Publications

molecular characterization of anaplasma platys strains from dogs in sicily, italy.	the genetic diversity of anaplasma platys (rickettsiales: anaplasmataceae) strains is currently poorly defined. the present study was designed to characterize a. patys strains in dogs from palermo, sicily, italy, using a combination of pcr and sequence analysis of the 16s rdna, heat shock operon groesl and citrate synthase (glta) genes.	2006	16872489
epidemiology and clinical features of mediterranean spotted fever in italy.	mediterranean spotted fever is caused by rickettsia conorii and is transmitted to humans by rhipicephalus sanguineus, the common dog tick. it is characterized by the symptomatologic triad: fever, exanthema and "tache noire", the typical eschar at the site of the tick bite. in italy the most affected region is sicily. the seasonal peak of the disease (from june through september) occurs during maximal activity of immature stage ticks. severe forms of the disease have been reported in 6% of patien ...	2006	16881414
assessment of the efficacy of parasiticides for the control of tick infection in dogs under field conditions: what's new?	for their biological and ecological characteristics, ticks are vectors of the widest variety of pathogens causing tick-borne diseases (tbds). little information is available about the ways in which time spent by ticks to feed on hosts, transmission times and tbd prevention are related and it is exclusively limited to laboratory reports on adult stages. in particular, the time required by immature stages to transmit pathogens has not been determined for most tbds. considering their importance for ...	2006	16881418
dog tick-borne diseases in sicily.	in sicily many tick borne diseases are endemic, in particular way those that see like main carrier ticks that prefer, for their vital cycle, climatic conditions characterized by high temperatures and a warmth-humid atmosphere. the more important pathologies transmitted by ticks causing diseases in dogs are babesiosis and ehrlichiosis. borrelia burgdorferi, anaplasma phagocytophilum, rickettsia conorii, coxiella burnetii and tick transmitted encephalitis virus assume particular relevance because ...	2006	16881419
isolation and identification of rickettsia massiliae from rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks collected in arizona.	twenty rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks collected in eastern arizona were tested by pcr assay to establish their infection rate with spotted fever group rickettsiae. with a nested pcr assay which detects a fragment of the rickettsia genus-specific 17-kda antigen gene (htra), five ticks (25%) were found to contain rickettsial dna. one rickettsial isolate was obtained from these ticks by inoculating a suspension of a triturated tick into monolayers of vero e6 monkey kidney cells and xtc-2 clawed toa ...	2006	16885311
infection of human endothelial cells with spotted fever group rickettsiae stimulates cyclooxygenase 2 expression and release of vasoactive prostaglandins.	rickettsiae, a diverse group of obligately intracellular gram-negative bacteria, include etiologic agents of the spotted fever and typhus groups of diseases. rocky mountain spotted fever and boutonneuse fever, due to rickettsia rickettsii and r. conorii, respectively, are characterized by widespread infection of the vascular endothelium, microvascular injury, and vasculitis. cultured human endothelial cells (ec) are highly susceptible to infection and respond by altering the expression of adhesi ...	2006	16926398
influence of season and host age on wild boar parasites in corsica using indicator species analysis.	the indicator value (ind val) method which combines measures of fidelity and specificity has been used in a study on wild boar parasites in corsica during 2001-2003. because of its resilience to changes in abundance, indval is a particularly effective tool for ecological bioindication. the ind val method showed how season can influence the occurrence of parasite species in the wild boar, and also identified parasites as bioindicators relative to host age. the randomization test identified five p ...	2006	16469171
rickettsia africae in the west indies.	rickettsia africae is the agent of african tick-bite fever, a mild but common disease of local persons and tourists in africa. the major vector of this spotted fever group rickettsia is most likely amblyomma variegatum, the tropical bont tick, which has become widely distributed through the west indies in the last 30 years. this report reviews all available information on r. africae in the west indies.	2006	16494746
rhipicephalus sanguineus (acari: ixodidae), the brown dog tick, parasitizing humans in brazil.	the objective of this paper is to describe four cases of human parasitism by rhipicephalus sanguineus (latrielle) in brazil. during an investigation regarding the species of ectoparasites of domestic dogs from the metropolitan region of recife, pernambuco state, four dog owners were found to be parasitized by ticks. the ticks were collected from these individuals and their dogs. all the ticks were identified as rhipicephalus sanguineus . these are, to our knowledge, the first four cases of human ...	2006	16501769
canine babesiosis in france.	canine babesiosis has a high prevalence in france and continues to constitute a diagnostic challenge. this paper presents essential data derived from epidemiological surveys in order to define the main features of this disease. atypical forms are frequent, the diagnosis must be confirmed by blood smears and treatment is based on the use of imidocarb. prophylaxis currently remains insufficient.	2006	16507334
prevalence, risk factor analysis, and follow-up of infections caused by three feline hemoplasma species in cats in switzerland.	recently, a third novel feline hemotropic mycoplasma sp. (aka hemoplasma), "candidatus mycoplasma turicensis," in a cat with hemolytic anemia has been described. this is the first study to investigate the prevalence, clinical manifestations, and risk factors for all three feline hemoplasma infections in a sample of 713 healthy and ill swiss cats using newly designed quantitative real-time pcr assays. "candidatus mycoplasma haemominutum" infection was detected in 7.0% and 8.7% and mycoplasma haem ...	2006	16517884
synergistic effect of silencing the expression of tick protective antigens 4d8 and rs86 in rhipicephalus sanguineus by rna interference.	tick proteins have been shown to be useful for the development of vaccines which reduce tick infestations. potential tick protective antigens have been identified and characterized, in part, by use of rna interference (rnai). rnai allows for analysis of gene function by characterizing the impact of loss of gene expression on tick physiology. herein, we used rnai in rhipicephalus sanguineus to evaluate gene functions of two tick protective antigens, 4d8 and rs86, the homologue of bm86, on tick in ...	2006	16518610
