Publications

ehrlichiae and ehrlichial diseases in china.	the various ticks collected from different areas of china were examined for the existence of ehrlichial agents by polymerase chain reaction (pcr) with genus- or species-specific primers designed on the basis of ehrlichial 16s rrna genes and sequence analyses. in southern china, e. chaffeensis was detected in amblyomma testudinarium ticks from infested cattle, haemaphysalis yeni ticks from hare, and ixodes ovatus ticks from muntiacus reevesi. e. canis was identified in rhipicephalus sanguineus ti ...	2003	12860598
rickettsia honei: a spotted fever group rickettsia on three continents.	rickettsia honei (also known as strain tt-118) has been detected on three continents. originally isolated in thailand in 1962 (and confirmed in 2001), it has also been detected on flinders island (australia) in 1993 and in texas (usa) in 1998. on each continent it has been associated with a different species of tick. the original isolate (thai tick typhus strain tt-118) was from a pool of larval ixodes and rhipicephalus ticks. later it was detected in i. granulatus from rattus rattus. its pathog ...	2003	12860601
ticks (acari: ixodidae) on wild marsh-deer (blastocerus dichotomus) from southeast brazil: infestations before and after habitat loss.	the lake from porto-primavera hydroelectric power station inundated an area of 2,200 km2 at the border of são paulo and mato-grosso do sul states, brazil. infestations by ticks were evaluated on 135 marsh deer, blastocerus dichotomus (illiger), captured before and after inundation. ticks were collected for identification, and infestation level of animals was assessed by scoring. deer were divided into four groups according to capture location and temporal relation to the inundation. groups 1, 2, ...	2003	12943103
african tick bite fever.	african tick bite fever is an acute febrile illness that is frequently accompanied by headache, prominent neck muscle myalgia, inoculation eschars, and regional lymphadenitis. the disease is caused by rickettsia africae, a recently identified spotted fever group rickettsia, which is transmitted by ungulate ticks of the amblyomma genus in rural sub-saharan africa and the french west indies. whereas reports on african tick bite fever in indigenous populations are scarce, the number of reported cas ...	2003	12954562
[relative abundance of amblyomma spp. (acari: ixodidae) in bovines (bos taurus and b. indicus) from costa rica].	the research describe the big amount of ticks of the amblyomma genus, found on bovines through monthly samplings carried out in ten farms in eight ecological zones (ez) of costa rica. ticks larger than 4 mm were picked up from the right side of the animals during the visit. the study compiled meteorological information for some farms located in the experiment, showing that the most fluctuant variable is rainfall. the most important amblyomma species found was a. cajennense. amblyomma nymphs were ...	2003	15162737
the ascendancy of amblyomma americanum as a vector of pathogens affecting humans in the united states.	until the 1990s, amblyomma americanum was regarded primarily as a nuisance species, but a tick of minor importance as a vector of zoonotic pathogens affecting humans. with the recent discoveries of ehrlichia chaffeensis, ehrlichia ewingii, and "borrelia lonestari," the public health relevance of lone star ticks is no longer in question. during the next 25 years, the number of cases of human disease caused by a. americanum-associated pathogens will probably increase. based on current trajectories ...	2003	12414740
ehrlichia chaffeensis: a prototypical emerging pathogen.	ehrlichia chaffeensis is an obligately intracellular, tick-transmitted bacterium that is maintained in nature in a cycle involving at least one and perhaps several vertebrate reservoir hosts. the moderate to severe disease caused by e. chaffeensis in humans, first identified in 1986 and reported for more than 1,000 patients through 2000, represents a prototypical "emerging infection." knowledge of the biology and natural history of e. chaffeensis, and of the epidemiology, clinical features, and ...	2003	12525424
detection of borrelia lonestari in amblyomma americanum (acari: ixodidae) from tennessee.	genetic sequences characteristic of borrelia lonestari (barbour et al. 1996) were detected in two pools of adult amblyomma americanum (l.) from tennessee, corresponding to an estimated minimum field infection rate of 8.4 infected ticks/1000 adults. dna amplification was conducted using primers derived from the b. lonestari flagellin gene that would also amplify borrelia burgdorferi (johnson, schmid, hyde, steigerwalt, and brenner). species-specific, internal probes were then used to differentiat ...	2003	12597661
ixodid tick species recovered from domestic dogs in japan.	the species of ixodid ticks (acari: ixodidae) recovered from domestic dogs in japan between september to november 2000 and april to june 2001 were identified. a total of 4122 ticks, including 1624 larvae, 1200 nymphs, 1016 females and 282 males were removed from 1221 dogs during these periods. haemaphysalis longicornis (neumann) was the most frequently found (40.3% of dogs), followed by h. flava (neumann) (16.1% of dogs), rhipicephalus sanguineus (latreille) (4.8% of dogs) and ixodes ovatus (neu ...	2003	12680923
phylogenetic analysis of the francisella-like endosymbionts of dermacentor ticks.	bacterial endosymbionts with significant homology to francisella tularensis (gamma-proteobacteria) have been described from at least five species of ticks in three different genera, including two north american dermacentor species [d. andersoni stiles and d. variabilis (say)]. the evolutionary relationships among the francisella-like endosymbionts (fle) from different hosts and between fle and the arthropod-borne pathogen f. tularensis are not known. a 1,169-base fragment of the 16s rdna and a 7 ...	2004	15185926
study of the seasonal dynamics, life cycle, and host specificity of amblyomma aureolatum (acari: ixodidae).	in the first part of this study, monthly infestation by ticks was evaluated on dogs from december 2000 to november 2002 in the rural area of taiaçupeba, são paulo. adults of amblyomma aureolatum (pallas) were found on dogs in all months, with a mean prevalence per month of 46.9 +/- 15.7% (range, 25-80%). the mean tick relative abundance per month was 2.4 +/- 2.7 ticks (range, 0.5-14 ticks), and the mean tick mean intensity per month was 4.7 +/- 4.2 ticks (range, 1.5-23.3 ticks). no a. aureolatum ...	2004	15185932
molecular evidence for a spotted fever group rickettsia species in the tick amblyomma longirostre in brazil.	two amblyomma longirostre adult male ticks were collected from a brazilian porcupine coendou prehensilis l. in the state of rondonia, western amazon, brazil. the two ticks were pooled for dna extraction and tested for the presence of rickettsial dna by amplifying portions of the glta, 17-kda, ompa, and ompb rickettsial genes by polymerase chain reaction (pcr). portions of the four genes were amplified from the sample and subsequently sequenced. these results indicated the presence of a rickettsi ...	2004	15185961
