Publications
| Title | Abstract | Year(sorted ascending) Filter | PMID Filter |
|---|
| the relevance of tick bites to the production of ige antibodies to the mammalian oligosaccharide galactose-a-1,3-galactose. | in 2009, we reported a novel form of delayed anaphylaxis to red meat that is related to serum ige antibodies to the oligosaccharide galactose-a-1,3-galactose (alpha-gal). most of these patients had tolerated meat for many years previously. the implication is that some exposure in adult life had stimulated the production of these ige antibodies. | 2011 | 21453959 |
| comparative analysis of hemocyte phagocytosis between six species of arthropods as measured by flow cytometry. | phagocytosis of pathogens by hemocytes is a rapid-acting immune response and represents a primary means of limiting microbial infection in some species of arthropods. to survey the relative capacity of hemocyte phagocytosis as a function of the arthropod immune response, we examined the extent of phagocytosis among a wide taxonomic range of arthropod species including a decapod crustacean (litopenaeus vannamei), three ixodid tick species (amblyomma americanum, dermacentor variabilis, and ixodes ... | 2011 | 21843526 |
| toward an understanding of the perpetuation of the agent of tularemia. | the epidemiology of tularemia has influenced, perhaps incorrectly skewed, our views on the ecology of the agent of tularemia. in particular, the central role of lagomorphs needs to be reexamined. diverse observations, some incidental, and some that are more generally reproducible, have not been synthesized so that the critical elements of the perpetuation of francisella tularensis can be identified. developing a quantitative model of the basic reproduction number of f. tularensis may require sep ... | 2011 | 21687803 |
| rickettsia rickettsii (rickettsiales: rickettsiaceae) in amblyomma americanum (acari: ixodidae) from kansas. | the role of lone star ticks as vectors for rocky mountain spotted fever (rmsf) remains poorly described. we compared the entomological inoculation rates (eirs) for rickettsia spp. for representative sites in missouri and kansas, states that frequently report rmsf each year. host-seeking ticks were collected during 2006 and pooled tick homogenates analyzed by polymerase chain reaction to detect probable r. rickettsii, with confirmation for multiple gene targets performed on individual ticks from ... | 2011 | 21485390 |
| the immunopathology of canine vector-borne diseases. | abstract: the canine vector-borne infectious diseases (cvbds) are an emerging problem in veterinary medicine and the zoonotic potential of many of these agents is a significant consideration for human health. the successful diagnosis, treatment and prevention of these infections is dependent upon firm understanding of the underlying immunopathology of the diseases in which there are unique tripartite interactions between the microorganism, the vector and the host immune system. although signific ... | 2011 | 21489234 |
| updates on borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex with respect to public health. | borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) complex is a diverse group of worldwide distributed bacteria that includes 18 named spirochete species and a still not named group proposed as genomospecies 2. descriptions of new species and variants continue to be recognized, so the current number of described species is probably not final. most of known spirochete species are considered to have a limited distribution. eleven species from the b. burgdorferi s.l. complex were identified in and strictly ass ... | 2011 | 21890064 |
| essential oils of cupressus funebris, juniperus communis, and j. chinensis (cupressaceae) as repellents against ticks (acari: ixodidae) and mosquitoes (diptera: culicidae) and as toxicants against mosquitoes. | juniperus communis leaf oil, j. chinensis wood oil, and cupressus funebris wood oil (cupressaceae) from china were analyzed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. we identified 104 compounds, representing 66.8-95.5% of the oils. the major components were: α-pinene (27.0%), α-terpinene (14.0%), and linalool (10.9%) for j. communis; cuparene (11.3%) and δ-cadinene (7.8%) for j. chinensis; and α-cedrene (16.9%), cedrol (7.6%), and β-cedrene (5.7%) for c. funebris. the essen ... | 2011 | 22129397 |
| tick cell lines for study of crimean-congo hemorrhagic fever virus and other arboviruses. | abstract continuous cell lines derived from many of the vectors of tick-borne arboviruses of medical and veterinary importance are now available. their role as tools in arbovirus research to date is reviewed and their potential application in studies of tick cell responses to virus infection is explored, by comparison with recent progress in understanding mosquito immunity to arbovirus infection. a preliminary study of propagation of the human pathogen crimean-congo hemorrhagic fever virus (cc ... | 2011 | 21955214 |
| beauveria bassiana (ascomycota: hypocreales) as a management agent for free-living amblyomma americanum (acari: ixodidae) in ohio. | unfed adult amblyomma americanum were exposed to the entomopathogenic fungus beauveria bassiana and placed in the field. ticks exposed to the fungus experienced higher mortality than those in the control group (p = 0.001). it is recommended that for inclusion in a tick management program, the fungus be applied in the late evening during the months march through june as this is when ticks are most active and conditions suitable for fungal activity occur. | 2011 | 20607363 |
| anointing chemicals and hematophagous arthropods: responses by ticks and mosquitoes to citrus (rutaceae) peel exudates and monoterpene components. | some birds and mammals roll on or wipe themselves with the fruits or leaves of citrus spp. or other rutaceae. these anointing behaviors, as with anointing in general, are thought to function in the topical acquisition of chemicals that deter consumers, including hematophagous arthropods. we measured avoidance and other responses by nymphal lone star ticks (amblyomma americanum) and adult female yellow fever mosquitoes (aedes aegypti) to lemon peel exudate and to 24 volatile monoterpenes (racemat ... | 2011 | 21409496 |
| Geographical distribution and prevalence of selected Borrelia, Ehrlichia, and Rickettsia infections in Amblyomma americanum (Acari: Ixodidae) in New Jersey. | We used published accounts to describe the known statewide distribution of the lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum, in New Jersey and field surveys to characterize the geographical range of A. americanum and selected A. americanum-transmitted pathogens in Monmouth County, the hypothesized northern limit of the species distribution. Ticks were collected using standardized methods from 50 widely dispersed public access areas within 18 municipalities to produce estimates of relative abundance amon ... | 2011 | 22017087 |
| distribution and molecular characterization of wolbachia endosymbionts and filarial nematodes in maryland populations of the lone star tick (amblyomma americanum). | the lone star tick amblyomma americanum is host to a wide diversity of endosymbiotic bacteria. we identified a novel wolbachia symbiont infecting a. americanum. multilocus sequence typing phylogenetically placed the endosymbiont in the increasingly diverse f supergroup. we assayed a total of 1031 ticks (119 females, 78 males and 834 nymphs in 89 pools) from 16 maryland populations for infection. infection frequencies in the natural populations were approximately 5% in females and <2% (minimum in ... | 2011 | 21410491 |
