundancy, which necessitates the delivery ...	2006	16737347
anaplasma phagocytophilum in central and western wisconsin: a molecular survey.	anaplasma phagocytophilum is an obligate intracellular bacterium that is transmitted to humans through the bite of ixodes spp. ticks, and causes a febrile disease known as human granulocytic anaplasmosis. the presence of a. phagocytophilum in wisconsin white-tailed deer blood and in deer ticks was assessed using pcr and dna sequencing. sampling sites in the western part of the state (buffalo county) and central region (waushara, waupaca, and green lake counties) were used. in buffalo county, 5.6 ...	2006	16738890
ixodes scapularis ticks collected by passive surveillance in canada: analysis of geographic distribution and infection with lyme borreliosis agent borrelia burgdorferi.	passive surveillance for the occurrence of the tick ixodes scapularis say (1821) and their infection with the lyme borreliosis spirochaetes borrelia burgdorferi s.l. has taken place in canada since early 1990. ticks have been submitted from members of the public, veterinarians, and medical practitioners to provincial, federal, and university laboratories for identification, and the data have been collated and b. burgdorferi detected at the national microbiology laboratory. the locations of colle ...	2006	16739422
borrelia burgdorferi in ixodes scapularis ticks, chicago area.		2006	16752480
antiinflammatory and immunosuppressive activity of sialostatin l, a salivary cystatin from the tick ixodes scapularis.	here we report the ability of the tick ixodes scapularis, the main vector of lyme disease in the united states, to actively and specifically affect the host proteolytic activity in the sites of infestation through the release of a cystatin constituent of its saliva. the cystatin presence in the saliva was verified both biochemically and immunologically. we named the protein sialostatin l because of its inhibitory action against cathepsin l. we also show that the proteases it targets, although li ...	2006	16772304
use of refrigeration as a practical means to preserve viability of in vitro-cultured ide8 tick cells.	in vitro cultivation of the ide8 cell line, derived from embryonic ixodes scapularis ticks, constitutes an important system for the study of tick-borne pathogens, as these cells support growth of rickettsial species which are not normally transmitted by this tick. however, since cryopreservation of ide8 cells is not always successful, there is a need to develop alternative ways to preserve these cells. in the present study, a suspension of ide8 cells in culture medium was kept under refrigeratio ...	2006	16779573
transcriptional regulation of the borrelia burgdorferi antigenically variable vlse surface protein.	the lyme disease agent borrelia burgdorferi can persistently infect humans and other animals despite host active immune responses. this is facilitated, in part, by the vls locus, a complex system consisting of the vlse expression site and an adjacent set of 11 to 15 silent vls cassettes. segments of nonexpressed cassettes recombine with the vlse region during infection of mammalian hosts, resulting in combinatorial antigenic variation of the vlse outer surface protein. we now demonstrate that sy ...	2006	16788197
a novel real-time pcr assay for the speciation of medically important ticks.	the identification of ticks using morphological characters is a well-established practice, however specimens that are small or damaged are often difficult to speciate. a novel, rapid real-time pcr assay, which targets the second internal transcribed spacer (its2) region in the nuclear ribosomal dna gene, was developed for identification of four tick species of utmost medical importance in the united states: ixodes scapularis, i. pacificus, dermacentor variabilis, and amblyomma americanum. comput ...	2006	16796512
evaluation of white-tailed deer (odocoileus virginianus) as natural sentinels for anaplasma phagocytophilum.	anaplasma phagocytophilum, the causative agent of human granulocytotropic anaplasmosis, can infect white-tailed deer (wtd; odocoileus virginianus), and this species is a crucial host for adult ixodes scapularis, the primary vector of a. phagocytophilum. the goal of this study was to determine the geographic distribution of a. phagocytophilum among wtd across a 19 state region and to evaluate the utility of wtd as natural sentinels. serologic testing using the indirect fluorescent antibody (ifa) ...	2006	16796517