human otoacariasis: a retrospective study from an area of sri lanka.	intra-aural ticks were present in 870 (15.2%) of 5714 patients who reported with ear-related complaints to the ear, nose and throat ward at ratnapura hospital, sabaragamuwa province, sri lanka, from january 2000 to december 2001. a retrospective study of 383 of these otoacariasis cases showed that the majority (70.8%) of surgically-removed ticks were nymphal amblyomma integrum, together with nymphal and adult rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides, r. sanguineus, hyalomma brevipunctata, h. marginatum, a ...	2004	15186938
an updated list of the ticks of ghana and an assessment of the distribution of the ticks of ghanaian wild mammals in different vegetation zones.	twenty one species of ticks belonging to five genera of the family ixodidae (order acari, sub-order ixodida) - amblyomma, haemaphysalis, hyalomma, ixodes and rhipicephalus (including the sub-genus rhipicephalus (boophilus)) - were collected from 1260 mammals, representing 29 species, 14 families and 6 orders, in four vegetation zones in ghana during the period 1971-1978. four other species were collected from humans in 1977. in all, eight species appeared to be new records for ghana: amblyomma t ...	2004	15191626
cutaneous hypersensitivity induced in rabbits by extracts of the tick amblyomma cajennense (acari: ixodidae).	the cutaneous hypersensitivity test was used to correlate host resistance to ticks and type of reactions elicited by aomblyomma cajennense (fabricius, 1787) tick extract in rabbits. rabbits were divided into 3 groups of 2 animals each: naive, pre-infested and control. cutaneous hypersensitivity was induced by intradermal inoculation of 25 microg extract in 0.03 ml of phosphate buffered saline (pbs) in rabbit ears. control rabbits were inoculated with pbs only. the ear thickness was measured with ...	2004	15214693
cross-reactivity between antigens from amblyomma cajennense and a. hebraeum (acari: ixodidae).	laboratory animals exposed to feeding ticks develop resistance which is reflected by a decline in tick engorgement weight, egg-laying by adults and reduced egg viability. serum antibodies from these hosts and their reaction with tick antigens have been detected by different methods, including precipitation techniques, immunofluorescent techniques, elisa and western blots. however, little is known about the effects of antibodies on ticks that engorge on resistant hosts, or which tissues of the ti ...	2004	15214694
tick-borne viruses.	at least 38 viral species are transmitted by ticks. virus-tick-vertebrate host relationships are highly specific and less than 10% of all tick species (argasidae and ixodidae) are known to play a role as vectors of arboviruses. however, a few tick species transmit several (e.g. ixodes ricinus, amblyomma variegatum) or many (i. uriae) tick-borne viruses. tick-borne viruses are found in six different virus families (asfarviridae, reoviridae, rhabdoviridae, orthomyxoviridae, bunyaviridae, flaviviri ...	2004	15938513
effects of 20-hydroxyecdysone and other hormones on egg development, and identification of a vitellin-binding protein in the ovary of the tick, amblyomma hebraeum.	partially fed adult female amblyomma hebraeum ticks were injected with 20-hydroxyecdysone (20e; up to 43 microg/g body weight (bw)), juvenile hormone iii (jh iii; up to 100 microg/g bw), bovine insulin (up to 2000 mu/g bw), or triiodothyronine (up to 200 ng/g bw) in an attempt to stimulate vitellogenesis. of these, only 20e stimulated synthesis and release of vitellogenin (vg). immunoblot analysis revealed that vg-synthesis occurred in the fat body. however, consistent with earlier observations ...	2004	15183281
development of a novel self-medicating applicator for control of internal and external parasites of wild and domestic animals.	four trials, three in the united states and one in south africa, were conducted to evaluate the potential value of a novel self-medicating applicator in the passive control of gastrointestinal nematodes in cattle and deer, and of files and ticks on cattle using oil-based treatments. the results of the trials demonstrated that this applicator is an effective and practical device for the passive treatment of both deer and cattle for trichostrongyle infections using the endectocide, moxidectin (cyd ...	2004	15185574
spotted fever group rickettsiae from ticks captured in sudan.	ticks were collected from ruminants in various areas of sudan in 1998 and 2000. primer pairs of rickettsial citrate synthase gene (glta) and a spotted fever group (sfg) rickettsial 190-kda surface antigen gene (rompa), respectively, were used for identification. polymerase chain reaction (pcr)-positive products were used for dna sequencing. the glta gene was detected in 55% of the ticks examined (57/104). among the 57 ticks studied, 19 were positive for the rompa gene. thus, 18% of the ticks exa ...	2004	15218219
a new type of antimicrobial protein with multiple histidines from the hard tick, amblyomma hebraeum.	a novel 11 kda antimicrobial protein, named as hebraein, and having a unique amino acid sequence, was purified from the hemolymph of fed female amblyomma hebraeum ticks. a full-length cdna clone encoding hebraein was isolated from a cdna library made from tick synganglia. hebraein consists of 102 amino acids, including 6 cysteine residues; has 9 histidines in its c-terminal domain that are mainly present as hx repeats; and has no significant similarity to any known protein. the secondary structu ...	2004	15247144
ticks (acari: ixodidae) parasitizing wild carnivores in phu khieo wildlife sanctuary, thailand.	ixodid ticks were collected and identified from 8 wild carnivore species in phu khieo wildlife sanctuary, northeastern thailand. six tick species belonging to 4 genera were recovered and identified from 132 individuals. these included amblyomma testudinarium (n = 36), haemaphysalis asiatica (n = 58), h. hystricis (n = 31), h. semermis (n = 3), rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides (n = 3), and ixodes granulatus (n = 1). leopard cats (prionailurus bengalensis) (n = 19) were infested with 4 tick species, ...	2004	15270119
amblyomma cajennense ticks induce immediate hypersensitivity in horses and donkeys.	since host immune reaction to ticks interferes with tick-borne pathogen transmission, it is important to recognize naturally occurring tick-host immune relationships to better understand the epidemiology of such infectious diseases. amblyomma cajennense is an important tick-borne disease vector in the neotropical region and horses maintain it in domestic environments. in the present work intradermal testing of a. cajennense tick exposed horses and donkeys using crude tick antigens was used to ev ...	2004	15285143
some observations on the sero-prevalence of heartwater and tick infestation in zambian goats.	a survey was carried out to define the distribution of heartwater in goats that originated from six districts in communal grazing semi-arid areas of zambia. a total of 181 samples (40.1%) out of 451 serum samples from adult goats were positive for ehrlichia ruminantium antibodies after screening using indirect map-1b antigen elisa technique with statistically significant differences (p < 0.01) between the six districts. out of 1 036 adult goats examined for tick infestation, 105 were infested by ...	2004	15373339