| rna interference in ticks. | ticks are obligate hematophagous ectoparasites of wild and domestic animals and humans, and are considered to be second worldwide to mosquitoes as vectors of human diseases(1) and the most important vectors affecting cattle industry worldwide(2). ticks are classified in the subclass acari, order parasitiformes, suborder ixodida and are distributed worldwide from arctic to tropical regions(3). despite efforts to control tick infestations, these ectoparasites remain a serious problem for human and ... | 2011 | 21304465 |
| tick-borne encephalitis virus in dogs - is this an issue? | abstract: the last review on tick-borne encephalitis (tbe) in dogs was published almost ten years ago. since then, this zoonotic tick-borne arbovirus has been geographically spreading and emerging in many regions in eurasia and continues to do so. dogs become readily infected with tbe virus but they are accidental hosts not capable to further spread the virus. they seroconvert upon infection but they seem to be much more resistant to the clinical disease than humans. apart from their use as sent ... | 2011 | 21489255 |
| evaluation of glycoproteins purified from adult and larval camel ticks (hyalomma dromedarii) as a candidate vaccine. | in order to identify antigens that can help prevent camel tick infestations, three major glycoproteins (glps) about 97, 66 and 40 kda in size were purified from adult and larval egyptian ticks, hyalomma (h.) dromedarii, using a single-step purification method with con-a sepharose. the purified glps were evaluated as vaccines against camel tick infestation in rabbits. the rabbits received three intramuscular inoculations of glps (20 µg/animal) on days 0, 14, and 28. in the immunoblot analysis, se ... | 2011 | 21897098 |
| First transcriptome of the testis-vas deferens-male accessory gland and proteome of the spermatophore from Dermacentor variabilis (Acari: Ixodidae). | Ticks are important vectors of numerous human diseases and animal diseases. Feeding stimulates spermatogenesis, mating and insemination of male factors that trigger female reproduction. The physiology of male reproduction and its regulation of female development are essentially a black box. Several transcriptomes have catalogued expression of tick genes in the salivary glands, synganglion and midgut but no comprehensive investigation has addressed male reproduction and mating. Consequently, a ne ... | 2011 | 21949745 |
| high rates of rickettsia parkeri infection in gulf coast ticks (amblyomma maculatum) and identification of "candidatus rickettsia andeanae" from fairfax county, virginia. | the gulf coast tick, amblyomma maculatum, is a vector of rickettsia parkeri, a recently identified human pathogen that causes a disease with clinical symptoms that resemble a mild form of rocky mountain spotted fever. because the prevalence of r. parkeri infection in geographically distinct populations of a. maculatum is not fully understood, a. maculatum specimens collected as part of a tick and pathogen surveillance system in fairfax county, virginia, were screened to determine pathogen infect ... | 2011 | 21867421 |
| evaluation of 4-poster acaricide applicators to manage tick populations associated with disease risk in a tennessee retirement community. | in 1993, four residents of a retirement community in middle tennessee were hospitalized with symptoms of ehrlichiosis causing community managers to implement mitigation methods to reduce tick numbers. for the past four years, managers have utilized 4-poster acaricide applicators that aim to reduce disease risk to residents by killing ticks that feed on deer. to determine the efficacy of this technique, we assessed amblyomma americanum abundance in the vicinity of the devices by dragging 400 m ve ... | 2011 | 22129412 |
| assessment of bacterial diversity in the cattle tick rhipicephalus (boophilus) microplus through tag-encoded pyrosequencing. | ticks are regarded as the most relevant vectors of disease-causing pathogens in domestic and wild animals. the cattle tick, rhipicephalus (boophilus) microplus, hinders livestock production in tropical and subtropical parts of the world where it is endemic. tick microbiomes remain largely unexplored. the objective of this study was to explore the r. microplus microbiome by applying the bacterial 16s tag-encoded flx-titanium amplicon pyrosequencing (btefap) technique to characterize its bacterial ... | 2011 | 21211038 |
| amblyomma americanum (l.) (acari: ixodidae) tick salivary gland serine protease inhibitor (serpin) 6 is secreted into tick saliva during tick feeding. | in order to successfully feed and transmit disease agents, ticks are thought to inject serine protease inhibitors (serpins) into the host to modulate host defense responses to tick feeding, such as inflammation, the complement activation pathway and blood coagulation. in this study, we show that amblyomma americanum (aam) serpin (s) 6 is putatively injected into the host during tick feeding, in that the antibody to recombinant (r) aams6 specifically reacted with the expected ~43/45 kda aams6 pro ... | 2011 | 21270316 |
| a further insight into the sialome of the tropical bont tick, amblyomma variegatum. | ticks--vectors of medical and veterinary importance--are themselves also significant pests. tick salivary proteins are the result of adaptation to blood feeding and contain inhibitors of blood clotting, platelet aggregation, and angiogenesis, as well as vasodilators and immunomodulators. a previous analysis of the sialotranscriptome (from the greek sialo, saliva) of amblyomma variegatum is revisited in light of recent advances in tick sialomes and provides a database to perform a proteomic study ... | 2011 | 21362191 |
| emergence of a new pathogenic ehrlichia species, wisconsin and minnesota, 2009. | ehrlichiosis is a clinically important, emerging zoonosis. only ehrlichia chaffeensis and e. ewingii have been thought to cause ehrlichiosis in humans in the united states. patients with suspected ehrlichiosis routinely undergo testing to ensure proper diagnosis and to ascertain the cause. | 2011 | 21812671 |
| an acarologic survey and amblyomma americanum distribution map with implications for tularemia risk in missouri. | in the united states, tickborne diseases occur focally. missouri represents a major focus of several tickborne diseases that includes spotted fever rickettsiosis, tularemia, and ehrlichiosis. our study sought to determine the potential risk of human exposure to human-biting vector ticks in this area. we collected ticks in 79 sites in southern missouri during june 7-10, 2009, which yielded 1,047 adult and 3,585 nymphal amblyomma americanum, 5 adult amblyomma maculatum, 19 adult dermacentor variab ... | 2011 | 21363979 |
| the afhsc-division of geis operations predictive surveillance program: a multidisciplinary approach for the early detection and response to disease outbreaks. | the armed forces health surveillance center, division of global emerging infections surveillance and response system operations (afhsc-geis) initiated a coordinated, multidisciplinary program to link data sets and information derived from eco-climatic remote sensing activities, ecologic niche modeling, arthropod vector, animal disease-host/reservoir, and human disease surveillance for febrile illnesses, into a predictive surveillance program that generates advisories and alerts on emerging infec ... | 2011 | 21388561 |
| experimental primary and secondary infections of domestic dogs with ehrlichia ewingii. | in this study, the infection dynamics of ehrlichia ewingii, causative agent of granulocytotropic ehrlichiosis in dogs and humans, was examined in experimentally infected dogs by using a combination of physical examination, hematologic and biochemical analyses, and molecular and serologic assays. for the experimental trials, blood from an e. ewingii-infected dog was inoculated intravenously into two na+»ve dogs and two dogs with prior experimental exposure to e. ewingii (both were negative for e. ... | 2011 | 21397411 |