bmcystatin, a cysteine proteinase inhibitor characterized from the tick boophilus microplus.	the bovine tick rhipicephalus (boophilus) microplus is a blood-sucking animal, which is responsible for babesia spp and anaplasma marginale transmission for cattle. from a b. microplus fat body cdna library, 465 selected clones were sequenced randomly and resulted in 60 contigs. an open reading frame (orf) contains 98 amino acids named bmcystatin, due to 70% amino acid identity to a classical type 1 cystatin from ixodes scapularis tick (genbank accession no. ). the bmcystatin amino acid sequence ...	2006	16806070
antithrombotic properties of ixolaris, a potent inhibitor of the extrinsic pathway of the coagulation cascade.	ixolaris is a two-kunitz tick salivary gland protein identified in ixodes scapularis that presents extensive sequence homology to tfpi. it binds to fxa or fx as scaffolds and inhibits tissue factor/fviia complex (extrinsic xnase). differently from tfpi, ixolaris does not bind to the active site cleft of fxa. instead, complex formation is mediated by the fxa heparin-binding exosite, which may also results in decreased fxa activity into the prothrombinase complex. in this report, we show that reco ...	2006	16807644
reduction of tick infections with anaplasma marginale and a. phagocytophilum by targeting the tick protective antigen subolesin.	subolesin was recently shown by both gene silencing and immunization with the recombinant protein to protect against tick infestations, and to cause reduced tick survival and degeneration of gut and salivary gland tissues. in this research, we extended these studies by testing whether targeting subolesin by rnai or vaccination interfered with the ability of ticks to become infected with two tick-borne pathogens, anaplasma marginale which causes bovine anaplasmosis and anaplasma phagocytophilum, ...	2006	16816958
reinfestation sources for chagas disease vector, triatoma infestans, argentina.	reinfestation by triatoma infestans after insecticide spraying has caused elimination efforts in the dry chaco region to fail repeatedly. the sources and spatial extent that need to be considered to understand the reinfestation pattern and to plan a comprehensive control program were studied in 2 adjacent rural communities in northwestern argentina from 1993 to 1997. the effects of external, residual, and primary sources on the reinfestation pattern were evaluated by using geographic information ...	2006	16836826
genetic diversity of borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto in peromyscus leucopus, the primary reservoir of lyme disease in a region of endemicity in southern maryland.	in the north central and northeastern united states, borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, the etiologic agent of lyme disease (ld), is maintained in an enzootic cycle between the vector, ixodes scapularis, and the primary reservoir host, peromyscus leucopus. genetic diversity of the pathogen based on sequencing of two plasmid-located genes, those for outer surface protein a (ospa) and outer surface protein c (ospc), has been examined in both tick and human specimens at local, regional, and worldw ...	2006	16885284
rickettsia felis from cat fleas: isolation and culture in a tick-derived cell line.	rickettsia felis, the etiologic agent of spotted fever, is maintained in cat fleas by vertical transmission and resembles other tick-borne spotted fever group rickettsiae. in the present study, we utilized an ixodes scapularis-derived tick cell line, ise6, to achieve isolation and propagation of r. felis. a cytopathic effect of increased vacuolization was commonly observed in r. felis-infected cells, while lysis of host cells was not evident despite large numbers of rickettsiae. electron microsc ...	2006	16885313
distribution and characterization of borrelia burgdorferi isolates from ixodes scapularis and presence in mammalian hosts in ontario, canada.	the blacklegged tick, ixodes scapularis say (acari: ixodidae), has a wide geographical distribution in ontario, canada, with a detected range extending at least as far north as the 50th parallel. our data of 591 adult i. scapularis submissions collected from domestic animals (canines, felines, and equines) and humans during a 10-yr period (1993-2002) discloses a monthly questing activity in ontario that peaks in may and october. the lyme disease spirochete borrelia burgdorferi johnson, schmidt, ...	2006	16892637
estimation of european wild boar relative abundance and aggregation: a novel method in epidemiological risk assessment.	wild boars are important disease reservoirs. it is well known that abundance estimates are needed in wildlife epidemiology, but the expense and effort required to obtain them is prohibitive. we evaluated a simple method based on the frequency of faecal droppings found on transects (fbii), and developed a spatial aggregation index, based on the runs test statistic. estimates were compared with hunting data, and with porcine circovirus and aujeszky's disease virus seroprevalences and mycobacterium ...	2007	16893488
