Publications

spirochetemia caused by borrelia turicatae infection in 3 dogs in texas.	spirochetemia was diagnosed in 2 siberian huskies and a rottweiler from the northwestern region of texas between june 1999 and october 2001. clinical findings were nonspecific; tick exposure was documented in 2 of the dogs. hematologic abnormalities included anemia (n=2), neutrophilia (n=2, including 1 with a left shift), lymphopenia (n=3), eosinopenia (n=3), and thrombocytopenia (n=2). one anemic dog had a positive coombs' test. in 1 dog, western blot analysis of serum yielded multiple positive ...	2007	17523100
transmission dynamics of borrelia turicatae from the arthropod vector.	with the global distribution, morbidity, and mortality associated with tick and louse-borne relapsing fever spirochetes, it is important to understand the dynamics of vector colonization by the bacteria and transmission to the host. tick-borne relapsing fever spirochetes are blood-borne pathogens transmitted through the saliva of soft ticks, yet little is known about the transmission capability of these pathogens during the relatively short bloodmeal. this study was therefore initiated to unders ...	2014	24699275
assessment of the geographic distribution of ornithodoros turicata (argasidae): climate variation and host diversity.	ornithodoros turicata is a veterinary and medically important argasid tick that is recognized as a vector of the relapsing fever spirochete borrelia turicatae and african swine fever virus. historic collections of o. turicata have been recorded from latin america to the southern united states. however, the geographic distribution of this vector is poorly understood in relation to environmental variables, their hosts, and consequently the pathogens they transmit.	2016	26829327
imaging of borrelia turicatae producing the green fluorescent protein reveals persistent colonization of the ornithodoros turicata midgut and salivary glands from nymphal acquisition through transmission.	relapsing fever (rf) spirochetes colonize and are transmitted to mammals primarily by ornithodoros ticks, and little is known regarding the pathogen's life cycle in the vector. to further understand vector colonization and transmission of rf spirochetes, borrelia turicatae expressing a green fluorescent protein (gfp) marker (b. turicatae-gfp) was generated. the transformants were evaluated during the tick-mammal infectious cycle, from the third nymphal instar to adult stage. b. turicatae-gfp rem ...	2017	27986725
an in vitro blood-feeding method revealed differential borrelia turicatae (spirochaetales: spirochaetaceae) gene expression after spirochete acquisition and colonization in the soft tick ornithodoros turicata (acari: argasidae).	in the midwestern, southwestern, and southern part of the united states, the soft tick ornithodoros turicata transmits the spirochete borrelia turicatae, the causative agent of relapsing fever in humans. in this study, we report a simplified and an efficient method of in vitro feeding to evaluate o. turicata-b. turicatae interactions. both nymphal and adult female ticks successfully acquired spirochetes upon in vitro feeding on the b. turicatae-infected blood. we also noted transstadial transmis ...	2017	28399292
diagnosis and management of borrelia turicatae infection in febrile soldier, texas, usa.	in august 2015, a soldier returned from field exercises in texas, usa, with nonspecific febrile illness. culture and sequencing of spirochetes from peripheral blood diagnosed borrelia turicatae infection. the patient recovered after receiving doxycycline. no illness occurred in asymptomatic soldiers potentially exposed to the vector tick and prophylactically given treatment.	2017	28418310