| susceptibility of four tick species, amblyomma americanum, dermacentor variabilis, ixodes scapularis, and rhipicephalus sanguineus (acari: ixodidae), to nootkatone from essential oil of grapefruit. | toxicity of nootkatone was determined in laboratory assays against unfed nymphs of amblyomma americanum l., dermacentor variabilis (say), ixodes scapularis say, and rhipicephalus sanguineus latreille. we determined the 50% lethal concentration (lc50) and 90% lethal concentration (lc90) of nootkatone by recording tick mortality 24 h after exposure in treated glass vials. nymphs were susceptible to nootkatone with lc50 values of 0.352, 0.233, 0.169, and 0.197 microg/cm2, and lc90 values of 1.001, ... | 2011 | 21485368 |
| efficacy of spinosad against acaricide-resistant and -susceptible rhipicephalus (boophilus) microplus and acaricide-susceptible amblyomma americanum and dermacentor variabilis. | various acaricide-resistant strains of rhipicephalus (boophilus) microplus, representative of the major resistance mechanisms found in mexico and brazil, were exposed to spinosad using the food and agriculture organization of the united nations larval packet test and adult immersion test (ait). larvae of all strains tested were found to be susceptible to spinosad. conversely, spinosad did not show toxic activity toward engorged females used in the ait. in vitro tests against larvae, nymphs, and ... | 2011 | 21485374 |
| Southern Tick-Associated Rash Illness (STARI) in the North: STARI following a tick bite in Long Island, New York. | The most common clinical manifestation of Lyme disease is the characteristic rash, erythema migrans (EM). In the 1980s EM-like eruptions were reported in Missouri and other southeastern states. The EM-like eruptions, which were of unknown etiology, often followed the bite of the Lone Star tick (Amblyomma americanum) and the rash is called STARI (southern tick-associated rash illness). Although the Lone Star tick is found in the Lyme disease-endemic areas of New England and Mid-Atlantic regions o ... | 2011 | 21940418 |
| Infection prevalences of common tick-borne pathogens in adult lone star ticks (Amblyomma americanum) and American dog ticks (Dermacentor variabilis) in Kentucky. | Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Lyme disease, and ehrlichiosis are tick-borne diseases that are reported annually in Kentucky. We conducted a survey to describe infection prevalence of tick-borne pathogens in Amblyomma americanum and Dermacentor variabilis ticks collected in Kentucky. During 2007-2008, we collected 287 ticks (179 D. variabilis and 108 A. americanum) from canine, feral hog, horse, raccoon, white-tailed deer, and human hosts in six counties in Kentucky. Ticks were screened for Ricke ... | 2011 | 21976578 |
| implication of haematophagous arthropod salivary proteins in host-vector interactions. | the saliva of haematophagous arthropods contains an array of anti-haemostatic, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory molecules that contribute to the success of the blood meal. the saliva of haematophagous arthropods is also involved in the transmission and the establishment of pathogens in the host and in allergic responses. this survey provides a comprehensive overview of the pharmacological activity and immunogenic properties of the main salivary proteins characterised in various haematophag ... | 2011 | 21951834 |
| elimination of borrelia burgdorferi and anaplasma phagocytophilum in rodent reservoirs and ixodes scapularis ticks using a doxycycline hyclate-laden bait. | a field trial was conducted in a lyme disease-endemic area of new jersey to determine the efficacy of a doxycyline hyclate rodent bait to prophylactically protect and cure small-mammal reservoirs and reduce infection rates in questing ixodes scapularis ticks for borrelia burgdorferi and anaplasma phagocytophilum. the doxycycline-laden bait was formulated at a concentration of 500 mg/kg and delivered during the immature tick feeding season in rodent-targeted bait boxes. the percentage of infected ... | 2011 | 22144454 |
| a survey on endoparasites and ectoparasites of stray cats from mashhad (iran) and association with risk factors. | as there appeared to be no data available on parasite infection of stray cats in the region and considering the potential threat of stray cats for animal and public health, the present study was carried out using biological samples and necropsy finding collected from cats captured in mashhad city in the northeast of iran. from a total 52 stray cats examined, 18 (34.6%) were male and 34 (65.4%) were female. ten species of endoparasites including helminthes and protozoa and two species of ectopara ... | 2011 | 23024505 |
| neural control of salivary glands in ixodid ticks. | studies of tick salivary glands (sgs) and their components have produced a number of interesting discoveries over the last four decades. however, the precise neural and physiological mechanisms controlling sg secretion remain enigmatic. major studies of sg control have identified and characterized many pharmacological and biological compounds that activate salivary secretion, including dopamine (da), octopamine, γ-aminobutyric acid (gaba), ergot alkaloids, pilocarpine (pc), and their pharmacolog ... | 2011 | 22119563 |
| migratory birds, ticks, and bartonella. | bartonella spp. infections are considered to be vector-borne zoonoses; ticks are suspected vectors of bartonellae. migratory birds can disperse ticks infected with zoonotic pathogens such as rickettsia and tick-borne encephalitis virus and possibly also bartonella. thus, in the present study 386 tick specimens collected in spring 2009 from migratory birds on the mediterranean islands capri and antikythera were screened for bartonella spp. rna. one or more ticks were found on 2.7% of the birds. m ... | 2011 | 22957116 |
| food-induced anaphylaxis. | food-induced anaphylaxis (fia) is a serious allergic reaction that may cause death rapidly in otherwise healthy individuals. there is no universal agreement on its definition or criteria for diagnosis. hospital admissions for fia have more than doubled in the last decade. food is one of the most common causes of anaphylaxis, with most surveys indicating that food-induced reactions account for 30% to 50% of cases. the most commonly implicated foods are peanut, tree nuts, milk, eggs, sesame seeds, ... | 2011 | 22244239 |
| brown spider (loxosceles genus) venom toxins: tools for biological purposes. | venomous animals use their venoms as tools for defense or predation. these venoms are complex mixtures, mainly enriched of proteic toxins or peptides with several, and different, biological activities. in general, spider venom is rich in biologically active molecules that are useful in experimental protocols for pharmacology, biochemistry, cell biology and immunology, as well as putative tools for biotechnology and industries. spider venoms have recently garnered much attention from several rese ... | 2011 | 22069711 |
| prostaglandins and their receptors in insect biology. | we treat the biological significance of prostaglandins (pgs) and their known receptors in insect biology. pgs and related eicosanoids are oxygenated derivatives of arachidonic acid (aa) and two other c20 polyunsaturated fatty acids. pgs are mostly appreciated in the context of biomedicine, but a growing body of literature indicates the biological significance of these compounds extends throughout the animal kingdom, and possibly beyond. the actions of most pgs are mediated by specific receptors. ... | 2011 | 22654840 |