the lyme vaccine: a cautionary tale.	people living in endemic areas acquire lyme disease from the bite of an infected tick. this infection, when diagnosed and treated early in its course, usually responds well to antibiotic therapy. a minority of patients develops more serious disease, particularly after a delay in diagnosis or therapy, and sometimes chronic neurological, cardiac, or rheumatological manifestations. in 1998, the fda approved a new recombinant lyme vaccine, lymerix, which reduced new infections in vaccinated adults b ...	2007	16893489
unique macrophage and tick cell-specific protein expression from the p28/p30-outer membrane protein multigene locus in ehrlichia chaffeensis and ehrlichia canis.	ehrlichia chaffeensis and ehrlichia canis are tick-transmitted rickettsial pathogens that cause human and canine monocytic ehrlichiosis respectively. we tested the hypothesis that these pathogens express unique proteins in response to their growth in vertebrate and tick host cells and that this differential expression is similar in closely related ehrlichia species. evaluation of nine e. chaffeensis isolates and one e. canis isolate demonstrated that protein expression was host cell-dependent. t ...	2006	16922866
comparative genome hybridization reveals substantial variation among clinical isolates of borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto with different pathogenic properties.	clinical and murine studies suggest that there is a differential pathogenicity of different genotypes of borrelia burgdorferi, the spirochetal agent of lyme disease. comparative genome hybridization was used to explore the relationship between different genotypes. the chromosomes of all studied isolates were highly conserved (>93%) with respect to both sequence and gene order. plasmid sequences were substantially more diverse. plasmids lp54, cp26, and cp32 were present in all tested isolates, an ...	2006	16923879
constitutive expression of outer surface protein c diminishes the ability of borrelia burgdorferi to evade specific humoral immunity.	the lyme disease spirochete borrelia burgdorferi reduces the expression of outer surface protein c (ospc) in response to the development of an anti-ospc humoral response, leading to the hypothesis that the ability to repress ospc expression is critical for the pathogen to proceed to chronic infection. b. burgdorferi was genetically modified to constitutively express ospc by introducing an extra ospc copy fused with the borrelial flagellar gene (flab) promoter. such a genetic modification did not ...	2006	16926410
host heterogeneity dominates west nile virus transmission.	heterogeneity in host populations and communities can have large effects on the transmission and control of a pathogen. in extreme cases, a few individuals give rise to the majority of secondary infections, which have been termed super spreading events. here, we show that transmission of west nile virus (wnv) is dominated by extreme heterogeneity in the host community, resulting in highly inflated reproductive ratios. a single relatively uncommon avian species, american robin (turdus migratorius ...	2006	16928635
confirmation of tick bite by detection of antibody to ixodes calreticulin salivary protein.	ticks introduce a variety of pharmacologically active molecules into their host during attachment and feeding in order to obtain a blood meal. people who are repeatedly exposed to ticks may develop an immune response to tick salivary proteins. despite this response, people usually are unaware of having been bitten, especially if they are not repeatedly exposed to ticks. in order to develop a laboratory marker of tick exposure that would be useful in understanding the epidemiology of tick-borne i ...	2006	16928887
structure of conkunitzin-s1, a neurotoxin and kunitz-fold disulfide variant from cone snail.	cone snails (conus) are predatory marine mollusks that immobilize prey with venom containing 50-200 neurotoxic polypeptides. most of these polypeptides are small disulfide-rich conotoxins that can be classified into families according to their respective ion-channel targets and patterns of cysteine-cysteine disulfides. conkunitzin-s1, a potassium-channel pore-blocking toxin isolated from c. striatus venom, is a member of a newly defined conotoxin family with sequence homology to kunitz-fold prot ...	2006	16929098
rna interference of the salivary gland nitrophorin 2 in the triatomine bug rhodnius prolixus (hemiptera: reduviidae) by dsrna ingestion or injection.	mass sequencing of cdna libraries from salivary glands of triatomines has resulted in the identification of many novel genes of unknown function. the aim of the present work was to develop a functional rna interference (rnai) technique for rhodnius prolixus, which could be widely used for functional genomics studies in triatomine bugs. to this end, we investigated whether double-stranded rna (dsrna) can inhibit gene expression of r. prolixus salivary nitrophorin 2 (np2) and what impact this migh ...	2006	16935217