characterization of spotted fever group rickettsiae in flea and tick specimens from northern peru.	evidence of spotted fever group (sfg) rickettsiae was obtained from flea pools and individual ticks collected at three sites in northwestern peru within the focus of an outbreak of febrile disease in humans attributed, in part, to sfg rickettsia infections. molecular identification of the etiologic agents from these samples was determined after partial sequencing of the 17-kda common antigen gene (htra) as well as pairwise nucleotide sequence homology with one or more of the following genes: glt ...	2004	15528680
[random amplified polymorphic dna analysis of the genomes among 7 species of ticks].	to study genomic polymorphic dna and genetic distance of 7 species of ticks.	2004	15587156
nested pcr for detection and genotyping of ehrlichia ruminantium: use in genetic diversity analysis.	ehrlichia ruminantium, the agent of cowdriosis transmitted by amblyomma ticks, presents an extensive genetic and antigenic diversity of key importance for vaccine formulation. two means of nested polymerase chain reaction (pcr) targeting were developed to conduct molecular epidemiology studies in the caribbean and africa. the first used a conserved dna fragment for detection of the pathogen in animals and vectors, and the second relied on the polymorphic map1 gene for genotyping. as compared to ...	2004	15604477
rickettsia bellii and rickettsia amblyommii in amblyomma ticks from the state of rondônia, western amazon, brazil.	this study evaluates the rickettsial presence in amblyomma ticks from eight areas of the amazon forest in rondônia, brazil. the following tick species (number in parentheses) were examined: amblyomma ovale koch (121), amblyomma cajennense (f.) (41), amblyomma naponense (packard) (36), amblyomma scalpturatum neumann (35), amblyomma oblongoguttatum koch (30), amblyomma incisum neumann (27), amblyomma rotundatum koch (16), amblyomma coelebs neumann (10), and amblyomma humerale koch (6). ticks were ...	2004	15605647
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
morphological characterization of the ovary and vitellogenesis dynamics in the tick amblyomma cajennense (acari: ixodidae).	in this work we describe the internal morphology of the female reproductive system of the cayenne tick amblyomma cajennense. this system is represented by a panoistic ovary, which lacks nurse cells in the germarium. this ovary consists of a single tube, in which a large number of oocytes develop asynchronously, thus accompanying the processes of yolk deposition in the oocytes. the oocytes were classified into stages that varied from i to v, according to: cytoplasm appearance, presence of the ger ...	2004	15482894
an opioid peptide from synganglia of the tick, amblyomma testindinarium.	an opioid peptide, which shares similarity with mammalian hemorphins, has been identified from the synganglia (central nervous system) of the hard tick, amblyomma testindiarium. its primary sequence was established as lvvypwtkm that contains a tetrapeptide sequence tyr-pro-trp-thr of hemorphin-like opioid peptides. by hot-plate bioassay, the purified peptide and synthetic peptide displayed dose-related antinociceptive effect in mice, as observed for other hemorphin-like opioid peptides. this is ...	2004	15752574
systematics and evolution of ticks with a list of valid genus and species names.	in recent years there has been much progress in our understanding of the phylogeny and evolution of ticks, in particular the hard ticks (ixodidae). indeed, a consensus about the phylogeny of the hard ticks has emerged which is quite different to the working hypothesis of 10 years ago. so that the classification reflects our knowledge of ticks, several changes to the nomenclature of ticks are imminent or have been made. one subfamily, the hyalomminae, should be sunk, while another, the bothriocro ...	2004	15938503
detection of rickettsia africae in patients and ticks along the coastal region of cameroon.	rickettsia africae was identified in seven (6%) of 118 patients with acute fevers of unknown etiology proven not to be malaria or typhoid fever from clinics along the coastal region of cameroon by polymerase chain reaction (pcr) amplification and sequencing of the citrate synthase (glta) and outer membrane protein a (ompa) genes of rickettsia. the majority (71%) of the patients were female. clinical manifestations included fever (100%), headache (71%), myalgia (71%), arthralgia (43%), pulmonary ...	2004	15381820
first record of immature stages of amblyomma tigrinum (acari: ixodidae) on wild birds in chile.	for the first time, larvae and nymphs of amblyomma tigrinum ticks were found on three species of wild birds (zenaida auriculata, callipepla californica and nothoprocta perdicaria) in chile. a significant higher number of a. tigrinum was found on fledglings of z. auriculata and n. perdicaria than on adults of these species of birds. a significant higher number was also observed on n. perdicaria living in non-irrigated areas as compared with irrigated areas. infestation levels were 6.5, 6.3 and 10 ...	2004	15285147
disease agents in amblyomma americanum from northeastern georgia.	amblyomma americanum (lone star tick) is known or suspected to vector several organisms that are implicated as human pathogens, including ehrlichia chaffeensis, e. ewingii, and borrelia lonestari. these three agents have also been detected in white-tailed deer (odocoileus virginianus). because northeastern georgia has a high abundance of both lone star ticks and white-tailed deer, and one of these organisms, e. chaffeensis, is already known to be endemic in the area, we assayed individual adult ...	2004	15311471
ehrlichia prevalence in amblyomma americanum, central texas.		2004	15338551
water relations in eggs of the lone star tick, amblyomma americanum, with experimental work on the capacity for water vapor absorption.	this study shows that water stress is not countered in eggs of the lone star tick, amblyomma americanum (l.), using water vapor, and suggests involvement of liquid water as a developmental cue. eggs fail to maintain an equilibrium water content in subsaturated air, hence, gain not equal to loss, with net water losses occurring at relative humidities near saturation and these eggs exhibit a three-fold drop in viability, but not incubation period, as compared to eggs held in saturated air. amblyom ...	2004	15347026
susceptibility of mosquito and tick cell lines to infection with various flaviviruses.	the genus flavivirus consists of more than 70 virus species and subtypes, the majority of which are transmitted by mosquitoes or ticks, although some have no known vector (nkv). the ability of these viruses to infect cultured cells derived from mosquito or tick species offers a useful insight into the suitability of such vectors to harbour and replicate particular viruses. we undertook a comparative study of the susceptibility of mammalian vero cells, a clonal mosquito cell line (c6/36) and rece ...	2004	15347394