genetic diversity of the q fever agent, coxiella burnetii, assessed by microarray-based whole-genome comparisons.	coxiella burnetii, a gram-negative obligate intracellular bacterium, causes human q fever and is considered a potential agent of bioterrorism. distinct genomic groups of c. burnetii are revealed by restriction fragment-length polymorphisms (rflp). here we comprehensively define the genetic diversity of c. burnetii by hybridizing the genomes of 20 rflp-grouped and four ungrouped isolates from disparate sources to a high-density custom affymetrix genechip containing all open reading frames (orfs) ...	2006	16547017
ticks infesting livestock on farms in western sicily, italy.	the results of a 2-year survey on ticks infesting livestock on farms in western sicily, italy, are reported. several dogs living in the same area were also examined for ticks. moreover, free-living ticks from one cattle farm were caught by co(2) traps and flagging. a total of 6208 specimens was collected belonging to 9 species: rhipicephalus bursa (32.4%), rhipicephalus turanicus (22.7%), rhipicephalus sanguineus (19.3%), hyalomma lusitanicum (12.0%), haemaphysalis punctata (7.8%), hyalomma marg ...	2006	16550337
mediterranean spotted fever: clinical and laboratory characteristics of 415 sicilian children.	mediterranean spotted fever (msf) is an acute febrile, zoonotic disease caused by rickettsia conorii and transmitted to humans by the brown dogtick rhipicephalus sanguineus. nearly four hundred cases are reported every year (mainly from june to september) on the italian island of sicily. the aim of the study was to analyze the clinical and laboratory characteristics of patients with msf and the efficacy of the drugs administered.	2006	16553943
[characterization of rickettsia spp. circulating in a silent peri-urban focus for brazilian spotted fever in caratinga, minas gerais, brazil].	the present study was intended to characterize rickettsia spp. circulating in arthropod vectors in caratinga, minas gerais, brazil, by pcr and to investigate the presence of antibodies against the spotted fever rickettsiae group (sfrg) in dogs and horses. 2,610 arthropods were collected and taxonomically identified. dna samples obtained from these vectors were submitted to pcr and cycle-sequenced. ctenocephalides and amblyomma cajennense showed sequences presenting 100.0% homology with r. felis. ...	2006	16583093
rickettsia massiliae human isolation.		2006	16634183
[evaluation of ectoparasites and hemoparasites in dogs kept in apartments and houses with yards in the city of juiz de fora, minas gerais, brazil].	fleas and ticks transmit various pathogens while feeding on the blood of dogs. this study sought to verify the occurrence of ectoparasitism and hemoparasitism in dogs from two urban areas in the city of juiz de fora, minas gerais, brazil. between february and august 2003, 101 dogs were studied: 50 came from apartments in the downtown region and 51 from houses with grassy yards. the ectoparasites were collected and conserved in etanol 70%. the occurrence of hemoparasites was verified by examining ...	2006	16646996
the genome of the obligately intracellular bacterium ehrlichia canis reveals themes of complex membrane structure and immune evasion strategies.	ehrlichia canis, a small obligately intracellular, tick-transmitted, gram-negative, alpha-proteobacterium, is the primary etiologic agent of globally distributed canine monocytic ehrlichiosis. complete genome sequencing revealed that the e. canis genome consists of a single circular chromosome of 1,315,030 bp predicted to encode 925 proteins, 40 stable rna species, 17 putative pseudogenes, and a substantial proportion of noncoding sequence (27%). interesting genome features include a large set o ...	2006	16707693
[ixodes ricinus. health risks and approaches in prevention].	ticks belong to the parasitical mites. there are more than 1000 different species worldwide which do need blood of warm-blooded organisms for their own development. as ticks are well known to be vectors of several pathogens which could cause insidious infectious diseases, they are important in human and veterinarian medicine as well. it is not possible to control ticks in nature. therefore the first step should be an effective prevention. in case of a bite the tick must be removed as soon as pos ...	2006	16719260
prevalence of theileria spp. infection in sheep in south khorasan province, iran.	the prevalence of theileria spp. infection was studied in sheep in the south khorasan province in iran from 2003 to 2004. a total of 840 sheep from 34 flocks were clinically examined and investigated for the presence of theileria spp. in the appropriate blood smears and any tick species on the body of the animals. in this study, 11.9% of sheep were infected with theileria spp., with a parasitemia of 0.02-0.1%. differences in the infection rates were statistically significant among different area ...	2006	16730905
developmental profiles in tick water balance with a focus on the new rocky mountain spotted fever vector, rhipicephalus sanguineus.	recent reports indicate that the common brown dog tick, or kennel tick, rhipicephalus sanguineus (latreille) (acari: ixodidae) is a competent vector of rocky mountain spotted fever in the u.s.a. this tick is of concern to public health because of its high frequency of contact, as it has a unique ability to thrive within human homes. to assess the moisture requirements necessary for survival, water balance characteristics were determined for each developmental stage, from egg to adult. this is th ...	2006	17199747
rickettsia massiliae in ticks removed from humans in castilla y león, spain.		2006	17061097
novel acetylcholinesterase target site for malaria mosquito control.	current anticholinesterase pesticides were developed during world war ii and are toxic to mammals because they target a catalytic serine residue of acetylcholinesterases (aches) in insects and in mammals. a sequence analysis of aches from 73 species and a three-dimensional model of a malaria-carrying mosquito (anopheles gambiae) ache (agache) reported here show that c286 and r339 of agache are conserved at the opening of the active site of aches in 17 invertebrate and four insect species, respec ...	2006	17183688
national assessment of human health effects of climate change in portugal: approach and key findings.	in this study we investigated the potential impact of climate change in portugal on heat-related mortality, air pollution-related health effects, and selected vectorborne diseases. the assessment used climate scenarios from two regional climate models for a range of future time periods. the annual heat-related death rates in lisbon may increase from between 5.4 and 6 per 100,000 in 1980-1998 to between 8.5 and 12.1 by the 2020s and to a maximum of 29.5 by the 2050s, if no adaptations occur. the ...	2006	17185290
serologic evidence for exposure to rickettsia rickettsii in eastern arizona and recent emergence of rocky mountain spotted fever in this region.	during 2002 through 2004, 15 patients with rocky mountain spotted fever (rmsf) were identified in a rural community in arizona where the disease had not been previously reported. the outbreak was associated with rickettsia rickettsii in an unexpected tick vector, the brown dog tick (rhipicephalus sanguineus), which had not been previously associated with rmsf transmission in the united states. we investigated the extent of exposure to r. rickettsii in the local area through serologic evaluations ...	2006	17187578