salivary gland extracts of culicoides sonorensis inhibit murine lymphocyte proliferation and no production by macrophages.	culicoides biting midges serve as vectors of pathogens affecting humans and domestic animals. culicoides sonorensis is a vector of several arboviruses in north american that cause substantial economic losses to the us livestock industry. previous studies showed that c. sonorensis saliva, like the saliva of many hematophagous arthropods, contains numerous pharmacological agents that affect hemostasis and early events in the inflammatory response, which may enhance the infectivity of culicoides-bo ...	2006	16968936
plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes induce tissue factor expression in endothelial cells and support the assembly of multimolecular coagulation complexes.	plasmodium falciparum malaria infects 300-500 million people every year, causing 1-2 million deaths annually. evidence of a coagulation disorder, activation of endothelial cells (ec) and increase in inflammatory cytokines are often present in malaria.	2007	17002660
county-level surveillance of white-tailed deer infestation by ixodes scapularis and dermacentor albipictus (acari: ixodidae) along the illinois river.	from 1998 to 2003, 4,935 hunter-killed deer in northern and central illinois were examined for ticks; 4,066 blacklegged ticks, ixodes scapularis say, and 6,530 winter ticks, dermacentor albipictus (packard) (acari: ixodidae), were collected. i. scapularis was the predominant tick species in the northern portion of the study area, with a decreasing north-to-south prevalence gradient. in contrast, d. albipictus was more common in the south with a decreasing south-to-north prevalence gradient. comp ...	2006	17017213
sarcoptes scabiei (acari: sarcoptidae) mite extract modulates expression of cytokines and adhesion molecules by human dermal microvascular endothelial cells.	the inflammatory and immune responses seen with the worldwide disease scabies, caused by the mite sarcoptes scabiei (de geer) (acari: sarcoptidae), are complex. clinical symptoms are delayed for weeks in patients when they are infested with scabies for the first time. this study was undertaken to elucidate the role of the human dermal microvascular endothelial cell (hmvec-d) in modulating the inflammatory and immune responses in the skin to s. scabiei. extracts of s. scabiei were incubated with ...	2006	17017228
prevalence of borrelia burgdorferi in small mammals in new york state.	intensive small mammal trapping was conducted in 12 counties in new york state during 1998-2000 to investigate the prevalence and site specificity of the lyme disease spirochete, borrelia burgdorferi in, and presence of the blacklegged tick, ixodes scapularis say on, the wild mice peromyscus leucopus rafinesque and peromyscus maniculatus wagner and other small mammal species. previously captured mice (1992-1997) from throughout new york state also were recruited into the study, providing a total ...	2006	17017230
repellent activity of fractioned compounds from chamaecyparis nootkatensis essential oil against nymphal ixodes scapularis (acari: ixodidae).	preliminary repellent activity of 14 natural products isolated from essential oil components extracted from the heartwood of alaska yellow cedar, chamaecyparis nootkatensis (d. don) spach., were evaluated against nymphal ixodes scapularis say in a laboratory bioassay and compared with technical grade n,n-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (deet). four hours after treatment, nootkatone and valencene-13-ol had repellent concentration (rc)50 values of 0.0458 and 0.0712% (wt:vol), respectively; two additiona ...	2006	17017233
babesia spp. identified by pcr in ticks collected from domestic and wild ruminants in southern switzerland.	concurrent infections with vector-borne pathogens affected a cattle herd in switzerland, and one of the pathogens was identified as babesia bigemina, which had never been observed in this country before. therefore, a survey of the occurrence of ruminant babesia spp. and their tick vectors in switzerland was conducted. a total of 2,017 ticks were collected from sheep, goats, cattle, and wild ruminants (deer, roe deer, and chamois) in southern parts of switzerland and identified morphologically. t ...	2006	17021198