two novel non-cationic defensin-like antimicrobial peptides from haemolymph of the female tick, amblyomma hebraeum.	two non-cationic defensin-like antimicrobial peptides, named amblyomma defensin peptide 1 and amblyomma defensin peptide 2, were identified from the hard tick, amblyomma hebraeum, by a combination of suppression subtractive hybridization for differentially expressed genes and proteomics. cdna clones encoding each of these two defensin-like antimicrobial peptides were isolated from the differentially expressed cdna library of the tick synganglia (central nervous system). the preproproteins deduce ...	2004	14705963
ectoparasites of gray squirrels in two different habitats and screening of selected ectoparasites for bartonellae.	gray squirrels, sciurus carolinensis, were livetrapped in 2 different habitat types, woodland (67 squirrels) and parkland (53 squirrels), in southeastern georgia. ectoparasites were recovered from anesthetized squirrels and compared between hosts from the 2 habitats. because of the absence of low vegetation in parkland habitats, it was hypothesized that the ectoparasite fauna, especially ticks and chiggers, would be more diverse on woodland squirrels. the results were generally in agreement with ...	2004	15270090
rickettsia species infecting amblyomma cooperi ticks from an area in the state of são paulo, brazil, where brazilian spotted fever is endemic.	owing to the potential role of the tick amblyomma cooperi in the enzootic cycle of rickettsia rickettsii, the etiologic agent of brazilian spotted fever (bsf), this study evaluated infection by rickettsia species in a. cooperi ticks collected from an area in brazil where bsf is endemic. among a total of 40 a. cooperi adult ticks collected in an area of bsf endemicity in the state of são paulo, pcr analysis detected dna of rickettsia bellii in 16 ticks (40%), and 3 other ticks (7.5%) were positiv ...	2004	14715737
rickettsia parkeri: a newly recognized cause of spotted fever rickettsiosis in the united states.	ticks, including many that bite humans, are hosts to several obligate intracellular bacteria in the spotted fever group (sfg) of the genus rickettsia. only rickettsia rickettsii, the agent of rocky mountain spotted fever, has been definitively associated with disease in humans in the united states. herein we describe disease in a human caused by rickettsia parkeri, an sfg rickettsia first identified >60 years ago in gulf coast ticks (amblyomma maculatum) collected from the southern united states ...	2004	14999622
[rickettsia africae, the agent of african tick-bite fever: an emerging pathogen in the west indies and reunion island (indian ocean)].	rickettsia africae is the agent of african tick bite fever, an emerging disease transmitted by amblyomma ticks in sub-saharan africa. in 1998, we reported the first documented case of r. africae in the new world, in a patient who had returned from guadeloupe. in order to confirm the presence of r. africae in the west indies, entomologic surveys were conducted from 1999 to 2003 to collect amblyomma, which are considered as potential vectors and reservoirs of the bacteria. ticks were used as epide ...	2004	15462202
ehrlichia ruminantium grows in cell lines from four ixodid tick genera.	continuous cell lines from the ticks amblyomma variegatum, boophilus decoloratus, boophilus microplus, hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum, ixodes scapularis, ixodes ricinus and rhipicephalus appendiculatus were tested for ability to support growth of the rickettsial pathogen ehrlichia (previously cowdria) ruminantium. five e.ruminantium isolates, from west africa, south africa and the french west indies, were used. twelve tick cell lines were inoculated with e.ruminantium derived either from culture ...	2004	15053931
occurrence of the gulf coast tick (acari: ixodidae) on wild and domestic mammals in north-central oklahoma.	parasitic life stages of amblyomma maculatum koch were collected from domestic cattle and several species of wild mammals during a 3.5-yr study (may 1998-october 2001) in north-central oklahoma. adult ticks were the predominant life stage collected from cattle, white-tailed deer, coyotes, and raccoons, whereas only immature ticks were collected from cotton rats and white-footed mice. the prevalence of adult a. maculatum on white-tailed deer (n = 15) examined in june, july, and august 1998 was 80 ...	2004	15061275
rickettsia parkeri in amblyomma triste from uruguay.	our goal was to detect whether spotted fever group rickettsia are found in the suspected vector of rickettsioses, amblyomma triste, in uruguay. rickettsia parkeri was detected in a. triste, which suggests that this species could be considered a pathogenic agent responsible for human rickettsioses in uruguay.	2004	15496258
amblyomma americanum salivary gland homolog of nsec1 is essential for saliva protein secretion.	soluble n-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor proteins assemble in tight core complexes which promote fusion of carrier vesicles with target compartments. members of this class of proteins are expressed in all eukaryotic cells and distributed in distinct subcellular compartments. all vesicle transport mechanisms known to date have an essential requirement for a member of the sec1 protein family, including the nsec1 in regulated exocytosis. a homolog of nsec1 was cloned an ...	2004	15504350
a thrombin inhibitor from the ixodid tick, amblyomma hebraeum.	a novel thrombin inhibitor named amblin was identified from the haemolymph of the ixodid (hard) tick, amblyomma hebraeum, and the coding cdna was isolated from a tick cdna library. this cdna codes for a preprotein of 166 amino acids, including a predicted signal peptide composed of 15 amino acids n-terminal to the mature amblin. the 151-amino-acid mature amblin contains 14 cysteines and two kunitz-like domains. it displays high sequence similarity with a tissue factor pathway inhibitor (tfpi), i ...	2004	15527983
two feeding-induced proteins from the male gonad trigger engorgement of the female tick amblyomma hebraeum.	most female ixodid ticks, once mated, feed to repletion within 6-10 days. previous studies indicate that an engorgement factor (ef), passed to the female during copulation, may be the stimulus for engorgement. here, we show that extracts of the testis/vas deferens of fed (but not unfed) male amblyomma hebraeum contain ef bioactivity when injected into the hemocoel of feeding virgins. we have produced recombinant proteins (recproteins) from 28 feeding-induced genes in the male gonad and have iden ...	2004	15069191
borrelia species in host-seeking ticks and small mammals in northern florida.	the aim of this study was to improve understanding of several factors related to the ecology and environmental risk of borrelia infection in northern florida. small mammals and host-seeking adult ticks were collected at several sites, and specimens were tested for the presence of borrelia species, primarily by pcr amplification. tissues from some vertebrates and ticks were initially cultured in bsk-h medium to isolate spirochetes, but none were recovered. however, comparison of partial flagellin ...	2004	15528699