epidemiology of rickettsioses in north africa.	the first description of mediterranean spotted fever (msf) was made by conor and brush in 1910 in tunisia, where, at the same time, nicolle described the role of lice in transmission of epidemic typhus. however, along this century, there have been few and fragmentary reports about ecology and epidemiology of rickettsioses in north africa. this region was always considered, for these diseases, like other mediterranean regions. the most human tick-borne rickettsiosis known to occur in north africa ...	2006	17114678
boutonneuse fever and climate variability.	researchers have long appreciated the role of climate in vector-borne diseases, including the resurgence of boutonneuse fever (bf). portugal usually is classified as having temperate mediterranean climate. in this new century, in analyzing the data from the meteorology institute, this pattern has changed and an accentuated variability in climate is being observed. bf (febre escaro nodular) is endemic and high season is from late spring and summer. the brown dog tick rhipicephalus sanguineus. is ...	2006	17114701
prevalence of spotted fever group rickettsia species detected in ticks in la rioja, spain.	our objective was to learn the prevalence of spotted fever group (sfg) rickettsia detected in ticks in la rioja, in the north of spain. from 2001 to 2005, 496 ticks representing 7 tick species were analysed at the hospital de la rioja. ticks were removed from humans with or without rickettsial syndrome (n = 59) or collected from mammals (n = 371) or from vegetation by dragging (n = 66). the presence of sfg rickettsia in these ticks was investigated by semi-nested pcr (ompa gene) and sequencing. ...	2006	17114730
spotted fever group rickettsiae in ticks feeding on humans in northwestern spain: is rickettsia conorii vanishing?	during a 7-year study, we identified and analyzed by pcr 4,049 ticks removed from 3,685 asymptomatic patients in castilla y león (northwestern spain). a total of 320 ticks (belonging to 10 species) were pcr-positive for rickettsiae. comparison of amplicon sequences in databases enabled us to identify eight different spotted fever group (sfg) rickettsiae: rickettsia slovaca, rickettsia sp. irs3/irs4, r. massiliae/bar29, r. aeschlimannii, rickettsia sp. rpa4/dns14, r. helvetica, rickettsia sp. dms ...	2006	17114733
rocky mountain spotted fever in arizona: documentation of heavy environmental infestations of rhipicephalus sanguineus at an endemic site.	a recent epidemiologic investigation identified 16 cases and 2 deaths from rocky mountain spotted fever (rmsf) in two eastern arizona communities. prevalence studies were conducted by collecting free-living ticks (acari: ixodidae) from the home sites of rmsf patients and from other home sites within the community. dry ice traps and flagging confirmed heavy infestations at many of the home sites. only rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks were identified and all developmental stages were detected. it is ...	2006	17114735
an outbreak of rocky mountain spotted fever associated with a novel tick vector, rhipicephalus sanguineus, in arizona, 2004: preliminary report.	this study describes preliminary results of an investigation of rmsf in arizona associated with the brown dog tick, rhipicephalus sanguineus. high numbers of dogs and heavy infestations of ticks created a situation leading to human disease.	2006	17114736
first molecular detection of r. conorii, r. aeschlimannii, and r. massiliae in ticks from algeria.	ticks collected in northern algeria between may 2001 and november 2003 were tested by pcr for the presence of rickettsia spp. dna using primer amplifying glta and ompa genes. three different spotted fever group rickettsias were amplified from these ticks: r. conorii subsp. p. conorii strain malish in rhipicephalus sanguineus, r. aeschlimannii in hyalomma marginatum, and r. massiliae in rhipicephalus turanicus. our results confirm the presence of r. conorii in ticks in algeria and provide the fir ...	2006	17114743
surveys on seroprevalence of canine monocytic ehrlichiosis among dogs living in the ivory coast and gabon and evaluation of a quick commercial test kit dot-elisa.	canine monocytic ehlichiosis (cme), an enzootic disease in africa, has been studied in canine blood samples (serum). these dogs, without any clinical sign of disease, were living in abidjan (ivory coast) and in several small villages located in northeasst gabon (ogooué ivindo). the results obtained by indirect fluorescent antibody (ifa) test, used as a point of reference, and by a quick test dot-elisa were compared. blood samples taken from 390 asymptomatic dogs in 2003 (137 in ivory coast and 2 ...	2006	17114755
spotted fever group rickettsial infection in dogs from eastern arizona: how long has it been there?	a serosurvey of free-roaming dogs for antibodies to spotted fever group rickettsiae was conducted using archival samples that had been collected in the white mountain region of eastern arizona during a plague study in 1996. immunoglobulin g antibodies to rickettsia rickettsii (5.1%) and to r. rhipicephali (3.6%) were demonstrated, and no cross-reactive samples were identified. this study indicates that r. rickettsii was likely present in the dog populations in this area prior to the recognition ...	2006	17114769
molecular typing of novel rickettsia rickettsii isolates from arizona.	seven isolates of rickettsia rickettsii were obtained from a skin biopsy, two whole-blood specimens, and from rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks from eastern arizona. molecular typing of seven isolates of r. rickettsii and dna samples from two other rh. sanguineus ticks infected with r. rickettsii was conducted by pcr and dna sequencing of rompa and 12 variable-number tandem repeat regions (vntrs). all dna specimens from arizona were identical to each other and to reference human and dermacentor and ...	2006	17114781
an investigation into the distribution, host-preference and population density of ixodid ticks affecting domestic animals in bangladesh.	to study the distribution, host-preference and population density of ixodid ticks in bangladesh, an attempt was made to collect adult ticks from various host animals in three distinct topographic zones, viz. flood plains, hills and steppe 'barind'. five species of ixodid ticks were recorded, namely, boophilus microplus (56.3%), haemaphysalis bispinosa (11.3%), rhipicephalus sanguineus (14.7%), hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum (15.0%) and amblyomma testudinarium (2.8%). the data showed that b. micr ...	2006	17243476
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