| distribution and infection frequency of 'candidatus rickettsia amblyommii' in maryland populations of the lone star tick (amblyomma americanum) and culture in an anopheles gambiae mosquito cell line. | amblyomma americanum (the lone star tick) is a broadly distributed tick that transmits multiple pathogens of humans and domestic animals. 'candidatus rickettsia amblyommii' is a spotted-fever group rickettsial species that is potentially associated with human disease. in 2008 and 2009, we assayed over 500 unfed adult ticks from 19 maryland populations for the presence of 'candidatus r. amblyommii'. infection frequencies ranged from 33% to 100%, with an average infection rate of 60% in 2008 and 6 ... | 2011 | 22309857 |
| experimental use of two standard tick collection methods to evaluate the relative effectiveness of several plant-derived and synthetic repellents against ixodes scapularis and amblyomma americanum (acari: ixodidae). | we used two standard tick collection methods to test the relative effectiveness of two natural product compounds (nootkatone and carvacrol, classified as an eremophilene sesquiterpene and a monoterpene, respectively, that are derived from botanical sources) with commercially-available plant-derived (ecosmart organic insect repellent, comprised of plant essential oils) and permethrin-based (repel permanone) repellents against ixodes scapularis say and amblyomma americanum (l.). cloth drags were e ... | 2011 | 22299371 |
| efficacy of amitraz-impregnated collars on white-tailed deer (artiodactyla: cervidae) in reducing free-living populations of lone star ticks (acari: ixodidae). | over a 7 yr period, we monitored the effect of a commercially available, amitraz impregnated anti-tick collar in controlling free-living populations of lone star ticks, amblyomma americanum (l.) when manually fitted around necks of white-tailed deer, odocoileus virginianus (zimmermann). study animals in treatment and control groups were confined in 38.8 ha game-fenced and densely vegetated treatment plots in south texas. tick densities during years 1 and 7 served as untreated pre- and posttreatm ... | 2012 | 23356088 |
| relationship between habitat type, fire frequency, and amblyomma americanum populations in east-central alabama. | ticks were collected from 20 sites in the calhoun, cherokee, and cleburne counties in east-central alabama areas to determine the relationship between plant physiognomy, environmental variables, and tick populations. sites investigated included various burning regimes, wildland-urban-interface (wui), a college campus, and an unmanaged area. amblyomma americanum (l.) (acari: ixodidae) dominated the tick population while ixodes scapularis say was not encountered. there were complex differences in ... | 2012 | 23181862 |
| reverse line blot probe design and polymerase chain reaction optimization for bloodmeal analysis of ticks from the eastern united states. | determining the host preference of vector ticks is vital to elucidating the eco-epidemiology of the diseases they spread. detachment of ticks from captured hosts can provide evidence of feeding on those host species, but only for those species that are feasible to capture. recently developed, highly sensitive molecular assays show great promise in allowing host selection to be determined from minute traces of host dna that persist in recently molted ticks. using methods developed in europe as a ... | 2012 | 22679879 |
| development of a mitochondrial 12s rdna analysis for distinguishing sciuridae species with potential to transmit ehrlichia and borrelia species to feeding amblyomma americanum (acari: ixodidae). | unique oligonucleotide probes were synthesized to distinguish among closely related vertebrate mitochondrial rdna sequences present in residual bloodmeals in emergent amblyomma americanum (l.) (acari: ixodidae) nymph life-stage ticks. use of these probes enabled the identification of the eastern gray squirrel as an important bloodmeal source in nymphs harboring ehrlichia and borrelia species. these results were confirmed by identifying these same bacterial genera in eastern gray squirrel tissues ... | 2012 | 22679888 |
| presence, genetic variability, and potential significance of "candidatus midichloria mitochondrii" in the lone star tick amblyomma americanum. | we used next generation sequencing to detect the bacterium "candidatus midichloria mitochondrii" for the first time in lone star ticks (amblyomma americanum) from the eastern united states. 177 individuals and 11 tick pools from seven sites in four states were tested by pyrosequencing with barcoded 16s rrna gene eubacterial primers targeting variable regions 5-3. average infection prevalence was 0.15 across all surveyed populations (range 0-0.29) and only the site with the smallest sample size ( ... | 2012 | 22678102 |
| plane of nutrition by tick-burden interaction in cattle: effect on growth and metabolism. | ticks are external parasites, which pose a significant economic burden to domestic animal agriculture. the effects of ticks on grazing animals may be exacerbated during periods of low nutrition, such as those encountered during drought. it is not completely understood how plane of nutrition and tick burden interact to affect metabolism in cattle. the objective of the current research was to examine the plane of nutrition by tick-burden interaction in cattle and determine the effects of this inte ... | 2012 | 22665634 |
| the ecology of fear: host foraging behavior varies with the spatio-temporal abundance of a dominant ectoparasite. | prey engage in myriad behaviors to avoid predation, and these indirect effects of predators on their prey are often measured by the amount of food abandoned by a forager (the "giving-up density", or gud) in a given habitat. recent evidence suggests that hosts may engage in comparable behaviors to avoid exposure to parasites. we investigated changes in local foraging and regional space use by mammal hosts for the lone star tick (amblyomma americanum), using guds as an indicator of the perceived r ... | 2012 | 22311098 |
| efficacy of plant-derived and synthetic compounds on clothing as repellents against ixodes scapularis and amblyomma americanum (acari: ixodidae). | we conducted field trials to compare the relative repellent activity of two natural product compounds (nootkatone and carvacrol) with commercially available plant-derived (ecosmart organic insect repellent) and permethrin-based (repel permanone) repellents against adult ixodes scapularis say and amblyomma americanum (l.) (acari: ixodidae) by using treated coveralls. one day after treatment, nootkatone and carvacrol provided 100% repellency of i. scapularis adults, with nootkatone maintaining com ... | 2012 | 22308777 |
| insulin-like growth factor binding protein 7, a member of insulin-like growth factor signal pathway, involved in immune response of small abalone haliotis diversicolor. | insulin-like growth factor binding protein 7 (igfbp7), the only member of the igfbp superfamily that binds strongly to insulin, may have different functions from other igfbps. unlike other igfbps, there is no knowledge available on aquatic invertebrate igfbp7. in this study, a molluscan igfbp7 gene, saigfbp7, was cloned for the first time from the small abalone haliotis diversicolor. its full-length cdna sequence is 1812 bp, with a 720 bp open reading frame encoding a protein of 239 aa. the mole ... | 2012 | 22584203 |
| expression and regulation of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (mif) in feeding american dog ticks, dermacentor variabilis. | macrophage migration inhibitory factor (mif) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine produced by many mammalian tissues. it is also found in ticks and may function to aid the tick in regulating host responses to tick feeding. our hypothesis is that mif functions in tick blood meal acquisition and pathogen transmission. this study was performed to understand the expression and regulation of mif in the american dog tick, dermacentor variabilis during early stages of blood feeding. we used quantitative reve ... | 2012 | 22476444 |