evaluation of immunocompetent and immunocompromised mice (mus musculus) for infection with ehrlichia chaffeensis and transmission to amblyomma americanum ticks.	experiments on the natural history of ehrlichia chaffeensis, the agent of human monocytic ehrlichiosis (hme), would be facilitated by the availability of a laboratory animal model for transmission to vector ticks. five strains of mice were evaluated for their susceptibility to infection with e. chaffeensis and transmission competence: c57bl/6 mice, inducible nitric oxide synthase (inos) deficient mice, mhc i deficient (beta2m /) mice, mhc ii deficient mice (abb /), and b and t cell deficient (ra ...	2004	15671738
lack of susceptibility of guinea pigs and gerbils to experimental infection with ehrlichia chaffeensis.	guinea pigs and mongolian gerbils were experimentally infected with ehrlichia chaffeensis (st. vincent strain, 10 passages in vitro). the infection was monitored by serial blood sampling for pcr and by xenodiagnosis with amblyomma americanum larvae. exposure to the pathogen was confirmed using serology. neither guinea pigs nor gerbils were susceptible to infection with e. chaffeensis, and ticks fed upon these animals did not become infected with the pathogen.	2004	15682515
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
ehrlichia ruminantium seroprevalence in domestic ruminants in ghana; i. longitudinal survey in the greater accra region.	serum samples collected monthly over a 34-month period from cattle, sheep and goats in the greater accra region of ghana were tested for antibodies to ehrlichia (previously cowdria) ruminantium, the causative agent of heartwater, by polyclonal competitive elisa (pc-elisa). maternal antibodies, detected in about half of animals followed from under 1 month old, declined to negative levels within 2-4 months. amblyomma variegatum tick vectors were present on livestock in rural areas throughout the y ...	2004	15145496
a monitoring study on the prevalence of dermatophilosis and parafilariosis in cattle in a smallholder semi-arid farming area in zimbabwe.	the prevalences of dermatophilosis and parafilariosis were monitored for one year in cattle in sanyati, a semi-arid smallholder farming area in zimbabwe. the prevalence of dermatophilosis differed (p < 0.05) with season and among calves, cows, oxen and bulls. in bulls and cows, dermatophilosis lesions were localized mainly to the inguinal regions and between the front limbs. the prevalence and morbidity of dermatophilosis infection were significantly higher (p < 0.05) during the wet season than ...	2004	15080537
species of ticks on camels and their seasonal population dynamics in eastern ethiopia.	a study was conducted to identify the species of ticks found on camels (camelus dromedarius) and their seasonal population dynamics in eastern ethiopia. collection and identification of the ticks were undertaken at 2-month intervals from december 1997 to august 1999. on each occasion, all the visible adult ticks were collected from one side of the body of each of the same 17 camels. the most abundant species of ticks on the camels were rhipiephalus pulchellus (85.2%), hyalomma dromedarii (5.9%), ...	2004	15080539
successful infestation by amblyomma pseudoconcolor and a. cooperi (acari: ixodidae) on horses.	the host relationships for most species of the genus amblyomma are poorly known in brazil. the ability of a. pseudoconcolor and a. cooperi to successfully feed on horses was investigated during ongoing research on the life cycle of these two species, which are primarily associated with wildlife. results of these experiments suggest that horses are potential hosts for the adult stages of both species.	2004	15604498
the caribbean amblyomma program: some ecologic factors affecting its success.	the caribbean amblyomma program has been operational for 8 years. however, owing to funding availability, some islands did not commence eradication activities until late 1997. during the past 2 years, 6 of the 9 islands (st. kitts, st. lucia, anguilla, montserrat, barbados, and dominica) under the program have attained the status of provisional freedom from the tropical bont tick (tbt). there are several administrative and technical reasons why the attainment of the program goals took longer tha ...	2004	15604510
an in vitro larval immersion microassay for identifying and characterizing candidate acaricides.	we have optimized a larval immersion microassay (lim) that offers superior sensitivity, flexibility to accommodate multiple formulations, and a robust capability for rapidly screening many compounds with a minimal requirement of test article for evaluation. dose-response studies were conducted for representative members from the organophosphate, pyrethroid, pyrazole, carbamate, macrocyclic lactone, and formamidine chemistries against amblyomma americanum (l.). time-response experiments revealed ...	2004	15605642
life cycle of amblyomma cooperi (acari: ixodidae) using capybaras (hydrochaeris hydrochaeris) as hosts.	the life cycle of amblyomma cooperi was evaluated under laboratory conditions testing different host species. larval infestations were performed on chickens (gallus gallus) and capybaras (hydrochaeris hydrochaeris). nymphal infestations were performed on g. gallus, h. hydrochaeris, guinea pigs (cavia porcellus) and wild mice (calomys callosus). infestations by adult ticks were performed only on capybaras. all free-living stages were observed in darkness at 27 degrees c and rh 85%. capybaras were ...	2004	15139274
detection of ehrlichia chaffeensis in adult and nymphal amblyomma americanum (acari: ixodidae) ticks from long island, new york.	the lone star tick, amblyomma americanum (l.), has increased in abundance in several regions of the northeastern united states, including areas of long island, ny. adult and nymphal stage a. americanum collected from several sites on long island were evaluated for infection with ehrlichia chaffeensis, the causative agent of human monocytic ehrlichiosis (hme), by using a nested polymerase chain reaction assay. fifty-nine (12.5%) of 473 adults and eight of 113 pools of five nymphs each (estimated ...	2004	15605650
susceptibility of mice (mus musculus) to repeated infestation with amblyomma americanum (acari: ixodidae) ticks.	laboratory mice, mus musculus (l.), balb/c strain, were assessed for their ability to develop resistance to repeated infestation by amblyomma americanum (l.) ticks. mice were infested five consecutive times with a. americanum nymphs. no decrease in tick viability was seen after five infestations, suggesting that balb/c mice do not develop immune-mediated resistance to a. americanum. in contrast, tick viability was significantly reduced in the second infestation of a new zealand white rabbit, a l ...	2004	15605656
comparative activity of deet and ai3-37220 repellents against the ticks ixodes scapularis and amblyomma americanum (acari: ixodidae) in laboratory bioassays.	the repellents n,n-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (deet) and racemic 2-methylpiperidinyl-3-cyclohexene-1-carboxamide (ai3-37220) were evaluated using two different laboratory bioassays to determine their relative effectiveness against host-seeking nymphs of the blacklegged tick, ixodes scapularis say, and the lone star tick, amblyomma americanum (l.). in a petri dish bioassay, ticks were released within a ring of repellent on a horizontal filter paper disk. in the second bioassay, ticks were allowed ...	2004	15061285