longitudinal analysis of tick densities and borrelia, anaplasma, and ehrlichia infections of ixodes ricinus ticks in different habitat areas in the netherlands.	from 2000 to 2004, ticks were collected by dragging a blanket in four habitat areas in the netherlands: dunes, heather, forest, and a city park. tick densities were calculated, and infection with borrelia burgdorferi and anaplasma and ehrlichia species was investigated by reverse line blot analysis. the lowest tick density was observed in the heather area (1 to 8/100 m2). in the oak forest and city park, the tick densities ranged from 26 to 45/100 m2. the highest tick density was found in the du ...	2006	17028227
vector seasonality, host infection dynamics and fitness of pathogens transmitted by the tick ixodes scapularis.	fitness of tick-borne pathogens may be determined by the degree to which their infection dynamics in vertebrate hosts permits transmission cycles if infective and uninfected tick stages are active at different times of the year. to investigate this hypothesis we developed a simulation model that integrates the transmission pattern imposed by seasonally asynchronous nymphal and larval ixodes scapularis ticks in northeastern north america, with a model of infection in white-footed mice (peromyscus ...	2007	17032476
disruption of the salivary protein 14 in ixodes scapularis nymphs and impact on pathogen acquisition.	we previously examined the physiological role of the anticoagulant salivary protein 14 (salp14) in adult ixodes scapularis and showed that salp14 played a role in tick feeding and engorgement. we now analyze whether the disruption of the salp14 family expression by rna interference affects tick weight in naïve nymph i. scapularis. salp14 expression after dsrna injection was significantly reduced, as shown by mrna and protein analysis. however, nymph engorgement weight was not altered in salp9pac ...	2006	17038693
evaluation of an imidacloprid (8.8% w/w)--permethrin (44.0% w/w) topical spot-on and a fipronil (9.8% w/w)--(s)-methoprene (8.8% w/w) topical spot-on to repel, prevent attachment, and kill adult ixodes scapularis and amblyomma americanum ticks on dogs.	this study evaluated the effectiveness of two topical spot-on formulations -- imidacloprid(8.8% w/w)-permethrin (44.0% w/w) and fipronil (9.8% w/w)-(s)-methoprene (8.8% w/w)--to repel, prevent the attachment of, and kill adult ixodes scapularis and amblyomma americanum on dogs. twelve purpose-bred beagles were distributed into three groups of four dogs each; one group served as untreated controls, and each of the other two groups received one of the test products. dogs were exposed to 25 adult t ...	2006	17039440
coinfections acquired from ixodes ticks.	the pathogens that cause lyme disease (ld), human anaplasmosis, and babesiosis can coexist in ixodes ticks and cause human coinfections. although the risk of human coinfection differs by geographic location, the true prevalence of coinfecting pathogens among ixodes ticks remains largely unknown for the majority of geographic locations. the prevalence of dually infected ixodes ticks appears highest among ticks from regions of north america and europe where ld is endemic, with reported prevalences ...	2006	17041141
importance of ticks and their chemical and immunological control in livestock.	the medical and economic importance of ticks has long been recognized due to their ability to transmit diseases to humans and animals. ticks cause great economic losses to livestock, and adversely affect livestock hosts in several ways. loss of blood is a direct effect of ticks acting as potential vector for haemo-protozoa and helminth parasites. blood sucking by large numbers of ticks causes reduction in live weight and anemia among domestic animals, while their bites also reduce the quality of ...	0	17048307
sweetness and light: illuminating the honey bee genome.		0	17069628
p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase controls nf-kappab transcriptional activation and tumor necrosis factor alpha production through rela phosphorylation mediated by mitogen- and stress-activated protein kinase 1 in response to borrelia burgdorferi antigens.	the interaction of borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of lyme borreliosis, with phagocytic cells induces the activation of nf-kappab and the expression of proinflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor alpha (tnf-alpha). b. burgdorferi-induced tnf-alpha production is also dependent on the activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein (map) kinase. the specific contribution of these signaling pathways to the response of phagocytic cells to the spirochete and the molecular mechanis ...	2007	17074860