the complete mitochondrial genome of the sea spider nymphon gracile (arthropoda: pycnogonida).	mitochondrial genomes form units of genetic information replicating indepentently from nuclear genomes. sequence data (most often from protein-coding genes) and other features (gene order, rna secondary structure) of mitochondrial genomes are often used in phylogenetic studies of metazoan animals from population to phylum level. pycnogonids are primarily marine arthropods, often considered closely related to chelicerates (spiders, scorpions and allies). however, due to their aberrant morphology ...	2006	17087824
the environmental-endocrine basis of gynandromorphism (intersex) in a crustacean.	commensurate with the decline in many crustacean populations has been an accumulation in reports of sexually ambiguous individuals within these populations. the cause of gynandromorphism or intersex among crustaceans is unknown. we show that gynandromorphism in the branchiopod crustacean daphnia magna is initiated by the sex-determining hormone methyl farnesoate when levels of the hormone are intermediate between low levels that stimulate the production of broods containing all female offspring ...	2006	17205107
a case of histologically diagnosed tick infestation on the scalp of a korean child.	a scalp mass surgically excised from a 4-year-old korean boy was identified as a tick through histological observations. in sections of the mass, characteristic features of a tick, including its gross contour, cuticular structures, well developed musculature and salivary glands, and the capitulum, were discovered. in particular, the capitulum is anteriorly protruded, which strongly suggests that the specimen be a hard tick of family ixodidae. however, the present histological features were not e ...	2006	16809965
exotic diseases of dogs and cats at risk of importation to ireland.	: changes in legislation that facilitate movement of companion animals within the european union will expose those animals to microbial and parasitic organisms currently exotic to ireland. this paper reviewed information on the exotic diseases most likely to be introduced to ireland by travelling dogs and cats: rabies, leishmaniosis, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis and dirofilariosis.	2005	21851670
a study of ectoparasites of canis lupus familiaris in mueang district, khon kaen, thailand.	we studied ectoparasites found on canis lupus familiaris sampled in five areas in mueang district, khon kaen province, thailand. the prevalence of fleas and ticks as well as their density were determined in 100 dogs that did not receive treatments. a total number of 458 ectoparasites was found corresponding to two species: 25.8% ctenocephalides canis and 74.2% rhipicephalus sanguineus. r. sanguineus was the most abundant species, and ct. canis was the only flea species found. the stages of r. sa ...	2005	16438201
a secondary structural common core in the ribosomal its2 (internal transcribed spacer) of culexspecies from diverse geographical locations.	in the present study, sequence and structural analysis of its2 region (the spacer segment between 5.8s and 28s rrna of mature rrna sequences) of 7 culex species belonging to 5 different geographical locations was carried out. alignment of the its2 sequence from the 7 species revealed 8 homologous domains. four species namely c. vishnui, c. annulus, c. pipiens, c. quiquefasciatusshowed high sequence (98-100%) and rna secondary structure similarity. the its2 similarity among different species is h ...	2005	17597853
[ixodidae ticks in bishkek].	the fauna of ixodidae ticks was studied in bishkek in 1998-2004. the city is situated in the center of the chuisk valley, at the foot of the kirghiz ridge, at the boundary of a submountain-plain-arid region and a plain-piedmont-semiarid one with steppe fragments. the ticks were gathered on a flag from small mammalians caught by gero traps, from birds, domestic and agricultural animals. a total of 648 animals of 13 species were examined. the bites of ticks were registered in 98 persons in the cit ...	2005	16445237
experimental infection models of ticks of the rhipicephalus sanguineus group with rickettsia conorii.	rhipicephalus sanguineus group ticks collected on dogs in thailand were maintained in the laboratory over several generations to test methods to infect these ticks with rickettsia conorii, the agent of mediterranean spotted fever. three methods were tested: (1) infection of adults and nymphs through artificially induced bacteremic rabbit, (2) capillary feeding of solution containing 5 x 10(3) and 5 x 10(5)pfu/ml of r. conorii to adult female ticks, and (3) immersion of engorged nymphs which were ...	2005	16417432
detection and identification of ehrlichia spp. in ticks collected in tunisia and morocco.	a broad-range 16s rrna gene pcr assay followed by partial sequencing of the 16s rrna gene was used for the detection of members of the family anaplasmataceae in ticks in north africa. a total of 418 questing ixodes ricinus ticks collected in tunisia and morocco, as well as 188 rhipicephalus ticks from dogs and 52 hyalomma ticks from bovines in tunisia, were included in this study. of 324 adult i. ricinus ticks, 16.3% were positive for ehrlichia spp., whereas only 3.4 and 2.8% of nymphs and larva ...	2005	15750072
proposal to create subspecies of rickettsia conorii based on multi-locus sequence typing and an emended description of rickettsia conorii.	rickettsiae closely related to the malish strain, the reference rickettsia conorii strain, include indian tick typhus rickettsia (ittr), israeli spotted fever rickettsia (isfr), and astrakhan fever rickettsia (afr). although closely related genotypically, they are distinct serotypically. using multilocus sequence typing (mlst), we have recently found that distinct serotypes may not always represent distinct species within the rickettsia genus. we investigated the possibility of classifying ricke ...	2005	15766388
ticks (acari: ixodoidea: argasidae, ixodidae) of chile.	the tick species recorded from chile can be listed under the following headings: (1) endemic or established: argas keiransi estrada-peña, venzal and gonzalez-acuña, a. neghmei kohls and hoogstraal; ornithodoros amblus chamberlin; otobius megnini (dugès); amblyomma parvitarsum neumann; a. tigrinum koch; ixodes auritulus neumann; i. chilensis kohls; i. cornuae arthur, i. sigelos keirans, clifford and corwin; i. stilesi neumann; i. uriae white; rhipicephalus sanguineus koch. (2) probably establishe ...	2005	15777007
rickettsiae in ixodid ticks, sicily.		2005	15789496
comparison of the external morphology of rhipicephalus sanguineus (latreille, 1806) (acari: ixodidae) ticks from brazil and argentina.	in the present study the external morphology of semi-engorged rhipicephalus sanguineus females ticks from brazil and argentina were compared by scanning electron microscopy. many differences were detected among the r. sanguineus collected at the two localities, such as body size, shape of the genital pore, and morphology of the sensory structures. all these characteristics are fundamental for the diagnosis of species of the genus rhipicephalus and thus indicate the need for further comparisons a ...	2005	15817214
