Publications

rna interference in ticks: a study using histamine binding protein dsrna in the female tick amblyomma americanum.	rna interference (rnai), a gene silencing process, has been recently exploited to determine gene function by degrading specific mrnas in several eukaryotic organisms. we constructed a double stranded rna (dsrna) from a previously cloned putative amblyomma americanum histamine binding protein (hbp) to test the significance of using this methodology in the assessment of the function and importance of gene products in ectoparasitic ticks. the female salivary glands incubated in vitro with hbp dsrna ...	2003	12752664
efficacy of two 65% permethrin spot-on formulations against induced infestations of ctenocephalides felis (insecta: siphonaptera) and amblyomma americanum (acari: ixodidae) on beagles.	the efficacy of two formulations of a topically applied 65% permethrin spot-on (defend exspot treatment for dogs, schering-plough animal health) was evaluated against experimental infestations of the cat flea ctenocephalides felis and the lone star tick amblyomma americanum in dogs. eighteen dogs were randomly assigned to treatment with 65% permethrin in either diethylene glycol monomethyl ether (dgme; original formulation) or propylene glycol monomethyl ether (pgme) or to be untreated as a cont ...	2003	12756635
comprehensive analysis of the factor h binding capabilities of borrelia species associated with lyme disease: delineation of two distinct classes of factor h binding proteins.	some lyme disease spirochete isolates can bind complement regulatory protein factor h (fh), a process that may allow evasion of complement-mediated killing. here we demonstrate significant differences in the fh binding capabilities of species of the borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex. the percentages of b. burgdorferi, b. afzelii, and b. garinii bacteria that bound fh in either enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays or affinity ligand binding immunoblot assays were 100, 83, and 29%, respectivel ...	2003	12761145
survival, replication, and antibody susceptibility of ehrlichia chaffeensis outside of host cells.	ehrlichia chaffeensis, an obligate intracellular, tick-transmitted bacterium, is susceptible to antibody-mediated host defense, but the mechanism by which this occurs is not understood. one possible explanation is that antibodies directly access the bacteria in the extracellular environment of the host, perhaps during bacterial intercellular transfer. accordingly, we investigated whether bacteria could be found outside of host cells during infection. host cell-free plasma obtained from infected ...	2003	12874298
molecular genetics and evolution of pheromone biosynthesis in lepidoptera.	a great diversity of pheromone structures are used by moth species (insecta: lepidoptera) for long-distance mating signals. the signal/response channel seems to be narrow for each species, and a major conundrum is how signal divergence has occurred in the face of strong selection pressures against small changes in the signal. observations of various closely related and morphologically similar species that use pheromone components biosynthesized by different enzymes and biosynthetic routes unders ...	2003	12876197
enzootic transmission of anaplasma bovis in nantucket cottontail rabbits.	serological studies of cottontail rabbits sampled from nantucket island, mass., have suggested exposure to at least two ehrlichiae. the agent of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (anaplasma phagocytophilum) is intensely enzootic in rabbits there, but the identity of the other ehrlichial infection remains undescribed. we sampled rabbits over five transmission seasons and tested their blood and tissues for evidence of infection using pcr targeting an ehrlichia genus-wide 16s rdna target. sequence an ...	2003	12904385
quantitative real-time pcr assay for detection of ehrlichia chaffeensis.	a real-time pcr assay was developed for the detection of ehrlichia chaffeensis. the assay is species specific and provides quantitative results in the range 10 to 10(10) gene copies. the assay is not inhibited by the presence of tick, human, or mouse dna and is compatible with high sample throughput. the assay was compared with previously described assays for e. chaffeensis.	2003	12904406
isolation of an anaplasma sp. organism from white-tailed deer by tick cell culture.	we used tick cell culture to isolate a bacterium previously referred to as the "white-tailed deer (wtd) agent" from two captive fawns inoculated with blood from wild wtd (odocoileus virginianus). buffy coat cells were added to ise6 tick cell cultures and incubated at 34 degrees c, and 8 days later, anaplasma-like inclusions were demonstrated in giemsa-stained culture samples. the microbes became established and could be continuously passaged in tick cells. the identity of a culture isolate desig ...	2003	12958265
development of a polyclonal competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detection of antibodies to ehrlichia ruminantium.	a polyclonal competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (pc-elisa) is described for detection of antibodies to ehrlichia (cowdria) ruminantium by using a soluble extract of endothelial cell culture-derived e. ruminantium as the antigen and biotin-labeled polyclonal goat immunoglobulins as the competitor. for goats, the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity were both 100% with a cutoff of 80% inhibition (80 pi), with detection of antibodies for 550 days postinfection. for cattle, diagnostic s ...	2003	12965926
