Publications

prevalence and diversity of tick-borne pathogens in nymphal ixodes scapularis (acari: ixodidae) in eastern national parks.	tick-borne pathogens transmitted by ixodes scapularis say (acari: ixodidae), also known as the deer tick or blacklegged tick, are increasing in incidence and geographic distribution in the united states. we examined the risk of tick-borne disease exposure in 9 national parks across six northeastern and mid-atlantic states and the district of columbia in 2014 and 2015. to assess the recreational risk to park visitors, we sampled for ticks along frequently used trails and calculated the density of ...	2016	28028138
confirmation of borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto and anaplasma phagocytophilum in ixodes scapularis, southwestern virginia.	to determine the prevalence of borrelia burgdorferi and anaplasma phagocytophilum in a newly established population of ixodes scapularis in the mountainous region of southwestern virginia, questing adult ticks were collected and the identity and infection status of each tick was confirmed by pcr and sequencing. a total of 364 adult ticks were tested from three field sites. b. burgdorferi sensu stricto was identified in a total of 32/101 (32%) ticks from site a, 49/154 (32%) ticks from site b, an ...	2014	25409274
ectoparasites and associated pathogens of free-roaming and captive animals in zoos of south carolina.	a survey of ectoparasites and their associated pathogens was conducted in two south carolina zoos, from 2004 to 2007. dead, wild birds and mammals, as well as captive animals examined during routine veterinary checks constituted the study populations. ectoparasites were tested for species of anaplasma, bartonella, coxiella burnetii, ehrlichia, rickettsia, and trypanosoma. forty-six species of ectoparasites were collected from 133 free-roaming and captive hosts and their associated nesting and be ...	2009	18973443
comparison of the reservoir competence of medium-sized mammals and peromyscus leucopus for anaplasma phagocytophilum in connecticut.	in the northeastern united states, anaplasma phagocytophilum, the agent of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (hge), is transmitted by the tick vector ixodes scapularis. the white-footed mouse peromyscus leucopus is a competent reservoir for this agent, but the reservoir competence of non-peromyscus hosts of i. scapularis has not been studied. here, we report data confirming reservoir competence of medium-sized mammals for a. phagocytophilum. raccoons, virginia opossums, gray squirrels, and striped ...	2002	12737542
reactivity of serum samples of dogs and horses tested by use of class-specific recombinant-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for detection of granulocytic ehrlichiosis.	to test serum samples of dogs and horses by use of class-specific recombinant-based elisa for establishing a diagnosis of granulocytic ehrlichiosis attributable to infection with organisms from the ehrlichia phagocytophila genogroup.	2001	11560261
seroprevalence of ehrlichia canis, ehrlichia equi, and ehrlichia risticii in sick dogs from north carolina and virginia.	ehrlichia canis, e. equi, and e. risticii seroprevalence was determined by microimmunofluorescent antibody testing (ifa) in a sequential population of 1,845 sick dogs admitted during a 1-year period to the north carolina state university veterinary teaching hospital. a seroreactor was defined by a reciprocal ifa titer of > or =80 to e. canis, e. equi, or e. risticii antigens. of the 48 ifa seroreactors, 44 dogs were seroreactive to e. canis, 21 to e. equi, and 0 to e. risticii. seventeen dogs re ...	2000	10668817
sequential evaluation of dogs naturally infected with ehrlichia canis, ehrlichia chaffeensis, ehrlichia equi, ehrlichia ewingii, or bartonella vinsonii.	historically, disease manifestations in dogs seroreactive to ehrlichia canis antigens by indirect immunofluorescent antibody testing have been attributed to infection with either e. canis or ehrlichia ewingii. a 1996 study by dawson and colleagues provided pcr evidence that healthy dogs from southeastern virginia could be naturally infected with ehrlichia chaffeensis. this observation stimulated us to determine which ehrlichia spp. infected sick dogs that were referred to our hospital from the s ...	1998	9705408
granulocytic ehrlichiosis in dogs from north carolina and virginia.	medical records of 3 dogs from north carolina and 3 dogs from virginia with ehrlichial morulae in circulating neutrophils were studied retrospectively. two clinically distinct disease syndromes, including chronic, moderate to severe anemia (n = 3) and polyarthritis (n = 2) were associated with canine granulocytic ehrlichiosis (cge) in these dogs. one dog was clinically healthy, and abnormalities were not detected during physical examination. clinical signs were nonspecific and included fever, le ...	1998	9560760