anti-hepatozoon canis serum antibodies and gamonts in naturally-occurring canine monocytic ehrlichiosis.	the prevalence of igg antibodies to hepatozoon canis and the presence of gamonts in the blood and hemolymphatic tissues were studied in dogs with canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (cme) caused by ehrlichia canis. both pathogens are transmitted by the tick rhipicephalus sanguineus. forty-five out of 69 (65.2%) dogs with cme were seropositive to h. canis by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa). intra-neutrophilic gamonts of h. canis were found in 2 out of 69 dogs (2.9%) comprising 4.5% of the ...	2005	15845277
biochemical fingerprints of salivary gland for some ticks species in egypt by sds-polyacrylamide gel electrophresis.	sds-page gel electrophoresis as a sensitive method is used for simultaneously comparing the total protein extracted from salivary glands in some ticks species (argas percsicus, hyalomm antolicum excavatum, h. an. antolicum, h. dromedarii, h. impeltatum and rhipicephalus sanguineus). results of a. persicus were characterized by 4 bands with molecular weights ranging from 82.76 to 16.076 kd. on the other hand, h. an. excavatum females were characterized by 6 bands with molecular weights ranging fr ...	2005	15881001
morphological characterization of the ovary and oocytes vitellogenesis of the tick rhipicephalus sanguineus (latreille, 1806) (acari: ixodidae).	this study presents the morphology of the ovary, as well as the process of the vitellogenesis in oocytes of the tick rhipicephalus sanguineus. the ovary of these individuals is of the panoistic type; therefore, it lacks nurse cells. this organ consists of a single tubular structure, continuous, and composed of a wall formed by small epithelial cells with rounded nuclei which delimit the lumen. the oocytes in the different developmental stages in this tick species were classified into five stages ...	2005	15888297
biological and dna evidence of two dissimilar populations of the rhipicephalus sanguineus tick group (acari: ixodidae) in south america.	in this work, the biology, mitochondrial dna and fertility of hybrids from two strains of rhipicephalus sanguineus, from brazil and argentina, were compared. engorged larvae, nymphs and adults from argentina weighed more and the engorgement period of adult females was significantly longer than those of their brazilian counterparts, whereas adult female tick yield rate was higher for the brazilian strain. high intraspecific divergence of mitochondrial dna was detected between r. sanguineus from b ...	2005	15893080
efficacy of a combination of imidacloprid 10%/permethrin 50% versus fipronil 10%/(s)-methoprene 12%, against ticks in naturally infected dogs.	preventing tick bites is a fundamental step towards reducing the impact of tick-borne protozoal, bacterial and viral diseases (tbds) in humans and animals. the aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a combination of imidacloprid 10%/permethrin 50% and of fipronil 10%/s-methoprene 12% against ticks in naturally infected dogs and to assess methodological parameters to calculate drug efficacy on tick immature stages. from july to august 2004, 45 privately owned dogs of various sexes, age ...	2005	15893431
a cross-reactive tick cement antigen is a candidate broad-spectrum tick vaccine.	truncated constructs of 64p (64trps), a secreted cement protein from salivary glands of the tick rhipicephalus appendiculatus, provided cross-protection against rhipicephalus sanguineus and ixodes ricinus, apparently by targeting antigens in the midgut and salivary glands of adults and nymphs, causing mortality. tick feeding on 64trp-immunised animals stimulated local inflammatory immune responses (involving basophils, eosinophils, lymphocytes, mast cells, macrophages and dendritic-like cells) t ...	2005	15913855
dogs with hepatozoon canis respond to the oxidative stress by increased production of glutathione and nitric oxide.	canine hepatozoonosis is a disease caused by the tick-borne protozoan hepatozoon spp. it has been reported in the united states, southern europe, the middle east, africa and the far east. in turkey, canine hepatozoonosis was reported for the first time in 1933. in the present study, serum glutathione (gsh), malondialdehyde (mda), nitric oxide (no) and ceruloplasmin levels were analysed in 14 dogs infected with hepatozoon canis as well as in 10 healthy dogs. blood smears were prepared from periph ...	2005	15936891
transstadial and intrastadial experimental transmission of ehrlichia canis by male rhipicephalus sanguineus.	the acquisition and transmission of rickettsial pathogens by different tick developmental stages has important epidemiological implications. the purpose of this study was to determine if male rhipicephalus sanguineus can experimentally acquire and transmit ehrlichia canis in the absence of female ticks. two trials were performed where nymphal and male r. sanguineus were simultaneously acquisition fed on the same infected donor hosts, and transstadially or intrastadially exposed male ticks were f ...	2005	15941624
transcription analysis of the major antigenic protein 1 multigene family of three in vitro-cultured ehrlichia ruminantium isolates.	ehrlichia ruminantium, an obligate intracellular bacterium transmitted by ticks of the genus amblyomma, causes heartwater disease in ruminants. the gene coding for the major antigenic protein map1 is part of a multigene family consisting of a cluster containing 16 paralogs. in the search for differentially regulated genes between e. ruminantium grown in endothelial and tick cell lines that could be used in vaccine development and to determine if differences in the map1 gene cluster exist between ...	2005	15995193
[autochthonous cases of canine babesiosis in the canton solothurn].	starting in november 2003 a series of five clinical cases of canine babesiosis was registered in the region of obergösgen (canton solothurn). all presented dogs showed increased body temperature, thrombocytopenia and hemoglobinuria, and none of the dogs had been abroad or visited endemic regions in the southern or western part of switzerland so far. babesia canis was detected in the blood smears of all five patients, but only three had detectable specific antibodies against this parasite. howeve ...	2005	15999636
immune-mediated thrombocytopenia in a 4-month-old german shepherd dog.	a 4-month-old, intact female, german shepherd dog exhibited a painful abdomen and lethargy. immune-mediated thrombocytopenia was diagnosed and initial remission attained using prednisone. upon relapse, prednisone and vincristine together were unsuccessful in achieving remission. this case is unique due to the young age of the dog.	2005	16018567
diagnosis of hepatozoon spp. in amblyomma ovale and its experimental transmission in domestic dogs in brazil.	transmission of hepatozoon spp. to dogs was investigated using four species of ixodid ticks: rhipicephalus sanguineus, amblyomma aureolatum, amblyomma ovale and amblyomma cajennense. we collected completely or partially engorged adult ticks of these species from dogs that were naturally infested and positive for hepatozoon spp. we selected some of these ixodids and inoculated them orally in four negative dogs. the other ticks were dissected and examined for oocysts. of all dogs inoculated orally ...	2005	16081219