a method for extraction and analysis of high quality genomic dna from ixodid ticks.	currently, no published methods describe the extraction of high molecular weight genomic dna from ixodid ticks (acari: ixodidae) and commonly used methods of extraction are not well adapted for use with members of this family. a method for extraction of minimally degraded genomic dna from ixodid ticks that can be completed in one or two days is described. the method produces dna which is of sufficient size (>24 kb) for use in southern analysis and which is readily digestible by restriction endon ...	2003	12823841
endocannabinoids and related fatty acid amides, and their regulation, in the salivary glands of the lone star tick.	the salivary glands and saliva from the lone star tick amblyomma americanum (l.) were analyzed for the presence of the two endogenous agonists of cannabinoid receptors, n-arachidonoylethanolamine (anandamide) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-ag), as well as of the anandamide congener, n-palmitoylethanolamine (pea), an anti-inflammatory and analgesic mediator that is inactive at cannabinoid receptors. two very sensitive mass-spectrometric techniques were used for this purpose. both 2-ag and pea, as ...	2003	12842196
ehrlichia chaffeensis infections among hiv-infected patients in a human monocytic ehrlichiosis-endemic area.	manifestations of human monocytic ehrlichiosis (hme), a tick-borne infection caused by ehrlichia chaffeensis, range from asymptomatic disease to fulminant infection and may be particularly severe in persons infected with hiv. we conducted a serologic study to determine the epidemiology of hme in hiv-positive patients residing in an hme-endemic area. we reviewed charts from a cohort of 133 hiv-positive patients who were seen during the 1999 tick season with symptoms compatible with hme (n=36) or ...	2003	14519250
the p53-dependent effects of macrophage migration inhibitory factor revealed by gene targeting.	macrophage migration inhibitory factor (mif) is a mediator of host immunity and functions as a high, upstream activator of cells within the innate and the adaptive immunological systems. recent studies have suggested a potentially broader role for mif in growth regulation because of its ability to antagonize p53-mediated gene activation and apoptosis. to better understand mif's activity in growth control, we generated and characterized a strain of mif-knockout (mif-ko) mice in the inbred, c57bl/ ...	2003	12878730
abstracts of the fourth international symposium on molecular insect science. may 28-june 2, 2002. tucson, arizona, usa.		2002	15455051
evolution of moth sex pheromones via ancestral genes.	mate finding in most moth species involves long-distance signaling via female-emitted sex pheromones. there is a great diversity of pheromone structures used throughout the lepidoptera, even among closely related species. the conundrum is how signal divergence has occurred. with strong normalizing selection pressure on blend composition and response preferences, it is improbable that shifts to pheromones of diverse structures occur through adaptive changes in small steps. here, we present data s ...	2002	12237399
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 ...	2002	14570118
how specific are host-produced kairomones to host-seeking ixodid ticks?	ixodid ticks respond to host-produced substances (kairomones) that influence the ticks' host-finding behavior. in the laboratory adult blacklegged ticks, ixodes scapularis say, lone star ticks, amblyomma americanum l., and american dog ticks, dermacentor variabilis (say) became akinetic on residues rubbed from their principal hosts (deer for the former two species and dogs for the latter). however, arrestment also occurred when adults of these species were tested using the same method bioassay, ...	2002	14570126
control of ixodes scapularis and amblyomma americanum through use of the '4-poster' treatment device on deer in maryland.	deer self-treatment devices ('4-posters') were evaluated for their efficacy in reducing populations of blacklegged ticks, ixodes scapularis, and lone star ticks, amblyomma americanum. at each of three locations in maryland, 25 '4-posters' were operated in study areas of approximately 5.18 km2. populations of host-seeking ticks were monitored by flagging of treated areas and similar untreated control areas without '4-posters.' from 1998 to 2002 the percent mortalities achieved were 69, 75.8 and 8 ...	2002	14570143
a ten-year study of tick biting in mississippi: implications for human disease transmission.	to determine exactly which tick species bit people in mississippi, information was gathered on ticks involved in human biting cases for the ten-year period, january 1, 1990-december 31, 1999. specimens were identified by the author and, in most cases, confirmed by personnel at the institute of arthropodology and parasitology, georgia southern university. a total of 119 ticks were recovered from 73 humans during the study period. seven tick species were represented; most common included the lone ...	2002	12853269