first culture isolation of borrelia lonestari, putative agent of southern tick-associated rash illness.	southern tick-associated rash illness (stari) is a lyme disease-like infection described in patients in the southeastern and south-central united states, where classic lyme disease is relatively rare. stari develops following the bite of a lone star tick (amblyomma americanum) and is thought to be caused by infection with an "uncultivable" spirochete tentatively named borrelia lonestari. in this study, wild lone star ticks collected from an area where b. lonestari is endemic were cocultured in a ...	2004	15004069
how much pilocarpine contaminates pilocarpine-induced tick saliva?	pilocarpine is often applied or injected into ticks to induce salivation, and the resulting saliva used to test for various pharmacological, biochemical and immunological activities. to measure the amount of pilocarpine in pilocarpine-induced tick saliva, an hplc-ms/ms method, based on capillary strong cation exchange chromatography online with an ion trap mass spectrometer, was used to measure pilocarpine in the pg to ng range. results indicate large concentrations of pilocarpine in ixodes scap ...	2004	15009442
amblyomma americanum salivary glands: double-stranded rna-mediated gene silencing of synaptobrevin homologue and inhibition of pge2 stimulated protein secretion.	protein secretion into the saliva from the tick salivary glands is due to exocytosis of vesicular membrane bound granular material regulated by snare complex proteins after salivary gland stimulation by pge2 [insect biochem. mol. biol. 32 (2002) 1711]. proteins associated with vesicles (v-snares) are essential components of the exocytotic process. synaptobrevin is a key v-snare in all secreting cells studied to date. a vesicle-associated synaptobrevin cdna fragment homologue from the salivary gl ...	2004	15041024
a proteomics approach to characterizing tick salivary secretions.	the saliva of ticks contains a complex mixture of bioactive molecules including proteins that modulate host responses ensuring successful feeding. the limited amount of saliva that can be obtained from ticks has hampered characterization of salivary proteins using traditional protein chemistry. recent improvements in two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, mass spectrometry, and bioinformatics provide new tools to characterize small amounts of protein. these methods were employed to characterize sa ...	2004	15198089
detection of pathogenic ehrlichia in ticks collected at acquisition sites of human ehrlichiosis in missouri.	we collected 385 ticks from sites in missouri associated with human monocytic ehrlichiosis. using pcr, we detected e. chaffeensis or e. ewingii in 2 of 19 pools of adult amblyomma americanum, 0 of 32 pools of dermacentor variabilis, and 6 (18%) of 39 pools of unspeciated nymphal ticks from 3 of 6 sites associated with disease and one site not associated with disease. we also detected a variant of a. phagocytophila in one nymph pool.	2004	15119113
the distribution and ecological 'preferences' of the tick amblyomma cajennense (acari: ixodidae), an ectoparasite of humans and other mammals in the americas.	the distribution and ecological 'preferences', in the nearctic and neotropical regions, of the prominent, pathogen-carrying tick amblyomma cajennense (fabricius) were reviewed, on the basis of the published literature, satellite imagery, and the examination of several tick collections. the tick has been collected from the southern u.s.a. (texas and florida) to northern argentina, but is probably absent from uruguay and southern brazil (the few records of the species in these areas probably repre ...	2004	15119974
glycerophosphodiester phosphodiesterase gene (glpq) of borrelia lonestari identified as a target for differentiating borrelia species associated with hard ticks (acari:ixodidae).	a glpq ortholog was identified in dna from borrelia lonestari-positive amblyomma americanum, providing further evidence that b. lonestari is more closely related to the relapsing fever group spirochetes than to borreliae that cause lyme disease. this finding provides a basis for developing diagnostic assays to differentiate species of borrelia transmitted by hard ticks.	2004	15131225
disease survey of free-ranging grey brocket deer (mazama gouazoubira) in the gran chaco, bolivia.	samples from 17 free-ranging hunter-killed grey brocket deer (mazama gouazoubira) in the gran chaco, bolivia, were collected during june-august 1999. all 17 deer appeared to be in good condition at the time of death. gross necropsies were performed, serum was collected for serologic evaluation of selected infectious disease agents, and feces and ectoparasites were collected for evaluation of internal and external parasites. serologic tests were positive for antibodies against bovine respiratory ...	2004	15137493
monthly dynamics of ticks (acari:ixodida) infesting n'dama cattle in the republic of guinea.	the occurrence of ixodid ticks on n'dama cattle was studied in the republic of guinea between june 1994 and may 1995. monthly tick collections were performed on 80 animals from 14 villages located in dabola, kouroussa and dinguiraye prefectures. a total of 19,804 ticks was collected and classified using standard taxonomic keys. the following tick species were identified: amblyomma variegatum, hyalomma marginatum rufipes, hyalomma trunctum, hyalomma nitidum, rhipicephalus lunulatus, rhipicephalus ...	2004	15139086
microbiologic evaluation of patients from missouri with erythema migrans.	borrelia lonestari infects amblyomma americanum, the tick species that is the most common cause of tick bites in southeast and south-central united states, and this spirochete has been detected in an erythema migrans (em)-like skin rash in 1 patient. therefore, b. lonestari is considered to be a leading candidate for the etiologic agent of em in this region.	2005	15668867
rickettsia parkeri as a paradigm for multiple causes of tick-borne spotted fever in the western hemisphere.	among the many contributions made to rickettsiology by entomologist and rickettsiologist ralph r. parker was his discovery in 1937 of a novel rickettsia isolated from the gulf coast tick, amblyomma maculatum. this bacterium was subsequently characterized as a unique rickettsial species in 1965 and named rickettsia parkeri in honor of its discoverer. during the next several decades r. parkeri was generally considered as one of several "nonpathogenic" spotted fever group (sfg) rickettsiae that res ...	2005	16481534
first report of the male of amblyomma rotundatum (acari: ixodidae) from a field-collected host.	an adult male of the tick amblyomma rotundatum koch was collected on a naturally infested lizard, tropidurus sp. (squamata: tropiduridae), at monte negro, state of rondonia, brazil. the tick's identity was confirmed morphologically and by analysis of the second internal transcribed spacer of the ribosomal dna. this is the third known male specimen of a. rotundatum, a species that has been shown to reproduce exclusively by parthenogenesis. the two previously reported male specimens seemed to be p ...	2005	16465732