| transmission electron microscopy reveals distinct macrophage- and tick cell-specific morphological stages of ehrlichia chaffeensis. | ehrlichia chaffeensis is an emerging tick-borne rickettsial pathogen responsible for human monocytic ehrlichiosis. despite the induction of an active host immune response, the pathogen has evolved to persist in its vertebrate and tick hosts. understanding how the organism progresses in tick and vertebrate host cells is critical in identifying effective strategies to block the pathogen transmission. our recent molecular and proteomic studies revealed differences in numerous expressed proteins of ... | 2012 | 22615806 |
| galactose-α-1,3-galactose-specific ige is associated with anaphylaxis but not asthma. | ige antibodies to the mammalian oligosaccharide galactose-α-1,3-galactose (α-gal) are common in the southeastern united states. these antibodies, which are induced by ectoparasitic ticks, can give rise to positive skin tests or serum assays with cat extract. | 2012 | 22281828 |
| anaplasma phagocytophilum in small mammals and ticks in northeast florida. | human anaplasmosis is an emerging tick-borne disease in the united states, but few studies of the causative agent, anaplasma phagocytophilum, have been conducted in southeastern states. the aim of this study was to determine if a. phagocytophilum is present in small mammals and ticks in northeast florida. polymerase chain reaction assays designed to amplify portions of the major surface protein 2 gene (p44), 16s rdna, and groesl operons were used to test rodent blood and tick dna samples for the ... | 2012 | 22548563 |
| determination of wolbachia diversity in butterflies from western ghats, india, by a multigene approach. | members of the genus wolbachia are intracellular bacteria that are widespread in arthropods and establish diverse symbiotic associations with their hosts, ranging from mutualism to parasitism. here we present the first detailed analyses of wolbachia in butterflies from india with screening of 56 species. twenty-nine species (52%) representing five families were positive for wolbachia. this is the first report of wolbachia infection in 27 of the 29 species; the other two were reported previously. ... | 2012 | 22504801 |
| a peculiar cause of anaphylaxis: no more steak? the journey to discovery of a newly recognized allergy to galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose found in mammalian meat. | in recent years, a newly recognized allergic disease has been uncovered, and seemingly idiopathic causes of anaphylaxis now have an explanation. individuals bitten by the lone star tick may develop ige antibodies to the carbohydrate galactose-α-1,3-galactose (alpha-gal). upon exposure of sensitized subjects to mammalian meat containing alpha-gal on glycoproteins or glycolipids, delayed anaphylaxis may ensue, often three to six hours after ingestion.1 many of these individuals have negative aller ... | 2012 | 22815061 |
| fusion to snowdrop lectin magnifies the oral activity of insecticidal ω-hexatoxin-hv1a peptide by enabling its delivery to the central nervous system. | the spider-venom peptide ω-hexatoxin-hv1a (hv1a) targets insect voltage-gated calcium channels, acting directly at sites within the central nervous system. it is potently insecticidal when injected into a wide variety of insect pests, but it has limited oral toxicity. we examined the ability of snowdrop lectin (gna), which is capable of traversing the insect gut epithelium, to act as a "carrier" in order to enhance the oral activity of hv1a. | 2012 | 22761779 |
| ixodes scapularis (acari: ixodidae) distribution surveys in the chicago metropolitan region. | considering recent studies confirming an increased risk of contracting lyme disease near metropolitan chicago, we surveyed a more comprehensive area to assess whether the geographical distribution and establishment of ixodes scapularis (say) populations across northeast illinois are widespread or limited in occurrence. from may through october 2008 and from april through october 2009, 602 i. scapularis ticks of all three life stages (larva, nymph, adult) were collected from sites in cook, dupage ... | 2012 | 22897059 |
| laboratory-infected ehrlichia chaffeensis female adult amblyomma americanum salivary glands reveal differential gene expression. | ticks are efficient ectoparasites that are able to steal blood, a rich source of nutrients, from their vertebrate hosts. the nymphal developmental stage of ticks plays an important role for pathogen transmission to human and other animal hosts. in this article, we describe a bloodmeal-based sex differentiation tool to generate adult female ticks infected with ehrlichia chaffeensis to investigate vector-pathogen interactions (functional genomics and gene expression studies). we demonstrate that t ... | 2012 | 22679861 |
| considerations for assessing maximum critical temperatures in small ectothermic animals: insights from leaf-cutting ants. | the thermal limits of individual animals were originally proposed as a link between animal physiology and thermal ecology. although this link is valid in theory, the evaluation of physiological tolerances involves some problems that are the focus of this study. one rationale was that heating rates shall influence upper critical limits, so that ecological thermal limits need to consider experimental heating rates. in addition, if thermal limits are not surpassed in experiments, subsequent tests o ... | 2012 | 22384147 |
| new species of ehrlichia isolated from rhipicephalus (boophilus) microplus shows an ortholog of the e. canis major immunogenic glycoprotein gp36 with a new sequence of tandem repeats. | ehrlichia species are the etiological agents of emerging and life-threatening tick-borne human zoonoses that inflict serious and fatal infections in companion animals and livestock. the aim of this paper was to phylogeneticaly characterise a new species of ehrlichia isolated from rhipicephalus (boophilus) microplus from minas gerais, brazil. | 2012 | 23231731 |
| seroprevalence of ehrlichia canis, ehrlichia chaffeensis and ehrlichia ewingii in dogs in north america. | this study evaluated the exposure of dogs to three different ehrlichia spp. in the south and central regions of the united states where vector-borne disease prevalence has been previously difficult to ascertain, particularly beyond the metropolitan areas. | 2012 | 22316160 |
| the sialotranscriptome of antricola delacruzi female ticks is compatible with non-hematophagous behavior and an alternative source of food. | the hosts for antricola delacruzi ticks are insectivorous, cave-dwelling bats on which only larvae are found. the mouthparts of nymphal and adult a. delacruzi are compatible with scavenging feeding because the hypostome is small and toothless. how a single blood meal of a larva provides energy for several molts as well as for oviposition by females is not known. adults of a. delacruzi possibly feed upon an unknown food source in bat guano, a substrate on which nymphal and adult stages are always ... | 2012 | 22306723 |
| disintegrins from hematophagous sources. | bloodsucking arthropods are a rich source of salivary molecules (sialogenins) which inhibit platelet aggregation, neutrophil function and angiogenesis. here we review the literature on salivary disintegrins and their targets. disintegrins were first discovered in snake venoms, and were instrumental in our understanding of integrin function and also for the development of anti-thrombotic drugs. in hematophagous animals, most disintegrins described so far have been discovered in the salivary gland ... | 2012 | 22778902 |