infection rates of amblyomma americanum and dermacentor variabilis by ehrlichia chaffeensis and ehrlichia ewingii in southwest missouri.	both ehrlichia chaffeensis and ehrlichia ewingii are causative agents of human ehrlichiosis. both pathogens are transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected lone star tick (amblyomma americanum). since missouri has a high incidence of human monocytic ehrlichiosis, we investigated the prevalence of e. chaffeensis- and e. ewingii-infected a. americanum and dermacentor variabilis (american dog tick) ticks to help assess the relative risk for humans exposed to these vectors. we used a neste ...	2002	12653298
effect of deer exclusion by fencing on abundance of amblyomma americanum (acari: ixodidae) on fire island, new york, usa.	the effects of deer exclusion on northern populations of lone star ticks, amblyomma americanum, were tested at the lighthouse tract, fire island, ny, usa, where densities of this species have increased recently. game fencing was erected to exclude deer from two sites of roughly one ha each, and populations of nymphal and adult a. americanum within were compared with those at control sites outside the exclosures. percent control of nymphs within vs. outside the exclosures averaged 48.4% in the fo ...	2002	12546457
identification of snare and cell trafficking regulatory proteins in the salivary glands of the lone star tick, amblyomma americanum (l.).	prostaglandin e(2) (pge(2)) stimulates secretion of tick salivary gland proteins via a phosphoinositide signaling pathway and mobilization of intracellular ca(2+) (). highly conserved intracellular snare (soluble nsf attachment protein receptors) complex proteins are associated with the mechanism of protein secretion in vertebrate and invertebrate neuronal and non-neuronal cells. proteins in the salivary glands of partially fed female lone star ticks cross-react individually with antibodies to s ...	2002	12429123
naturally occurring ehrlichia chaffeensis infection in two prosimian primate species: ring-tailed lemurs (lemur catta) and ruffed lemurs (varecia variegata).	a naturally occurring infection of ehrlichia chaffeensis in lemurs is described. dna of ehrlichia chaffeensis was identified by polymerase chain reaction in peripheral blood from six of eight clinically ill lemurs. organisms were cultured from the blood of one lemur exhibiting clinical and hematologic abnormalities similar to those of humans infected with e. chaffeensis.	2002	12498671
comparison of differentially expressed genes in the salivary glands of male ticks, amblyomma americanum and dermacentor andersoni.	genes expressed differentially in the salivary glands of unfed and fed male ticks, amblyomma americanum (l.), were identified, cloned and sequenced, and some were compared with those expressed in the salivary glands of dermacentor andersoni. total protein and rna increased sixfold in the salivary glands of fed male a. americanum, while in fed male d. andersoni salivary glands, rna increased approximately 3.5 times. feeding d. andersoni in the presence of females increased total rna by 25% over t ...	2002	12020839
analysis of serum and whole blood values in relation to helminth and ectoparasite infections of feral pigs in texas.	in the summers of 1996 and 1997, 60 wild pigs (sus scrofa) were necropsied from three sites in south texas (usa) to test the hypothesis that serum and whole blood parameters vary significantly (p < or = 0.05) with the prevalence and intensity of parasites infecting wild pigs. we found ten parasite species: five nematodes (metastrongylus salmi, metastrongylus pudentotectus, stephanurus dentatus, oesophagostomum dentatum, and physocephalus sexalatus); four ixodid ticks (amblyomma cajennense, ambly ...	2002	12038138
ehrlichia ewingii infection in white-tailed deer (odocoileus virginianus).	two closely related zoonotic ehrlichiae, ehrlichia chaffeensis and e. ewingii, are transmitted by amblyomma americanum, the lone star tick. because white-tailed deer (odocoileus virginianus) are critical hosts for all mobile stages of a. americanum and are important vertebrate reservoirs of e. chaffeensis, we investigated whether deer may be infected with e. ewingii, a cause of granulocytotropic ehrlichiosis in humans and dogs. to test for e. ewingii infection, we used polymerase chain reaction ...	2002	12095432
the omp-1 major outer membrane multigene family of ehrlichia chaffeensis is differentially expressed in canine and tick hosts.	sixteen of 22 omp-1 paralogs encoding 28-kda-range immunodominant outer membrane proteins of ehrlichia chaffeensis were transcribed in blood monocytes of dogs throughout a 56-day infection period. only one paralog was transcribed by e. chaffeensis in three developmental stages of amblyomma americanum ticks before or after e. chaffeensis transmission to naïve dogs.	2002	12117987
transmission of hepatozoon americanum (apicomplexa: adeleorina) by ixodids (acari: ixodidae).	american canine hepatozoonosis (ach) caused by hepatozoon americanum vincent-johnson, macintire, lindsay, lenz, baneth, and shkap is an emerging, often fatal, tick-borne protozoal disease of dogs in the united states of america. dogs acquire infection by ingesting ticks that contain oocysts. to understand the invertebrate (definitive) host range of h. americanum, experiments were carried out using four ixodids, rhipicephalus sanguineus (latreille), dermacentor variabilis say, amblyomma americanu ...	2002	12144294