rocky mountain spotted fever--changing ecology and persisting virulence.		2005	16093463
rocky mountain spotted fever from an unexpected tick vector in arizona.	rocky mountain spotted fever is a life-threatening, tick-borne disease caused by rickettsia rickettsii. this disease is rarely reported in arizona, and the principal vectors, dermacentor species ticks, are uncommon in the state. from 2002 through 2004, a focus of rocky mountain spotted fever was investigated in rural eastern arizona.	2005	16093467
anaplasma phagocytophilum, sardinia, italy.		2005	16110587
transmission of rickettsia massiliae in the tick, rhipicephalus turanicus.	rickettsia massiliae, strain bar29, was detected in engorged female ticks of the rhiphicephalus sanguineus group collected in corsica, a french mediterranean island. ticks were identified by molecular analysis as rhipicephalus turanicus (pomerantsev) (acari: ixodidae). twenty larvae of the second generation obtained from a r. massiliae-infected, engorged female were tested by polymerase chain reaction (pcr) and all were positive for r. massiliae. larvae of the same cohort were fed on rabbits and ...	2005	16134974
hemorrhagic disease in dogs infected with an unclassified intraendothelial piroplasm in southern brazil.	a hemorrhagic disease affecting dogs in brazil, referred to popularly as "nambiuvú" (bloody ears) and believed to be transmitted by ticks, has been observed in animals infected with an organism described originally in 1910 as a piroplasm, and known locally as rangelia vitalii. in this series of 10 cases, the disease was characterized by anaemia, jaundice, fever, spleno- and lymphadenomegaly, hemorrhage in the gastrointestinal tract, and persistent bleeding from the nose, oral cavity and tips, ma ...	2005	16153781
ehrlichial infection in cameroonian canines by ehrlichia canis and ehrlichia ewingii.	ehrlichia chaffeensis and ehrlichia ewingii are agents of emerging human ehrlichioses in north america and are transmitted primarily by amblyomma americanum ticks, while ehrlichia canis is the globally distributed cause of canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (cme) and is transmitted by the brown dog tick, rhipicephalus sanguineus. although e. canis and ehrlichia ruminantium are endemic in africa, the presence of ehrlichial agents in dogs and ticks in cameroon has not been investigated. the objective o ...	2005	16181750
assessment of fungal isolates for development of a myco-acaricide for cattle tick control.	entomopathogenic fungal isolates of arachnid origin were assessed for their ability to produce mortality and inhibit egg hatching in boophilus microplus with the aim of selecting an isolate for development into a myco-acaricide for control of cattle ticks. the ability of the most promising isolate to target developmental stages of more than one tick species and the optimum concentration of fungal inoculum to be used for future studies were determined. metarhizium anisopliae was the most pathogen ...	2005	16187897
[distribution and control of acari as vectors of human disease in urban population of moscow].	human ectoparasites, such as itch mites and the follicular mites demodex brevis and d. folliculorum are notified on the territory of moscow. the bird and rodent mites ornythonyssus bacoti and the larvae of harvest mites may attack human beings indoors. the ticks ixodes ricinus and i. persulcatus begin to inhabit the tree belts and environs of moscow and other cities and towns. in the cities and towns of more southern regions of the russian federation, the red hen-mites dermanyssus gallinae are a ...	2005	16212087
tick-borne rickettsioses around the world: emerging diseases challenging old concepts.	during most of the 20th century, the epidemiology of tick-borne rickettsioses could be summarized as the occurrence of a single pathogenic rickettsia on each continent. an element of this paradigm suggested that the many other characterized and noncharacterized rickettsiae isolated from ticks were not pathogenic to humans. in this context, it was considered that relatively few tick-borne rickettsiae caused human disease. this concept was modified extensively from 1984 through 2005 by the identif ...	2005	16223955
[in vitro pathogenicity of fungic formulation on nymphs and adults of rhipicephalus sanguineus (latreile, 1806) (acari:ixodidae)].	rhipicephalus sanguineus is responsible for transmitting several pathogenic agents, such as: babesia sp. and ehrlichia sp.. this species is known as the brown dog tick and has wide geographical distribution. the purpose of this work was to evaluate the pathogenicity of biological formulations of beauveria bassiana and metarhizium anisopliae applied to the fed nymphs and adults of r. sanguineus under laboratory conditions. the following treatments were evaluated: control, distilled water with twe ...	2005	16229753
cerebral infarction: an unusual complication of mediterranean spotted fever.	mediterranean spotted fever is a rickettsiosis caused by rickettsia conorii and transmitted by the brown dog tick. it is considered as a benign disease but 5% to 10% of patients present with a malignant form which is the result of a diffuse vasculitis. we report here the first case of mediterranean spotted fever with cerebral vasculitis and thrombosis leading to a massive cerebral infarct and death.	2005	16275553
detection of babesia canis rossi, b. canis vogeli, and hepatozoon canis in dogs in a village of eastern sudan by using a screening pcr and sequencing methodologies.	babesia and hepatozoon infections of dogs in a village of eastern sudan were analyzed by using a single pcr and sequencing. among 78 dogs, 5 were infected with babesia canis rossi and 2 others were infected with b. canis vogeli. thirty-three dogs were positive for hepatozoon. hepatozoon canis was detected by sequence analysis.	2005	16275954
some observations on ticks (acari: ixodidae) infesting sheep in river nile province of northern sudan.	five species of ixodid ticks were found in a cross-sectional survey in which 200 sheep were examined for ticks in river nile province, sudan. hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum was the predominant species (73.6%), whereas ticks belonging to the rhipicephalus sanguineus group (14.7%), rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi (9.1%), rhipicephalus simus (2%) and hyalomma dromedarii (0.5%) were also found. the mean tick load was 11.2 per animal. in a subsequent longitudinal survey ticks were collected on a monthl ...	2005	16300192
histopathology of tick-bite lesions in naturally infested capybaras (hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) in brazil.	in the present work features of tick-bite lesions were evaluated in capybaras naturally infested with amblyomma cajennense and amblyomma dubitatum ticks. gross appearance of tick bite site was characterized by a mild swelling and erythema. microscopic examination revealed the cement cone, a tube-like homogenous eosinophilic mass penetrating deep into the dermis. this structure was surrounded in the dermis by a cellular infiltrate and free eosinophilic granules and was associated to edema of vari ...	2005	16323054