| phylogeography and demographic history of amblyomma variegatum (fabricius) (acari: ixodidae), the tropical bont tick. | the genetic diversity of amblyomma variegatum (fabricius) from four caribbean islands and five african countries was compared by analyzing the sequences of three gene fragments, two mitochondrial (12srdna and d-loop-dl), and one nuclear (intergenic transcribed spacer 2 [its2]). genetic variability of the its2 dna fragment consisted of only uninformative single nucleotide mutations, and therefore this gene was excluded from further analyses. mitochondrial gene divergences among african population ... | 2012 | 22448720 |
| efficacy of an imidacloprid/flumethrin collar against fleas and ticks on cats. | the objectives of the studies listed here were to ascertain the therapeutic and sustained efficacy of 10% imidacloprid (w/w) and 4.5% flumethrin (w/w) incorporated in a slow-release matrix collar, against laboratory-infestations of fleas and ticks on cats. efficacy was evaluated against the flea ctenocephalides felis felis, and the ticks ixodes ricinus, amblyomma americanum and rhipicephalus turanicus. the number of studies was so large that only a general overview can be presented in this abstr ... | 2012 | 22541037 |
| evaluation of the long-term efficacy and safety of an imidacloprid 10%/flumethrin 4.5% polymer matrix collar (seresto®) in dogs and cats naturally infested with fleas and/or ticks in multicentre clinical field studies in europe. | the objective of these two gcp multicentre european clinical field studies was to evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of a new imidacloprid/flumethrin collar (seresto®, bayer animalhealth, investigational veterinary product(ivp)) in dogs and cats naturally infested with fleas and/or ticks in comparison to a dimpylat collar ("ungezieferband fuer hunde/fuer katzen", beaphar, control product (cp)). | 2012 | 22463745 |
| anaphylactic reactions to oligosaccharides in red meat: a syndrome in evolution. | while most allergic responses to food are directed against protein epitopes and occur within 30 minutes of ingesting the allergen, recent studies suggest that delayed reactions may occur, sometimes mediated by ige antibodies directed against carbohydrate moieties. the objective of this review is to summarize the clinical features and management of delayed hypersensitivity reactions to mammalian meat mediated by ige antibodies to galactose-alpha 1,3-galactose (alpha-gal), an oligosaccharide. | 2012 | 22397506 |
| cyp52x1, representing new cytochrome p450 subfamily, displays fatty acid hydroxylase activity and contributes to virulence and growth on insect cuticular substrates in entomopathogenic fungus beauveria bassiana. | infection of insects by the entomopathogenic fungus beauveria bassiana proceeds via attachment and penetration of the host cuticle. the outermost epicuticular layer or waxy layer of the insect represents a structure rich in lipids including abundant amounts of hydrocarbons and fatty acids. a member of a novel cytochrome p450 subfamily, cyp52x1, implicated in fatty acid assimilation by b. bassiana was characterized. b. bassiana targeted gene knockouts lacking bbcyp52x1 displayed reduced virulence ... | 2012 | 22393051 |
| composition and seasonal variation of rhipicephalus turanicus and rhipicephalus sanguineus bacterial communities. | a 16s rrna gene approach, including 454 pyrosequencing and quantitative pcr (qpcr), was used to describe the bacterial community in rhipicephalus turanicus and to evaluate the dynamics of key bacterial tenants of adult ticks during the active questing season. the bacterial community structure of rh. turanicus was characterized by high dominance of coxiella and rickettsia and extremely low taxonomic diversity. parallel diagnostic pcr further revealed a novel coxiella species which was present and ... | 2012 | 22467507 |
| borrelia burgdorferi infections in the united states. | it is becoming increasingly evident that the clinical presentation of infection with borrelia burgdorferi varies greatly between different parts of the world. a growing number of european and asian isolates of lyme borreliae, differing from the american strain of borrelia burgdorferi, have been identified in several different disorders. in light of the increasing number of reports describing an association between various cutaneous disorders and infection with borrelia burgdorferi and the contro ... | 2012 | 22916311 |
| the role of cystatins in tick physiology and blood feeding. | ticks, as obligate hematophagous ectoparasites, impact greatly on animal and human health because they transmit various pathogens worldwide. over the last decade, several cystatins from different hard and soft ticks were identified and biochemically analyzed for their role in the physiology and blood feeding lifestyle of ticks. all these cystatins are potent inhibitors of papain-like cysteine proteases, but not of legumain. tick cystatins were either detected in the salivary glands and/or the mi ... | 2012 | 22647711 |
| natural product studies of u.s. endangered plants: volatile components of lindera melissifolia (lauraceae) repel mosquitoes and ticks. | the number of endangered plant species in the u.s. is significant, yet studies aimed towards utilizing these plants are limited. ticks and mosquitoes are vectors of significant pathogenic diseases of humans. repellents are critical means of personal protection against biting arthropods and disease transmission. the essential oil and solvent extracts from lindera melissifolia (walt.) blume (lauraceae) (pondberry) drupes were gathered and analyzed by gc and gc-ms. the essential oil obtained from t ... | 2012 | 22704653 |
| detection of wolbachia in the tick ixodes ricinus is due to the presence of the hymenoptera endoparasitoid ixodiphagus hookeri. | the identification of micro-organisms carried by ticks is an important issue for human and animal health. in addition to their role as pathogen vectors, ticks are also the hosts for symbiotic bacteria whose impact on tick biology is poorly known. among these, the bacterium wolbachia pipientis has already been reported associated with ixodes ricinus and other tick species. however, the origins of wolbachia in ticks and their consequences on tick biology (known to be very diverse in invertebrates, ... | 2012 | 22292021 |
| identification of endosymbionts in ticks by broad-range polymerase chain reaction and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. | many organisms, such as insects, filarial nematodes, and ticks, contain heritable bacterial endosymbionts that are often closely related to transmissible tickborne pathogens. these intracellular bacteria are sometimes unique to the host species, presumably due to isolation and genetic drift. we used a polymerase chain reaction/electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry assay designed to detect a wide range of vectorborne microorganisms to characterize endosymbiont genetic signatures from amblyomm ... | 2012 | 22897044 |
| spider-venom peptides as bioinsecticides. | over 10,000 arthropod species are currently considered to be pest organisms. they are estimated to contribute to the destruction of ~14% of the world's annual crop production and transmit many pathogens. presently, arthropod pests of agricultural and health significance are controlled predominantly through the use of chemical insecticides. unfortunately, the widespread use of these agrochemicals has resulted in genetic selection pressure that has led to the development of insecticide-resistant a ... | 2012 | 22741062 |