dermacentor variabilis and boophilus microplus (acari: ixodidae): experimental vectors of babesia equi to equids.	the experimental vector competence of five laboratory-reared ixodid tick species representing three genera [amblyomma americanum (l.), boophilus microplus (canestrini), d. andersoni stiles, d. occidentalis marx, and d. variabilis (say)] for babesia equi (laveran 1901) was evaluated by delayed transfer of male ticks from infected to susceptible equids or by infesting the latter animals with adult ticks previously fed as nymphs on infected equids. after feeding for 5, 6, or 13 d on acquisition hos ...	2002	12144301
simultaneous detection of anaplasma marginale and a new ehrlichia species closely related to ehrlichia chaffeensis by sequence analyses of 16s ribosomal dna in boophilus microplus ticks from tibet.	to identify ehrlichial agents in boophilus microplus ticks, dna samples of b. microplus collected from the tibet autonomous region and sichuan province of china were screened by a nested pcr. sixteen of 43 (37%) dna samples of b. microplus from tibet were positive in nested pcr analysis. all 27 samples from sichuan were negative. the screen identified two ehrlichial agents based on different 16s rrna genes that were found after amplifying and sequencing the 5'-end fragments of the 16s rrna genes ...	2002	12202567
determination of novel borrelia genospecies in swedish ixodes ricinus ticks.	a total of 301 adult questing ixodes ricinus ticks were collected at 15 different locations along the south and east coasts of sweden to determine the borrelia genospecies diversity. thirty-two ticks (11%) were found to be positive by nested pcr with borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato-specific primers. species determination was based on partial sequencing of the 16s rrna gene and the flagellin gene. five different borrelia species were found. the nucleotide sequence of the borrelia dna found in two ...	2002	12202571
prevalence of ectoparasites in a population of feral cats from north central florida during the summer.	ectoparasites are a common and important cause of skin disorders in cats. ectoparasites are capable of disease transmission and can cause life-threatening anemia in young or debilitated animals. the objective of this study was to determine the potential feline ectoparasites in domestic cats by using a cohort of feral cats from north central florida that have not received veterinary care and have no known exposure to insecticide application. a total of 200 feral cats were randomly selected for th ...	2002	12383632
identity and synthesis of prostaglandins in the lone star tick, amblyomma americanum (l.), as assessed by radio-immunoassay and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.	high concentrations of pge(2) and pgf(2alpha) were identified by radio-immunoassay (ria) and/or gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (gc/ms) in the hemolymph, salivary glands and saliva of the lone star tick amblyomma americanum (l.). binding studies indicated that pge(2) was free and not bound to any proteins in the hemolymph. a small amount of 6-keto-pgf(1alpha) (breakdown product of pgi(2); prostacyclin) was also found in the salivary glands but not in the hemolymph or saliva. neither pgd(2) ...	2002	11804805
developmental profiles of ecdysteroids, ecdysteroid receptor mrnas and dna binding properties of ecdysteroid receptors in the ixodid tick amblyomma americanum (l.).	total body ecdysteroid titers were determined at specific stages during the larval and nymphal life of amblyomma americanum (l.). one ecdysteroid peak was observed following the completion of larval apolysis. however, two distinct ecdysteroid peaks occurred at a comparable stage in the nymphal molting cycle. the first occurred following apolysis and the second peak occurred at about the time of ecdysis. when whole body profiles of ecr and rxr mrnas were examined during the molting cycle using rt ...	2002	11886781
ticks parasitizing dogs in northwestern georgia.	from january 1998 through september 1999, 324 dogs in three northwestern georgia counties were examined for ticks. six species of ticks were recovered. the three most commonly collected ticks were the american dog tick, dermacentor variabilis (say) (310 male male, 352 female female; prevalence, 97%; mean intensity 2.1); the brown dog tick, rhipicephalus sanguineus (latreille) (118 male male, 119 female female, 38 nymphs; prevalence, 22%; mean intensity, 3.8); and the lone star tick, amblyomma am ...	2002	11931241
a survey for nymphs of host-seeking ixodes scapularis and amblyomma americanum (acari: ixodidae) on tree trunks in deciduous forests.	trunks of 83 trees in a mixed deciduous forests in maryland were sampled for the presence of nymphs of the blacklegged tick, ixodes scapularis say, and the lone star tick, amblyomma americanum (l.). although one or more nymphs of either i. scapularis or a. americanum was found in leaf litter and substrate < or = 1 m from the bases of 47% of the trees sampled, a total of 6 i. scapularis nymphs was found on the trunks of only five trees. no nymphs were found on the trunks of 12 dead trees. no a. a ...	2002	11931264
structure-based analysis of the ultraspiracle protein and docking studies of putative ligands.	the ultraspiracle protein (usp) is the insect ortholog of the mammalian retinoid x receptor (rxr). fundamental questions concern the functional role of usp as the heterodimerization partner of insect nuclear receptors such as the ecdysone receptor. the crystallographic structures of the ligand binding domain of usps of heliothis virescens and drosophila melanogaster solved recently show that helix 12 is locked in an antagonist conformation raising the question whether usps could adopt an agonist ...	2002	15455059