presence of rickettsia conorii subsp. israelensis, the causative agent of israeli spotted fever, in sicily, italy, ascertained in a retrospective study.	a retrospective analysis by molecular-sequence-based techniques was performed to correctly identify the etiological agent of 24 mediterranean spotted fever cases occurring in western sicily, italy, from 1987 to 2001. restriction analysis of a 632-bp pcr-amplified portion of the ompa gene allowed presumptive identification of five clinical isolates as belonging to rickettsia conorii subsp. israelensis, the etiological agent of israeli spotted fever (isf). the remaining 19 rickettsial isolates wer ...	2005	16333093
allergens of the entomopathogenic fungus beauveria bassiana.	background: beauveria bassiana is an important entomopathogenic fungus currently under development as a bio-control agent for a variety of insect pests. although reported to be non-toxic to vertebrates, the potential allergenicity of beauveria species has not been widely studied. methods: ige-reactivity studies were performed using sera from patients displaying mould hypersensitivity by immunoblot and immunoblot inhibition. skin reactivity to b. bassiana extracts was measured using intradermal s ...	2005	15644142
tick saliva inhibits differentiation, maturation and function of murine bone-marrow-derived dendritic cells.	haematophagous arthropod vectors such as mosquitoes, tsetse flies, sandflies and ticks have evolved salivary immunomodulatory factors that prevent the vertebrate host from rejecting them meanwhile enhancing pathogen transmission. as dendritic cells (dc) play a major role in host immune responses, we studied the effects of rhipicephalus sanguineus tick saliva on dc differentiation and maturation. flow cytometry analysis revealed that the addition of saliva to bone marrow cells inhibits the differ ...	2005	15667568
extract of the seeds of the plant vitex agnus castus proven to be highly efficacious as a repellent against ticks, fleas, mosquitoes and biting flies.	about 70 plant extracts were tested for their ability to repel the attacks of blood-sucking arthropods. it was found that a co2 extract of the seeds of the mediterranean plant vitex agnus castus (monk's pepper) can be used as a spray to keep away especially ixodes ricinus and rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks from animals and humans for at least 6 h. in addition mosquitoes, biting flies and fleas are also repelled for about 6 h.	2005	15682335
cloning of a novel babesia equi gene encoding a 158-kilodalton protein useful for serological diagnosis.	in this study, we characterized a babesia equi be158 gene obtained by immunoscreening a b. equi cdna expression phage library with b. equi-infected horse serum. the be158 gene consists of an open reading frame of 3,510 nucleotides. the recombinant be158 gene product was produced in escherichia coli and used for the immunization of mice. in western blot analysis, mouse immune serum against the be158 gene product recognized 75- and 158-kda proteins from the lysate of b. equi-infected erythrocytes. ...	2005	15699430
efficacy of a collar impregnated with amitraz and pyriproxyfen for prevention of experimental tick infestations by rhipicephalus sanguineus, ixodes ricinus, and ixodes scapularis in dogs.	to compare the efficacy of collars impregnated with 9% amitraz or 9% amitraz and 0.5% pyriproxyfen (ppf) for control of newly established tick infestations by rhipicephalus sanguineus, ixodes ricinus, and ixodes scapularis in dogs and determine whether egg production by surviving female ticks was decreased.	2005	15706971
[ticks (acarina: ixodidae) as vectors and reservoirs of pathogen microorganisms in spain].	hard and soft-ticks are obligate haematophagous arachnids of medical and veterinary significance mainly because of the animal disease agents transmitted by them, which include an array of different pathogens (virus, bacteria, protozoa and nematodes). ticks transmit microbes by several routes including salivary secretions, coxal fluids, regurgitation and faeces. among the biological factors that contribute to the high vector potential of ticks are their living habits and characteristic properties ...	2005	15743581
mitochondrial-encoded membrane protein transcripts are pyrimidine-rich while soluble protein transcripts and ribosomal rna are purine-rich.	eukaryotic organisms contain mitochondria, organelles capable of producing large amounts of atp by oxidative phosphorylation. each cell contains many mitochondria with many copies of mitochondrial dna in each organelle. the mitochondrial dna encodes a small but functionally critical portion of the oxidative phosphorylation machinery, a few other species-specific proteins, and the rrna and trna used for the translation of these transcripts. because the microenvironment of the mitochondrion is uni ...	2005	16185363
transcriptional response of rickettsia conorii exposed to temperature variation and stress starvation.	rickettsia conorii is an obligate intracellular bacterium transmitted to humans by rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks. the success of this microorganism at surviving in nature implicates the ability to efficiently adapt to different environments, including the arthropod vector and the mammalian host. numerous bacterial species possess a highly evolved system for stress adaptation. this so-called stringent response is mediated by guanosine 3',5'-bispyrophosphate and guanosine 3'-diphosphate 5'-tripho ...	2004	15748986
participation of rhipicephalus sanguineus (acari: ixodidae) in the epidemiology of canine visceral leishmaniasis.	the vectorial competence of the tick rhipicephalus sanguineus is discussed in relation to the epidemiology of canine visceral leishmaniasis, taking into account its strict association with dogs and the low indices of natural infection presented by its known vector, the phlebotomine sand fly lutzomyia longipalpis. in order to evaluate natural infection by leishmania chagasi and the infectivity of these parasites in the tick, 39 specimens (6 females, 11 males and 22 nymphs) of r. sanguineus were r ...	2004	15725545
ixodid ticks on dogs in southern mozambique.	the objective of this study was to determine the species and distribution of ticks infesting domestic dogs in southern mozambique. to this end 89 collections were taken from dogs and the geographic coordinates of the localities at which they were made noted. fifty-eight of these collections were from animals in the city of maputo and 16 from animals at rural settlements close to maputo. a further 15 collections were made from dogs in rural environments north of maputo. ten ixodid tick species, o ...	2004	15732454