| biology of francisella tularensis subspecies holarctica live vaccine strain in the tick vector dermacentor variabilis. | the γ-proteobacterium francisella tularensis is the etiologic agent of seasonal tick-transmitted tularemia epizootics in rodents and rabbits and of incidental infections in humans. the biology of f. tularensis in its tick vectors has not been fully described, particularly with respect to its quanta and duration of colonization, tissue dissemination, and transovarial transmission. a systematic study of the colonization of dermacentor variabilis by the f. tularensis subsp. holarctica live vaccine ... | 2012 | 22530023 |
| acaricidal activity of ethanolic extract from aerial parts of tagetes patula l. (asteraceae) against larvae and engorged adult females of rhipicephalus sanguineus (latreille, 1806). | the tick rhipicephalus sanguineus is the species with the largest worldwide distribution and is proven to be involved in the transmission of pathogens such as babesia canis, ehrlichia canis, coxiella burnetii, rickettsia ricketsii, rickettsia conorii, among others. studies have demonstrated acquisition of resistance to some of the active principles used in commercial formulations of acaricides. tagetes patula (asteraceae) is a plant with highlighted economic and commercial importance due to the ... | 2012 | 23244493 |
| tick-box for 3'-end formation of mitochondrial transcripts in ixodida, basal chelicerates and drosophila. | according to the trna punctuation model, the mitochondrial genome (mtdna) of mammals and arthropods is transcribed as large polycistronic precursors that are maturated by endonucleolytic cleavage at trna borders and rna polyadenylation. starting from the newly sequenced mtdna of ixodes ricinus and using a combination of mitogenomics and transcriptional analyses, we found that in all currently-sequenced tick lineages (prostriata, metastriata and argasidae) the 3'-end of the polyadenylated nad1 an ... | 2012 | 23077630 |
| detection and identification of putative bacterial endosymbionts and endogenous viruses in tick cell lines. | as well as being vectors of many viral, bacterial, and protozoan pathogens of medical and veterinary importance, ticks harbour a variety of microorganisms which are not known to be pathogenic for vertebrate hosts. continuous cell lines established from ixodid and argasid ticks could be infected with such endosymbiotic bacteria and endogenous viruses, but to date very few cell lines have been examined for their presence. dna and rna extracted from over 50 tick cell lines deposited in the roslin w ... | 2012 | 22743047 |
| rnai in arthropods: insight into the machinery and applications for understanding the pathogen-vector interface. | the availability of genome sequencing data in combination with knowledge of expressed genes via transcriptome and proteome data has greatly advanced our understanding of arthropod vectors of disease. not only have we gained insight into vector biology, but also into their respective vector-pathogen interactions. by combining the strengths of postgenomic databases and reverse genetic approaches such as rnai, the numbers of available drug and vaccine targets, as well as number of transgenes for su ... | 2012 | 24705082 |
| bioinformatics and expression analyses of the ixodes scapularis tick cystatin family. | the cystatins are inhibitors of papain- and legumain-like cysteine proteinases, classified in merops subfamilies i25a-i25c. this study shows that 84 % (42/50) of tick cystatins are putatively extracellular in subfamily i25b and the rest are putatively intracellular in subfamily i25a. on the neighbor joining phylogeny guide tree, subfamily i25a members cluster together, while subfamily i25b cystatins segregate among prostriata or metastriata ticks. two ixodes scapularis cystatins, aay66864 and is ... | 2012 | 23053911 |
| analysis of babesia bovis infection-induced gene expression changes in larvae from the cattle tick, rhipicephalus (boophilus) microplus. | cattle babesiosis is a tick-borne disease of cattle that has severe economic impact on cattle producers throughout the world's tropical and subtropical countries. the most severe form of the disease is caused by the apicomplexan, babesia bovis, and transmitted to cattle through the bite of infected cattle ticks of the genus rhipicephalus, with the most prevalent species being rhipicephalus (boophilus) microplus. we studied the reaction of the r. microplus larval transcriptome in response to infe ... | 2012 | 22871314 |
| tick salivary secretion as a source of antihemostatics. | ticks are mostly obligatory blood feeding ectoparasites that have an impact on human and animal health. in addition to direct damage due to feeding, some tick species serve as the vectors for the causative agents of several diseases, such as the spirochetes of the genus borrelia causing lyme disease, the virus of tick-borne encephalitis, various rickettsial pathogens or even protozoan parasites like babesia spp. hard ticks are unique among bloodfeeders because of their prolonged feeding period t ... | 2012 | 22564820 |
| survey of borreliae in ticks, canines, and white-tailed deer from arkansas, u.s.a. | in the eastern and upper midwestern regions of north america, ixodes scapularis (l.) is the most abundant tick species encountered by humans and the primary vector of b. burgdorferi, whereas in the southeastern region amblyomma americanum (say) is the most abundant tick species encountered by humans but cannot transmit b. burgdorferi. surveys of borreliae in ticks have been conducted in the southeastern united states and often these surveys identify b. lonestari as the primary borrelia species, ... | 2012 | 22781030 |
| co2 flagging - an improved method for the collection of questing ticks. | most epidemiological studies on tick-borne pathogens involve collection of ticks from the environment. an efficient collection method is essential for large sample pools. our main aim was to evaluate the efficacy of a new method, where traditional flagging was enhanced by the use of co2 dispersed into the white flannel. the co2 was spread through a rubber hose network inserted into the flag blanket. the research was conducted in spring, in march-april 2011 in two locations from cluj county, roma ... | 2012 | 22720872 |
| evolution, expansion and expression of the kunitz/bpti gene family associated with long-term blood feeding in ixodes scapularis. | abstract: background: recent studies of the tick saliva transcriptome have revealed the profound role of salivary proteins in blood feeding. kunitz/bpti proteins are abundant in the salivary glands of ticks and perform multiple functions in blood feeding, such as inhibiting blood coagulation, regulating host blood supply and disrupting host angiogenesis. however, kunitz/bpti proteins in soft and hard ticks have different functions and molecular mechanisms. how these differences emerged and whet ... | 2012 | 22244187 |
| anaplasma odocoilei sp. nov. (family anaplasmataceae) from white-tailed deer (odocoileus virginianus). | recently, an undescribed anaplasma sp. (also called ehrlichia-like sp. or wtd agent) was isolated in ise6 tick cells from captive white-tailed deer. the goal of the current study was to characterize this organism using a combination of experimental infection, morphologic, serologic, and molecular studies. each of 6 experimentally inoculated white-tailed deer fawns (odocoileus virginianus) became chronically infected (100+ days) with the anaplasma sp. by inoculation of either infected whole blood ... | 2012 | 23276749 |
| tick cell culture isolation and growth of rickettsia raoultii from dutch dermacentor reticulatus ticks. | tick cell lines play an important role in research on ticks and tick-borne pathogenic and symbiotic microorganisms. in an attempt to derive continuous dermacentor reticulatus cell lines, embryo-derived primary cell cultures were set up from eggs laid by field ticks originally collected as unfed adults in the netherlands and maintained for up to 16 months. after several months, it became evident that cells in the primary cultures were infected with a rickettsia-like intracellular organism. supern ... | 2012 | 23140894 |