isolation of a spotted fever group rickettsia, rickettsia peacockii, in a rocky mountain wood tick, dermacentor andersoni, cell line.	an embryonic cell line (dae100) of the rocky mountain wood tick, dermacentor andersoni, was observed by microscopy to be chronically infected with a rickettsialike organism. the organism was identified as a spotted fever group (sfg) rickettsia by pcr amplification and sequencing of portions of the 16s rrna, citrate synthase, rickettsia genus-specific 17-kda antigen, and sfg-specific 190-kda outer membrane protein a (rompa) genes. sequence analysis of a partial rompa gene pcr fragment and indirec ...	2001	11157215
sensitive detection of ehrlichia chaffeensis in cell culture, blood, and tick specimens by reverse transcription-pcr.	ehrlichia chaffeensis is an obligatory intracellular bacterium of monocytes and macrophages and the etiologic agent of human monocytic ehrlichiosis, an emerging zoonosis. the lone star tick (amblyomma americanum) has been implicated as the primary vector of e. chaffeensis. the present study examined the sensitivity of the nested reverse transcription (rt)-pcr based on the 16s rrna gene relative to that of the nested pcr for detection of e. chaffeensis in infected dh82 cells, experimentally infec ...	2001	11158090
lone star tick-infecting borreliae are most closely related to the agent of bovine borreliosis.	although borrelia theileri, the agent of bovine borreliosis, was described at the turn of the century (in 1903), its relationship with borreliae causing lyme disease or relapsing fever remains undescribed. we tested the previously published hypothesis that spirochetes infecting lone star ticks (amblyomma americanum) may comprise b. theileri by analyzing the 16s ribosomal dnas (rdnas) and flagellin genes of these spirochetes. b. theileri, the amblyomma agent, and b. miyamotoi formed a natural gro ...	2001	11158095
animal model of fatal human monocytotropic ehrlichiosis.	human monocytotropic ehrlichiosis caused by ehrlichia chaffeensis is a life-threatening, tick-borne, emerging infectious disease for which no satisfactory animal model has been developed. strain hf565, an ehrlichial organism closely related to e. chaffeensis isolated from ixodes ovatus ticks in japan, causes fatal infection of mice. c57bl/6 mice became ill on day 7 after inoculation and died on day 9. the liver revealed confluent necrosis, ballooning cell injury, apoptosis, poorly formed granulo ...	2001	11159213
analysis of transcriptionally active gene clusters of major outer membrane protein multigene family in ehrlichia canis and e. chaffeensis.	ehrlichia canis and e. chaffeensis are tick-borne obligatory intramonocytic ehrlichiae that cause febrile systemic illness in humans and dogs, respectively. the current study analyzed the pleomorphic multigene family encoding approximately 30-kda major outer membrane proteins (omps) of e. canis and e. chaffeensis. upstream from seca and downstream of hypothetical transcriptional regulator, 22 paralogs of the omp gene family were found to be tandemly arranged except for one or two genes with oppo ...	2001	11254561
interdigital gland substances of white-tailed deer and the response of host-seeking ticks (acari: ixodidae).	host-seeking male and female blacklegged ticks, ixodes scapularis say, exhibited an arrestant response when contacting substances from front and rear interdigital glands of male and female white-tailed deer, odocoileus virginianus (zimmermann). female i. scapularis responded positively to substances from interdigital glands on the fore legs and hind legs of female deer, whereas male i. scapularis responded only to samples from the fore legs of does. these results showed that previously reported ...	2001	11268681
preliminary survey of ticks (acari: ixodidae) parasitizing wild turkeys (aves: phasianidae) in eastern kansas.	during the spring and fall turkey hunting seasons of 1999, hunters and kansas department of wildlife and parks field personnel examined wild turkeys, meleagris gallopavo l., for ticks and submitted them to us for identification. from springtime hunting, we received 113 ticks from 12 turkeys killed in nine counties, all in the eastern one-third of kansas. collectors reported examining three additional wild turkeys on which no ticks were found. all ticks were nymphal lone star ticks, amblyomma ame ...	2001	11268682
prevalence of infection in ticks submitted to the human tick test kit program of the u.s. army center for health promotion and preventive medicine.	in 1997, ticks removed from humans and received alive by the tick-borne disease laboratory of the u.s. army center for health promotion and preventive medicine (usachppm) were tested for pathogens by polymerase chain reaction (pcr). thirty-three of 222 (15%) amblyomma americanum (l.) dnas produced amplicons of the expected size of ehrlichia chaffeensis anderson, dawson & wilson and 26/222 (12%) produced amplicons indicating borrelia burgdorferi johnson, schmid, hyde, steigalt & brenner. five (2% ...	2001	11268694