cutting edge: cd4 is the receptor for the tick saliva immunosuppressor, salp15.	salp15 is an ixodes scapularis salivary protein that inhibits cd4+ t cell activation through the repression of tcr ligation-triggered calcium fluxes and il-2 production. we show in this study that salp15 binds specifically to the cd4 coreceptor on mammalian host t cells. salp15 specifically associates through its c-terminal residues with the outermost two extracellular domains of cd4. upon binding to cd4, salp15 inhibits the subsequent tcr ligation-induced t cell signaling at the earliest steps ...	2006	17082567
highly prevalent coxiella sp. bacterium in the tick vector amblyomma americanum.	laboratory-reared and field-collected amblyomma americanum ticks were hosts of a coxiella sp. and a rickettsia sp. while the coxiella sp. was detected in 50 of 50 field-collected ticks, the rickettsia sp. was absent from 32% of ticks. the coxiella sp. showed evidence of a reduced genome and may be an obligate endosymbiont.	2007	17085709
migratory songbirds disperse ticks across canada, and first isolation of the lyme disease spirochete, borrelia burgdorferi, from the avian tick, ixodes auritulus.	during a 3-yr comprehensive study, 196 ixodid ticks (9 species) were collected from 89 passerine birds (32 species) from 25 localities across canada to determine the distribution of avian-associated tick species and endogenous lyme disease spirochetes, borrelia burgdorferi johnson, schmid, hyde, steigerwalt, and brenner. we report the following first records of tick parasitism on avian hosts: the rabbit-associated tick, ixodes dentatus marx, from manitoba and ontario; the mouse tick, ixodes muri ...	2005	17089744
anaplasma phagocytophilum subverts tick salivary gland proteins.	anaplasma phagocytophilum is a bacterium that is transmitted by ixodes spp. ticks, in which it resides in salivary glands. ticks inoculate the pathogen into hosts together with an array of salivary molecules that reduce host anti-tick inflammation. sukumaran et al. recently showed that a. phagocytophilum uses a tick salivary protein, salp16, to enhance its uptake from the host and into the salivary gland. occupation and exploitation of tick salivary glands have implications for the maintenance a ...	2007	17092773
borrelia burgdorferi alters its gene expression and antigenic profile in response to co2 levels.	the etiologic agent of lyme disease, borrelia burgdorferi, must adapt to the distinct environments of its arthropod vector and mammalian host during its complex life cycle. b. burgdorferi alters gene expression and protein synthesis in response to temperature, ph, and other uncharacterized environmental factors. the hypothesis tested in this study is that dissolved gases, including co(2), serve as a signal for b. burgdorferi to alter protein production and gene expression. in this study we focus ...	2007	17098904
travel medicine for the extreme traveler.		0	17101310
catalytic advantages provided by selenocysteine in methionine-s-sulfoxide reductases.	methionine sulfoxide reductases are key enzymes that repair oxidatively damaged proteins. two distinct stereospecific enzyme families are responsible for this function: msra (methionine-s-sulfoxide reductase) and msrb (methionine-r-sulfoxide reductase). in the present study, we identified multiple selenoprotein msra sequences in organisms from bacteria to animals. we characterized the selenocysteine (sec)-containing chlamydomonas msra and found that this protein exhibited 10-50-fold higher activ ...	2006	17105189
diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of erythema migrans and lyme arthritis.	most patients with erythema migrans, the pathognomonic rash of lyme disease, do not recall a deer tick bite. the rash is classically 5 to 68 cm of annular homogenous erythema (59%), central erythema (30%), central clearing (9%), or central purpura (2%). serologic testing is not indicated for patients with erythema migrans, because initially, the result is usually negative. successful treatment of a patient with erythema migrans can be accomplished with 20 days of oral doxycycline, amoxicillin, o ...	2006	17113969
reservoir competency of goats for anaplasma phagocytophilum.	the susceptibility of goats to infection by anaplasma phagocytophilum (a. phagocytophilum) strains ap-variant 1 and ap-ha was assessed by infestation of goats with field-collected ixodes scapularis (i. scapularis) ticks. both strains were infectious in the goat model. these results demonstrate that goats can be used in a laboratory setting to propagate a. phagocytophilum. transmission from an infected goat to a naïve goat by i. scapularis tick feeding was used to demonstrate that goats are reser ...	2006	17114757