preliminary survey of ticks (acari: ixodidae) on cattle in northern sudan.	in a cross sectional survey conducted during the period june 2001 to july 2002, the geographical distribution of ticks on cattle in the sudan was determined. seventeen locations were surveyed from northern, central, eastern, western, blue nile and white nile provinces. total body collections of ticks were made from 20 cattle at each location. four tick genera and 11 species were identified. the tick species collected included amblyomma lepidum, amblyomma variegatum, boophilus decoloratus, hyalom ...	2004	15732459
molecular differentiation of metastriate tick immatures.	hard ticks, family ixodidae, are divided into two groups, the metastriata and the prostriata, based on morphological differences. in the united states, there are four medically important genera of the ixodidae: ixodes, amblyomma, dermacentor, and rhipicephalus. ixodes is the only genus in and representative of the prostriata, whereas the latter three genera are members of the metastriata. all developmental stages of the prostriata can be easily differentiated from the metastriata using morpholog ...	2004	15682516
detection of ehrlichial dna in haemaphysalis ticks recovered from dogs in japan that is closely related to a novel ehrlichia sp. found in cattle ticks from tibet, thailand, and africa.	tick dna samples from dogs in japan were examined for ehrlichia infection by 16s rrna gene-based pcr and sequencing. three positive samples were detected from haemaphysalis ticks, and higher levels of similarity (98.46 to 99.06%) were found to recently detected ehrlichia spp. from cattle ticks in tibet, thailand, and africa.	2004	15004117
detection of antibodies to tick salivary antigens among patients from a region of spain.	with a view to determine which tick species bite humans most frequently in the province of soria (spain) and to know whether these species act as vectors of rickettsia conorii and/or borrelia burgdorferi, we analysed the presence of antibodies against salivary proteins of several tick species and of antibodies against r. conorii and b. burgdorferi sensu lato in 102 samples of serum. the sera were collected from 63 patients who were treated for tick bites at the health services of the soria healt ...	2004	15012027
ectoparasitic species from canis familiaris (linné) in buenos aires province, argentina.	several arthropods that live as ectoparasites on domestic dogs can cause severe dermatitis or act as vectors of pathogenic agents, resulting in serious diseases not only in dogs, but also in humans. we studied ectoparasites found on canis familiaris sampled in five areas in buenos aires province, argentina. the prevalence of fleas, ticks and lice was analyzed, as well as their seasonal variations through the different sites studied. the kind of infestation found in each host was determined and t ...	2004	15019149
intracellular symbionts and other bacteria associated with deer ticks (ixodes scapularis) from nantucket and wellfleet, cape cod, massachusetts.	the diversity of bacteria associated with the deer tick (ixodes scapularis) was assessed using pcr amplification, cloning, and sequencing of 16s rrna genes originating from seven ticks collected from nantucket island and wellfleet, cape cod, mass. the majority of sequences obtained originated from gram-negative proteobacteria. four intracellular bacteria were detected including strains of ehrlichia, rickettsia, and wolbachia and an organism related to intracellular insect symbionts from the cyto ...	2004	14711698
infection with a proposed new subspecies of babesia canis, babesia canis subsp. presentii, in domestic cats.	parasitemia with a large babesia species was identified in two domestic cats from israel. one cat, also coinfected with feline immunodeficiency virus and "candidatus mycoplasma haemominutum," had profound icterus and anemia which resolved after therapy, whereas a second cat was an asymptomatic carrier. amplification and sequencing of the 18s rrna gene, followed by phylogenetic analyses, indicated that infection was caused by babesia canis. however, the sequences of the internal transcribed and 5 ...	2004	14715738
cloning and sequencing of putative calreticulin complementary dnas from four hard tick species.	calreticulin (crt) is a calcium-binding protein and has many functions in eukaryotic cells. crt is possibly involved in parasite host immune system evasion. to better understand the molecular basis of crt in ticks, we cloned and sequenced 4 full-length complementary dnas (cdnas) from the hard tick species, dermacentor variabilis, haemaphysalis longicornis, ixodes scapularis, and rhipicephalus sanguineus, using the technique of rapid amplification of cdna ends. the deduced amino acid sequences sh ...	2004	15040669
molecular evidence of infections with babesia gibsoni parasites in japan and evaluation of the diagnostic potential of a loop-mediated isothermal amplification method.	detection and analysis of babesia gibsoni infection were performed with whole-blood samples collected between july 2002 and july 2003 from 945 and 137 dogs from the aomori and okinawa prefectures of japan, respectively, by pcr and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (lamp). on the basis of the criterion for positivity by pcr, 3.9% (37 of 945) and 10.9% (15 of 137) of the dogs had b. gibsoni dna. all 37 positive animals from aomori prefecture were male tosa dogs (japanese mastiff). the 15 dogs ...	2004	15184421
a laboratory comparison of the life cycles of the dog ticks haemaphysalis leachi and rhipicephalus sanguineus.	engorged female haemaphysalis leachi and rhipicephalus sanguineus as well as their eggs, flat and engorged larvae and nymphs were incubated at combinations of five temperatures and three relative humidities. mean pre-oviposition periods for h. leachi varied between 4.3 days and 12.1 days and for r. sanguineus between 4.8 days and 21.0 days. haemaphysalis leachi converted up to 65.7% of their body mass into eggs and produced up to 16.3 eggs/mg body mass, with 4801 eggs the maximum number deposite ...	2004	15185571
species composition, distribution, and ecological preferences of the ticks of grazing sheep in north-central spain.	the distribution and ecological preferences of tick (acari: ixodidae) parasites of grazing sheep in the region of aragón (north-central spain) were surveyed on flocks four times a year and mapped into a 5 x 5 km grid. nine tick species were found. these were species of the rhipicephalus sanguineus group (about 95% of them rhipicephalus turanicus pomerantsev, in 91% of cells of the grid), rhipicephalus bursa canestrini & fanzago (79% of cells), dermacentor marginatus (sulzer) (58% of cells), haem ...	2004	15189237
cross-sectional survey of ticks (acari: ixodidae) in sheep from an area of the southern italian apennines.	a cross-sectional survey of ticks was conducted on 197 ovine farms with animals pasturing in an area (3971 km2) of the southern italian apennines. the farms were selected to be uniformly distributed throughout the study area using geographical information system (gis). ticks were collected from 309 (31.4%) out of the 985 sheep sampled, belonging to 92 (46.7%) out of the 197 farms included in the study. the following tick species were found (farm prevalence): dermacentor marginatus (37.6%), haema ...	2004	15285146