acaricide efficiency of amitraz/cypermethrin and abamectin pour-on preparations in game.	the efficacy of an amitraz/cypermethrin pour-on preparation (1% w/v each) was tested against natural tick infestations of buffaloes, eland and blesbok in three separate trials. the eland were also treated with a 0.02% abamectin (w/v) acaricidal pour-on preparation. the amitraz/cypermethrin pour-on was effective against amblyomma hebraeum, rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi, rhipicephalus appendiculatus and hyalomma marginatum rufipes on the buffaloes. both acaricides were effective against r. appendi ...	2005	16562734
theileriosis in a white-tailed deer (odocoileus virginianus) fawn.	a white-tailed deer (odocoileus virginianus) fawn was collected in missouri (usa) and submitted for diagnostic evaluation. necropsy and histologic examination revealed severe amblyomma americanum infestation, pronounced icterus, and marked hemosiderin deposition in the liver and spleen. whole blood evaluation revealed a normocytic normochromic anemia and a piroplasm parasitemia of approximately 70%. the piroplasm was identified as theileria cervi by polymerase chain reaction and sequencing of th ...	2005	16456174
tick infestations of the eastern cottontail rabbit (sylvilagus floridanus) and small rodentia in northwest alabama and implications for disease transmission.	studies were conducted over a four-county area of northwest alabama to determine the association of eastern cottontail rabbits with dermacentor variabilis, the eastern united states vector of rocky mountain spotted fever. a secondary objective was to compare infestations of this tick on rabbits with infestations on commonly encountered rodent species as a means of determining the relative importance of each in the disease transmission cycle. these epidemiologic surveys were conducted in response ...	2005	16599149
the impact of 2 dipping systems on endemic stability to bovine babesiosis and anaplasmosis in cattle in 4 communally grazed areas in limpopo province, south africa.	a 12-month study was conducted in 4 communal grazing areas in the bushbuckridge region, limpopo province, south africa. the main objective was to investigate the impact of reduced acaricide application on endemic stability to bovine babesiosis (babesia bigemina and babesia bovis) and anaplasmosis (anaplasma marginale) in the local cattle population. to this end 60 cattle in each communal grazing area were bled at the beginning and the conclusion of the experimental period and their sera were ass ...	2005	16642719
repellent efficacy of four commercial deet lotions against amblyomma hebraeum (acari: ixodidae), the principal vector of rickettsia africae in southern africa.	african tick bite fever, caused by rickettsia africae, is an emerging zoonotic infection in rural sub-saharan africa and the french west indies. we tested the repellent efficacy of four commercial diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (deet) lotions against amblyomma hebraeum koch, the principal vector of r. africae in southern africa, by using a human bioassay in which repellent-treated fingers were presented to questing tick nymphs hourly for 4h. three lotions with 19.5, 31.6 and 80% deet concentrations, ...	2005	15993907
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
ticks (acari: ixodida) on wild carnivores in brazil.	the present study reports field data of ticks infesting wild carnivores captured from july 1998 to september 2004 in brazil. additional data were obtained from one tick collection and from previous published data of ticks on carnivores in brazil. during field work, a total of 3437 ticks were collected from 89 cerdocyon thous (crab-eating fox), 58 chrysocyon brachyurus (maned wolf), 30 puma concolor (puma), 26 panthera onca (jaguar), 12 procyon cancrivorus (crab-eating raccoon), 4 speothos venati ...	2005	16082932
amblyomma latepunctatum, a valid tick species (acari: ixodidae) long misidentified with both amblyomma incisum and amblyomma scalpturatum.	in 2000, we initiated an investigation on the tick fauna of rondônia state, where we collected many specimens of amblyomma scalpturatum neumann, 1906 and amblyomma incisum neumann, 1906. in addition, we also collected a third group of ticks that were morphologically closely related to those 2 species, but sufficiently different to be considered a distinct species; members of this group were subsequently identified as amblyomma latepunctatum tonelli-rondelli, 1939, through comparison with the typ ...	2005	16108543
a collection of ticks (ixodidae) from wild birds in uruguay.	thirty nine wild birds from seven families (alcedinidae, emberizidae, furnariidae, parulidae, trochilidae, turdidae and tyrannidae) were caught from 4 to 7 of february, 2004 at rincón da vassoura (31 degrees 15' s 56 degrees 03' w) department of tacuarembó, uruguay. ninety one nymphs and forty one larvae of ixodidae were recovered from them. the majority of ticks were conventionally identified but 16s mitochondrial rdna sequences were obtained for larvae and nymphs of amblyomma with uncertain sp ...	2005	16132744
amblyomma tigrinum (acari: ixodidae): new data on hosts and biology of immature stages and on dna composition.	biological data of immature stages of amblyomma tigrinum were obtained from larvae and nymphs both fed on rats and rabbits. data from nymphs recovered from a wild rodent (galea musteloides) are also reported. additional results in dna composition of males moulted from nymphs fed on laboratory and wild hosts are presented. the ticks were maintained in darkness at 27 +/- 1 degrees c and 83-86% rh. the mean recovery rates were 49.1% and 43.6% with a moulting success of 96.2% and 90.8% in larvae fed ...	2005	16143451
description of the larva of amblyomma longirostre (koch,1844)(acari: ixodidae) by light and scanning electron microscopy.	the description of the larva of amblyomma longirostre (koch, 1844) is based on optical and scanning electron microscopy. larvae (f1) were obtained under laboratory conditions from an engorged a. longirostre female, which had been collected on a coendu prehensilis (linnaeus) (rodentia: erethizontidae) from the jaraguá mountain, são paulo municipality, state of são paulo, brazil. several characters are presented including the chaetotaxy of idiosoma, palps and haller's organ, campaniform sensillum ...	2005	16153345
[the effect of immersion in distilled water on the engorged larvae and nymphs of amblyomma cajennense (fabricius,1787)(acari: ixodidae)].	to evaluate the effect of the immersion of engorged larvae and nymphs of amblyomma cajennense, these stages were immersed by 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours in test tubes containing distilled water. the period of premolt of the nymphs increased proportionally to the time of immersion (p<0.05). the ecdisis period, the longevity and the mortality (days) were similar in all of treatments (p>0.05). the percentage of ecdisis in nymphs was reduced after 72 hours of immersion of the larvae (p<0.05). none of th ...	2005	16153347