isolation of anaplasma phagocytophilum strain ap-variant 1 in a tick-derived cell line.	ten isolates of the ap-variant 1 strain of anaplasma phagocytophilum were made in the ixodes scapularis (i. scapularis)-derived cell line, ise6. two isolates were obtained from laboratory-infected goats and eight isolates were obtained from field-collected i. scapularis ticks. each isolate showed 16s rrna sequences identical to those as previously described for the ap-variant 1 strain. these are the first tissue culture isolates of the ap-variant 1 strain and will allow for further characterizat ...	2006	17114772
comparison of direct fluorescent antibody staining and real-time polymerase chain reaction for the detection of borrelia burgdorferi in ixodes scapularis ticks.	borrelia burgdorferi, the agent responsible for causing lyme disease in humans and animals, is transmitted via the bite of infected ixodes spp. ticks. ticks removed from humans and animals are routinely tested by diagnostic laboratories to determine if they are infected with these bacteria. the objective of this study was to compare the efficacy of 2 commonly used methods, direct fluorescent antibody staining and real-time polymerase chain reaction (pcr), for the detection of b. burgdorferi in i ...	2006	17121087
infection of ixodes scapularis ticks with rickettsia monacensis expressing green fluorescent protein: a model system.	ticks (acari: ixodidae) are ubiquitous hosts of rickettsiae (rickettsiaceae: rickettsia), obligate intracellular bacteria that occur as a continuum from nonpathogenic arthropod endosymbionts to virulent pathogens of both arthropod vectors and vertebrates. visualization of rickettsiae in hosts has traditionally been limited to techniques utilizing fixed tissues. we report epifluorescence microscopy observations of unfixed tick tissues infected with a spotted fever group endosymbiont, rickettsia m ...	2007	17125789
deer browse resistant exotic-invasive understory: an indicator of elevated human risk of exposure to ixodes scapularis (acari: ixodidae) in southern coastal maine woodlands.	we evaluated the relationships between forest understory structure and the abundance of questing adult and nymphal blacklegged ticks, ixodes scapularis say (acari: ixodidae), in three maine towns endemic for lyme disease, 2001-2003. in fragmented new england woodlands, over-abundant white-tailed deer, odocoileus virginianus zimmerman, overbrowse palatable species, allowing browse-resistant exotic-invasive species to replace native forest understory structures. we predicted there would be more ti ...	2006	17162946
relative abundance and prevalence of selected borrelia infections in ixodes scapularis and amblyomma americanum (acari: ixodidae) from publicly owned lands in monmouth county, new jersey.	to evaluate their potential importance in the transmission of ixodid tick-borne borrelioses in monmouth county, nj, we collected host-seeking ixodes scapularis say and amblyomma americanum (l.) (acari: ixodidae) adults and nymphs to determine relative encounter frequencies and the infection prevalence of selected borrelia spp. in their respective tick vectors. we also reviewed records of all ticks submitted for identification by the public in monmouth county during 2001-2005. relative abundance ...	2006	17162963
mammal diversity and infection prevalence in the maintenance of enzootic borrelia burgdorferi along the western coastal plains of maryland.	the primary vector of borrelia burgdorferi in north america, ixodes scapularis, feeds on various mammalian, avian, and reptilian hosts. several small mammal hosts; peromyscus leucopus, tamias striatus, microtus pennsylvanicus, and blarina spp. can serve as reservoirs in an enzootic cycle of lyme disease. the primary reservoir in the northeast united states is the white-footed mouse, p. leucopus. the infection prevalence of this reservoir as well as the roles of potential secondary reservoirs has ...	2006	17187577
gene silencing of the tick protective antigens, bm86, bm91 and subolesin, in the one-host tick boophilus microplus by rna interference.	the use of rna interference (rnai) to assess gene function has been demonstrated in several three-host tick species but adaptation of rnai to the one-host tick, boophilus microplus, has not been reported. we evaluated the application of rnai in b. microplus and the effect of gene silencing on three tick-protective antigens: bm86, bm91 and subolesin. gene-specific double-stranded (dsrna) was injected into two tick stages, freshly molted unfed and engorged females, and specific gene silencing was ...	2007	17196597
the low seroprevalence of tick-transmitted agents of disease in dogs from southern ontario and quebec.	infectious diseases caused by pathogens transmitted by ticks and other insect vectors are an important cause of morbidity and mortality in both dogs and humans throughout north america. the purpose of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of selected vector-transmitted pathogens in southern ontario and quebec. samples submitted to the vector borne disease diagnostic laboratory (vbddl) at the north carolina state university college of veterinary medicine were evaluated for antibodies to ...	2006	17217089