| The indoor air and asthma: the role of cat allergens. | The objective is to discuss recent progress in our understanding of the role of the indoor environment in asthma, focusing on the special role of cat allergens. | 2012 | 22081090 |
| ticks and spotted fever group rickettsiae of southeastern virginia. | the incidence of tick-borne rickettsial disease in the southeastern united states has been rising steadily through the past decade, and the range expansions of tick species and tick-borne infectious agents, new and old, has resulted in an unprecedented mix of vectors and pathogens. the results of an ongoing 4-year surveillance project describe the relative abundance of questing tick populations in southeastern virginia. since 2009, more than 66,000 questing ticks of 7 species have been collected ... | 2013 | 24201057 |
| deorphanization and target validation of cross-tick species conserved novel amblyomma americanum tick saliva protein. | we previously identified a cross-tick species conserved tick feeding stimuli responsive amblyomma americanum (aam) av422 gene. this study demonstrates that aamav422 belongs to a novel group of arthropod proteins that is characterized by 14 cysteine amino acid residues: c(23)-x7/9-c(33)-x23/24-c(58)-x8-c(67)-x7-c(75)-x23-c(99)-x15-c(115)-x10-c(126)-x24/25/33-c(150)c(151)-x7-c(159)-x8-c(168)-x23/24-c(192)-x9/10-c(202) predicted to form seven disulfide bonds. we show that aamav422 protein is a ubiq ... | 2013 | 23428900 |
| anaplasma phagocytophilum--a widespread multi-host pathogen with highly adaptive strategies. | the bacterium anaplasma phagocytophilum has for decades been known to cause the disease tick-borne fever (tbf) in domestic ruminants in ixodes ricinus-infested areas in northern europe. in recent years, the bacterium has been found associated with ixodes-tick species more or less worldwide on the northern hemisphere. a. phagocytophilum has a broad host range and may cause severe disease in several mammalian species, including humans. however, the clinical symptoms vary from subclinical to fatal ... | 2013 | 23885337 |
| ehrlichia moonlighting effectors and interkingdom interactions with the mononuclear phagocyte. | ehrlichia chaffeensis is an obligately intracellular gram negative bacterium with a small genome that thrives in mammalian mononuclear phagocytes by exploiting eukaryotic processes. herein, we discuss the latest findings on moonlighting tandem repeat protein effectors and their secretion mechanisms, and novel molecular interkingdom interactions that provide insight into the intracellular pathobiology of ehrlichiae. | 2013 | 24141087 |
| amblyomma americanum tick saliva serine protease inhibitor 6 is a cross-class inhibitor of serine proteases and papain-like cysteine proteases that delays plasma clotting and inhibits platelet aggregation. | we previously demonstrated that amblyomma americanum tick serine protease inhibitor 6 (aams6) was secreted into the host during tick feeding and that both its mrna and protein were ubiquitously and highly expressed during the first 3 days of tick feeding. this study demonstrates that aams6 is a cross-class inhibitor of both serine- and papain-like cysteine proteases that has apparent antihaemostatic functions. consistent with the typical inhibitory serpin characteristics, enzyme kinetics analyse ... | 2013 | 23521000 |
| ehrlichia chaffeensis replication sites in adult drosophila melanogaster. | ehrlichia chaffeensis is a gram-negative, obligate intracellular bacterium which causes the tick-borne disease human monocytic ehrlichiosis. in vertebrates, e. chaffeensis replicates in monocytes and macrophages. however, no clear cell or tissue tropism has been defined in arthropods. our group identified two host genes that control e. chaffeensis replication and infection in vivo in drosophila, uridine cytidine kinase and separation anxiety. using the uas-gal4 rnai system, we generated f1 flies ... | 2013 | 23306065 |
| molecular and functional characterization of vacuolar-atpase from the american dog tick dermacentor variabilis. | vacuolar (v)-atpase is a proton-translocating enzyme that acidifies cellular compartments for various functions such as receptor-mediated endocytosis, intracellular trafficking and protein degradation. previous studies in dermacentor variabilis chronically infected with rickettsia montanensis have identified v-atpase as one of the tick-derived molecules transcribed in response to rickettsial infection. to examine the role of the tick v-atpase in tick-rickettsia interactions, a full-length 2887-b ... | 2013 | 24164319 |
| the genome sequence of lone star virus, a highly divergent bunyavirus found in the amblyomma americanum tick. | viruses in the family bunyaviridae infect a wide range of plant, insect, and animal hosts. tick-borne bunyaviruses in the phlebovirus genus, including severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (sftsv) in china, heartland virus (hrtv) in the united states, and bhanja virus in eurasia and africa have been associated with acute febrile illness in humans. here we sought to characterize the growth characteristics and genome of lone star virus (lsv), an unclassified bunyavirus originally isola ... | 2013 | 23637969 |
| comparison of a real-time pcr method with serology and blood smear analysis for diagnosis of human anaplasmosis: importance of infection time course for optimal test utilization. | anaplasmosis and ehrlichiosis are emerging tick-borne diseases with clinically similar presentations caused by closely related pathogens. currently, laboratories rely predominantly on blood smear analysis (for the detection of intracellular morulae) and on serologic tests, both of which have recognized limitations, for diagnostic purposes. we compared the performance of a published real-time pcr assay that incorporates melt curve analysis to differentiate anaplasma and ehrlichia species with blo ... | 2013 | 23637292 |
| the rare ospc allele l of borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, commonly found among samples collected in a coastal plain area of the southeastern united states, is associated with ixodes affinis ticks and local rodent hosts peromyscus gossypinus and sigmodon hispidus. | the rare ospc allele l was detected in 30% of borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto strains cultured from a tick species, ixodes affinis, and two rodent host species, peromyscus gossypinus and sigmodon hispidus, collected in a coastal plain area of georgia and south carolina, in the southeastern united states. | 2013 | 23220965 |
| a novel approach, based on blsoms (batch learning self-organizing maps), to the microbiome analysis of ticks. | ticks transmit a variety of viral, bacterial and protozoal pathogens, which are often zoonotic. the aim of this study was to identify diverse tick microbiomes, which may contain as-yet unidentified pathogens, using a metagenomic approach. dna prepared from bacteria/archaea-enriched fractions obtained from seven tick species, namely amblyomma testudinarium, amblyomma variegatum, haemaphysalis formosensis, haemaphysalis longicornis, ixodes ovatus, ixodes persulcatus and ixodes ricinus, was subject ... | 2013 | 23303373 |
| effect of latitude on the rate of change in incidence of lyme disease in the united states. | tick-borne illnesses represent an important class of emerging zoonoses, with climate change projected to increase the geographic range within which tick-borne zoonoses might become endemic. we evaluated the impact of latitude on the rate of change in the incidence of lyme disease in the united states, using publicly available data. | 2013 | 25077101 |