ticks (acari: ixodidae) and spirochetes (spirochaetaceae: spirochaetales) recovered from birds on a georgia barrier island.	from september 1997 through july 1999, 300 individuals and 46 species of birds were mist-netted and screened for ticks and spirochetes on st. catherine's island, liberty county, ga. seventy-six (25%) of the birds were parasitized by a meal intensity of 4.6 ticks. seasonally, more birds were infested with ticks during the summer (50% in 1998, 34% in 1999) than in spring (15% in 1998, 11% in 1999) or fall (21% in 1997, 20% in 1998), mainly because of severe infestations on some birds by immature s ...	2001	11296828
effects of selected meterological factors on diurnal questing of ixodes scapularis and amblyomma americanum (acari: ixodidade).	the diurnal questing behavior of adult ixodes scapularis say and amblyomma americanum (l.) were monitored in the field to determine whether ticks would be collected with greater frequency during certain times of the day and under certain ambient meteorological conditions. temperature and relative humidity explained a significant amount of the total variation in tick collections. although both species were collected during every period, i. scapularis adults tended to quest earlier and later in th ...	2001	11296842
efficacy of granular deltamethrin against ixodes scapularis and amblyomma americanum (acari: ixodidade) nymphs.	a single barrier application of granular deltamethrin to the woodland edges of a forested residential community in late spring significantly reduced the abundance of ixodes scapularis say nymphs. the application also suppressed the population of amblyomma americanum (l.) nymphs, which recently became established in the study area. the efficacy of deltamethrin is compared with other commonly used acaricides.	2001	11296847
borrelia lonestari infection after a bite by an amblyomma americanum tick.	erythematous rashes that are suggestive of early lyme disease have been associated with the bite of amblyomma americanum ticks, particularly in the southern united states. however, borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of lyme disease, has not been cultured from skin biopsy specimens from these patients, and diagnostic serum antibodies usually have not been found. borrelia lonestari sp nov, an uncultured spirochete, has been detected in a. americanum ticks by dna amplification techniques, bu ...	2001	11372036
identification of ehrlichia spp. and borrelia burgdorferi in ixodes ticks in the baltic regions of russia.	the presence and distribution of ehrlichia spp. and borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato was demonstrated among ixodid ticks collected in the baltic regions of russia, where lyme borreliosis is endemic. a total of 3,426 ixodes ricinus and 1,267 ixodes persulcatus specimens were collected, and dark-field microscopy showed that 265 (11.5%) i. ricinus and 333 (26.3%) i. persulcatus ticks were positive. from these samples, 472 dark-field-positive and 159 dark-field-negative ticks were subjected to pcr an ...	2001	11376063
borrelia lonestari dna in adult amblyomma americanum ticks, alabama.	polymerase chain reaction analysis of 204 amblyomma americanum and 28 a. maculatum ticks collected in august 1999 near the homes of patients with southern tick-associated rash illness and in control areas in choctaw county, alabama, showed borrelia lonestari flagellin gene sequence from two adult a. americanum. the presence of b. lonestari in a. americanum ticks from alabama suggests that this suspected pathogen may be widespread in the southeastern united states.	2001	11384533
quantitative analyses of variations in the injury of endothelial cells elicited by 11 isolates of rickettsia rickettsii.	eleven isolates of spotted fever group rickettsiae from the blood of patients or ixodid ticks from north and south america were characterized. all isolates were identified as rickettsia rickettsii using restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of a 532-bp rompa gene fragment obtained by pcr. the ability of the r. rickettsii isolates to elicit cytopathic effects and parameters of oxidative injury were examined in cultured human ea.hy 926 endothelial cells. cytopathic effects were determi ...	2001	11427428
serodiagnosis of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis by using novel combinations of immunoreactive recombinant proteins.	a panel of seven recombinant antigens, derived from ehrlichia phagocytophila (the agent of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis), was evaluated by class-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (elisas) for utility in the diagnosis of the infection. fourteen genomic fragments, obtained by serologic expression screening, contained open reading frames (orfs) encoding 16 immunodominant antigens. eleven of these antigens were members of the major surface protein (msp) multigene family. alignment of th ...	2001	11427556
genetic heterogeneity of borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in the southern united states based on restriction fragment length polymorphism and sequence analysis.	fifty-six strains of borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, isolated from ticks and vertebrate animals in missouri, south carolina, georgia, florida, and texas, were identified and characterized by pcr-restriction fragment length polymorphism (rflp) analysis of rrf (5s)-rrl (23s) intergenic spacer amplicons. a total of 241 to 258 bp of intergenic spacers between tandemly duplicated rrf (5s) and rrl (23s) was amplified by pcr. msei and drai restriction fragment polymorphisms were used to analyze these ...	2001	11427560