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
experimental infection of adult and juvenile coyotes with domestic dog and wild coyote isolates of hepatozoon americanum (apicomplexa: adeleorina).	each of five adult and four juvenile coyotes (canis latrans) was exposed to an oral dose of 50 hepatozoon americanum oocysts recovered from amblyomma maculatum ticks that previously fed on either naturally infected domestic dogs (canis familiaris) or naturally infected wild coyotes. all coyotes exposed to h. americanum became infected, regardless of isolate source, and all exhibited mild to moderate clinical disease that simulated american canine hepatozoonosis in naturally infected dogs. at 100 ...	2005	16244069
detection of babesia caballi in amblyomma variegatum ticks (acari: ixodidae) collected from cattle in the republic of guinea.	a reverse line blot hybridisation (rlb) assay was applied to screen amblyomma variegatum adult ticks (n = 504) collected from n'dama cattle in the republic of guinea. in a pcr, the v1 hypervariable region of the 16s ribosomal rna (rrna) gene was amplified with a set of primers unique for species of the genera anaplasma and ehrlichia, and the v4 hypervariable region of the 18s rrna gene was amplified with primers specific for members of the genera theileria and babesia. amplified pcr products fro ...	2005	16252481
characterization of stages of hepatozoon americanum and of parasitized canine host cells.	american canine hepatozoonosis is caused by hepatozoon americanum, a protozoan parasite, the definitive host of which is the tick, amblyomma maculatum. infection of the dog follows ingestion of ticks that harbor sporulated h. americanum oocysts. following penetration of the intestinal mucosa, sporozoites are disseminated systemically and give rise to extensive asexual multiplication in cells located predominantly in striated muscle. the parasitized canine cells in "onion skin" cysts and in granu ...	2005	16301575
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
reptile trade and the risk of exotic tick introductions into southern south american countries.	ticks exotic for the neotropical region were found on python regius imported into argentina and chile. all ticks (7 males and 3 females) were classified as amblyomma latum koch, 1844 ( = aponomma latum). additionally, four lots comprising 18 males of the argentinean tortoise tick, amblyomma argentinae neumann, 1904, were found on a terrestrial tortoise, chelonoidis chilensis, and on three terrestrial tortoises (probably c. chilensis) imported to uruguay presumably from argentina). these findings ...	2005	15969465
redescription of amblyomma fuscum neumann, 1907 (acari: ixodidae), a rare south america tick confirmed in brazil.	the species amblyomma fuscum neumann, 1907 is a rare tick found on the neotropical region, but it has not been recorded as a valid taxon in some lists proposed by current taxonomists. after a comparison between the brazilian material of a. fuscum deposited in the acari collection of the butantan institute, são paulo, brazil, and the male type deposited in leiden museum of natural history, the netherlands, we confirm the taxonomic validity of a. fuscum and redescribe the adult specimens based on ...	2005	15980961
effects of combining the fungi beauveria bassiana and metarhizium anisopliae on the mortality of the tick amblyomma variegatum (ixodidae) in relation to seasonal changes.	the effect of formulation, fungal concentration, type and seasonal changes on the mortality of the tick amblyomma variegatum was investigated. a previous study demonstrated high pathogenicity of strains of the fungi beauveria bassiana and metarhizium anisopliae against the ticks rhipicephalus appendiculatus and amblyomma variegatum (kaaya et al. j invertebr pathol 1996; 67: 15-20). the present study was undertaken to explore possible additive or synergistic effects of the two fungi on a. variega ...	2005	15983739
ticks on crested francolins, francolinus sephaena, and on the vegetation on a farm in limpopo province, south africa.	ticks were collected at approximately bi-monthly intervals between june 1996 and june 1997 from crested francolins, francolinus sephaena, and from the vegetation on a mixed cattle and wildlife farm in limpopo province, south africa. the birds were infested with the immature stages of 13 tick species, of which amblyomma hebraeum, amblyomma marmoreum and hyalomma marginatum rufipes were the most numerous and prevalent. ten ixodid tick species were collected from the vegetation, of which the immatu ...	2005	16562738
feeding predilection of gulf coast tick, amblyomma maculatum koch, nymphs on cattle.	gulf coast tick nymphs successfully attached and fed on cattle after being freely released. six hereford heifers were each infested with approximately 2000 gulf coast tick nymphs, three with a strain originating from refugio co., tx, and three with ticks from osage co., ks by free release on the head and legs to simulate field acquisition of questing nymphs. two re-infestations were conducted, the first at 7 days and the second at 28 days. nymph dispersal was estimated by daily inspection of 22 ...	2005	15993001
manipulation of host cytokine network by ticks: a potential gateway for pathogen transmission.	ticks are obligatory blood-feeding arthropods that secrete various immunomodulatory molecules to antagonize host inflammatory and immune responses. cytokines play an important role in regulating these responses. we investigated the extent to which ticks interact with the sophisticated cytokine network by comparing the effect of salivary gland extracts (sge) of 3 ixodid tick species, dermacentor reticulatus, amblyomma variegatum and ixodes ricinus, all of which are important vectors of tick-borne ...	2005	15796016
observations on distribution and seasonal activity of the gulf coast tick in mississippi.	medical importance of the gulf coast tick, amblyomma maculatum koch, has been highlighted with the recent discovery of a new rickettsial pathogen associated with this tick. accordingly, distribution and seasonal collection records of a. maculatum were assessed in mississippi by using three sources of data: sampling of experimental field plots, national tick collection records, and mississippi department of health human tick biting records. a. maculatum was collected in 17/82 (21%) mississippi co ...	2005	15799527
the amblyomma maculatum koch, 1844 (acari: ixodidae: amblyomminae) tick group: diagnostic characters, description of the larva of a. parvitarsum neumann, 1901, 16s rdna sequences, distribution and hosts.	a review of the largely confused amblyomma maculatum koch, 1844 tick group of the subgenus anastosiella santos dias, 1963 (a. neumanni ribaga, 1902, a. maculatum, a. parvitarsum neumann, 1901, a. tigrinum koch, 1844 and a. triste koch, 1844) is presented together with a discussion of the diagnostic characters used for the determination of adults, nymphs and, to a lesser extent, larvae. a key for this tick group is produced, including the description of the larva of a. parvitarsum, 1901. sequence ...	2005	15841347