adaptation of a luciferase gene reporter and lac expression system to borrelia burgdorferi.	the development of new genetic systems for studying the complex regulatory events that occur within borrelia burgdorferi is an important goal of contemporary lyme disease research. although recent advancements have been made in the genetic manipulation of b. burgdorferi, there still remains a paucity of basic molecular systems for assessing differential gene expression in this pathogen. herein, we describe the adaptation of two powerful genetic tools for use in b. burgdorferi. the first is a pho ...	2007	17220265
regulators of expression of the oligopeptide permease a proteins of borrelia burgdorferi.	borrelia burgdorferi undergoes an infectious cycle that requires adaptation to different hosts and marked differences in environment. b. burgdorferi copes with its different environments by regulating the expression of proteins required for survival in specific settings. the b. burgdorferi oligopeptide permease (opp) is one of only a few transporters encoded by the b. burgdorferi genome. opp proteins in other bacteria serve multiple environmental adaptation functions. b. burgdorferi appears to b ...	2007	17237172
construction and analysis of variants of a polyvalent lyme disease vaccine: approaches for improving the immune response to chimeric vaccinogens.	there is currently no lyme disease vaccine commercially available for use in humans. outer surface protein c (ospc) of the borrelia has been widely investigated as a potential vaccinogen. at least 38 ospc types have been defined. while the antibody response to ospc is protective, the range of protection is narrow due to the localization of protective epitopes within ospc type-specific domains. to develop a broadly protective vaccine, we previously constructed a tetravalent chimeric vaccinogen co ...	2007	17239505
assessing peridomestic entomological factors as predictors for lyme disease.	the roles of entomologic risk factors, including density of nymphal blacklegged ticks (ixodes scapularis), prevalence of nymphal infection with the etiologic agent (borrelia burgdorferi), and density of infected nymphs, in determining the risk of human lyme disease were assessed at residences in the endemic community of south kingstown, ri. nymphs were sampled between may and july from the wooded edge around 51 and 47 residential properties in 2002 and 2003, respectively. nymphs were collected f ...	2006	17249354
response of nymphal ixodes scapularis, the primary tick vector of lyme disease spirochetes in north america, to barriers derived from wood products or related home and garden items.	forest products were tested to see if they functioned as a barrier to nymphal ixodes scapularis. these products could potentially be used to define a border between high density and low density tick zones on residential properties in lyme disease endemic regions of north america. common home and garden items were also tested. three wood products effectively acted as barriers to nymphal i. scapularis: alaska yellow cedar sawdust, alaska yellow cedar woodchips, and cellulose. these three products ...	2006	17249361
new records of immature ixodes scapularis from mississippi.		2006	17249363
wild turkey (meleagris gallopavo) as a host of ixodid ticks, lice, and lyme disease spirochetes (borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato) in california state parks.	rio grande wild turkeys (meleagris gallopavo intermedia) were evaluated as potential hosts of ixodid ticks, lice, and lyme disease spirochetes (borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato [s.l.]) in three state parks in sonoma county, california, usa, during 2003 and 2004. in total, 113 birds were collected, 50 (44.2%) of which were found to be infested by 361 ixodid ticks representing three species: the western black-legged tick (ixodes pacificus, n=248), the rabbit tick (haemaphysalis leporispalustris, n= ...	2006	17255442
new tick defensin isoform and antimicrobial gene expression in response to rickettsia montanensis challenge.	recent studies aimed at elucidating the rickettsia-tick interaction have discovered that the spotted fever group rickettsia rickettsia montanensis, a relative of r. rickettsii, the etiologic agent of rocky mountain spotted fever, induces differential gene expression patterns in the ovaries of the hard tick dermacentor variabilis. here we describe a new defensin isoform, defensin-2, and the expression patterns of genes for three antimicrobials, defensin-1 (vsna1), defensin-2, and lysozyme, in the ...	2007	17261604