ixodid ticks on white-tailed deer and feral swine in florida.	a state-wide survey was conducted in florida during the 1997-99 hunting seasons to examine white-tailed deer (odocoileus virginianus) and feral swine (sus scrofa) for potential indigenous vectors of the rickettsial agent of heartwater, cowdria ruminantium. a total of 504 white-tailed deer and 166 feral swine was examined from 30 wildlife management areas across the state. amblyomma maculatum, an experimental vector of c. ruminantium, was common on both deer and feral swine throughout the state. ...	2001	11469190
molecular and antigenic comparison of ehrlichia canis isolates from dogs, ticks, and a human in venezuela.	we previously culture isolated a strain of ehrlichia canis, the causative agent of canine ehrlichiosis, from a human in venezuela. in the present study, we examined whether dogs and ticks are infected with e. canis in venezuela and, if so, whether this is the same strain as the human isolate. pcr analysis using e. canis-specific primers revealed that 17 of the 55 dog blood samples (31%) and all three pools of four rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks each were positive. an ehrlichial agent (venezuelan ...	2001	11473993
birds disperse ixodid (acari: ixodidae) and borrelia burgdorferi-infected ticks in canada.	a total of 152 ixodid ticks (acari: ixodidae) consisting of nine species was collected from 82 passerine birds (33 species) in 14 locations in canada from 1996 to 2000. the lyme disease spirochete borrelia burgdorferi johnson, schmidt, hyde, steigerwaldt & brenner was cultured from the nymph of a blacklegged tick, ixodes scapularis say, that had been removed from a common yellowthroat, geothlypis trichas l., from bon portage island, nova scotia. as a result of bird movement, a nymphal i. scapula ...	2001	11476328
effects of pyriproxyfen on off-host water-balance and survival of adult lone star ticks (acari: ixodidae).	newly engorged nymphs of the lone star tick, amblyoma americanum (l.), were continuously exposed to 4 microg/cm2 of pyriproxyfen residues in glass vials. treatment of engorged nymphs (n = 285) resulted in significant molting inhibition, with more than one-fourth (26.7%, n = 76) of nymphs dying before or during ecdysis. treatment effects were evident among ticks that molted to the adult stage, with 26.7% (n = 76) of females, and 17.9% (n = 51) of males exhibiting moribund physical characteristics ...	2001	11476341
different activities and footwear influence exposure to host-seeking nymphs of ixodes scapularis and amblyomma americanum (acari: ixodidae).	the relative potential for a person accidentally acquiring host-seeking nymphs of the blacklegged tick, ixodes scapularis say, and lone star tick, amblyomma americanum (l.), while wearing either of two types of footwear, walking, crawling on hands and knees, and sitting on large fallen logs in deciduous woods, was evaluated. although flag samples indicated substantial populations of i. scapularis nymphs and low to moderate numbers of a. americanum at the study sites, relatively few i. scapularis ...	2001	11476342
effects of habitat structure on the retention of ixodes scapularis and amblyomma americanum (acari: ixodidae) adults during drag sampling surveys.	the ability of ixodes scapularis say and amblyomma americanum (l.) to remain on drags, once acquired, was tested in sparse and dense shrub layer vegetation. when placed on bottoms of drags, adults of both species remained attached for distances three to four times greater in sparse vegetation compared with dense vegetation. when attached to the tops of drags, the differences in retention of ticks on drags between vegetation densities were significant only for a. americanum. in dense vegetation, ...	2001	11476345
identification and characterization of a homologue of the pro-inflammatory cytokine macrophage migration inhibitory factor in the tick, amblyomma americanum.	studying tick feeding and digestion, we discovered in a cdna library from partially fed amblyomma americanum ticks the first known arthropod homologue of a human cytokine, the pro-inflammatory macrophage migration inhibitory factor (mif). the tick origin of the mif cdna clone was confirmed by sequencing a genomic fragment that contained the full-length tick mif gene with two introns. antiserum to a tick mif-specific peptide as well as antiserum to complete tick mif revealed the expression of tic ...	2001	11520355
western blot analysis of sera reactive to human monocytic ehrlichiosis and human granulocytic ehrlichiosis agents.	laboratory diagnosis of human ehrlichioses is routinely made by an indirect immunofluorescence assay (ifa) using cultured ehrlichia-infected whole cells as antigen. concern has been raised that incorrect diagnoses of human monocytic ehrlichiosis (hme) or human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (hge) may be made on the basis of serologic cross-reactivity between ehrlichia chaffeensis and the agent of hge. the present study examined whether two recombinant major outer membrane proteins, rp30 and rp44, tha ...	2001	11682518
risk of lyme disease: perceptions of residents of a lone star tick-infested community.	lone star ticks (amblyomma americanum) have been suggested as a vector of the agent of lyme disease (borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato) in the usa, based on associations with an infection manifesting mainly as erythema migrans. in laboratory experiments, however, they failed to transmit b. burgdorferi sensu stricto.	2001	11693973
lone-star tick bite of the conjunctiva.		2001	11735801
virulence functions of autotransporter proteins.		2001	11179284
clinical manifestations of tick-borne infections in children.		2000	10882645
efficacy of amitraz applied to white-tailed deer by the '4-poster' topical treatment device in controlling free-living lone star ticks (acari: ixodidae).	white-tailed deer treated themselves with a commercial pour-on acaricide formulation containing 2% amitraz as they fed from an ars-patented '4-poster' topical treatment device. whole kernel corn attracted deer to a single device placed in each of two deer-fenced pastures. in the treatment pasture, the rollers of the treatment device were charged with the acaricide, whereas the rollers of the device in the other pasture remained untreated. deer were allowed to use the '4-posters' during periods o ...	2000	11126544
amblyomma americanum: specific uptake of immunoglobulins into tick hemolymph during feeding.	the passage of immunoglobulins in the blood meal into hemolymph prompts development of vaccines against internal antigens of ticks, but little is known about kinetics and specificity of the immunoglobulin uptake. we used capillary feeding of adult amblyomma americanum hard ticks to introduce compounds into the midgut and then examined the hemolymph after various times for their presence and concentration. immunoglobulins of different sources, albumin, choramphenicol acetyltransferase, inulin, an ...	2000	11162374
the effect of male ticks on the feeding performance of immature stages of rhipicephalus sanguineus and amblyomma americanum (acari: ixodidae).	a unique group of immunoglobulin-binding proteins (igbps), produced by ixodid male ticks during the latter half of their prolonged feeding period, improves the feeding performance of co-feeding females. as a follow-up to this observation, we investigated whether male tick feeding also affects the feeding of other developmental stages. immature stages of rhipicephalus sanguineus (latreeille) and amblyomma americanum (l.) were fed on rabbits in the presence or absence of conspecific males. the mea ...	2000	11201360
isolation, cultivation, and characterization of borrelia burgdorferi from rodents and ticks in the charleston area of south carolina.	twenty-eight borrelia burgdorferi isolates from the charleston, s.c., area are described. this represents the first report and characterization of the lyme disease spirochete from that state. the isolates were obtained from december 1994 through december 1995 from the tick ixodes scapularis, collected from vegetation, and from the rodents peromyscus gossypinus (cotton mouse), neotoma floridana (eastern wood rat), and sigmodon hispidus (cotton rat). all isolates were screened immunologically by i ...	2000	10618074
natural infection of domestic goats with ehrlichia chaffeensis.	thirty-eight domestic goats from an area of ehrlichia chaffeensis endemicity were tested for antibodies reactive to e. chaffeensis and for e. chaffeensis-specific 16s rrna gene fragments by an indirect fluorescent antibody test and a nested pcr assay, respectively. twenty-eight of 38 (73.7%) goats had antibodies reactive to e. chaffeensis (>/=1:128), and 6 of 38 (15.8%) goats were positive by diagnostic pcr; e. chaffeensis was isolated in cell culture from one goat. our data indicate that goats ...	2000	10618139
ehrlichia chaffeensis (rickettsiales: ehrlichieae) infection in amblyomma americanum (acari: ixodidae) at aberdeen proving ground, maryland.	human monocytic ehrlichiosis (hme) is a sometimes fatal, emerging tick-borne disease caused by the bacterium ehrlichia chaffeensis. it is frequently misdiagnosed because its symptoms mimic those of the flu. current evidence indicates that amblyomma americanum (l.), the lone star tick, is the major vector of hme. to determine if e. chaffeensis is present in ticks at aberdeen proving ground, md, questing a. americanum ticks were collected from 33 sites. nucleic acid was extracted from 34 adult and ...	2000	15535577
seasonal distribution and abundance of ticks (acari: ixodidae) in northwestern florida.	a 2-yr study was conducted in a northwestern florida state park and recreation area to determine tick species composition, seasonal abundance, and spatial distribution. risk of tick attachment to park visitors was also assessed relative to tick abundance from several habitats. tick collections consisted of weekly cloth drag samples obtained from ground and emergent vegetation along a deer trail, a walking trail located in a 3-mo-old control burned area of forest, a nonburned walking trail, picni ...	2000	15535590
effects of granular carbaryl application on sympatric populations of ixodes scapularis and amblyomma americanum (acari: ixodidae) nymphs.	a single application of granular carbaryl approaching the lowest recommended rate to the shrub layer of a forested area in late spring significantly reduced the abundance of ixodes scapularis say nymphs throughout their peak activity period, but had little effect on amblyomma americanum l. nymphs. factors influencing the efficacy of the application are discussed. the possible explanations for the lack of efficacy of granular carbaryl against a. americanum, including behavior, formulation, and ap ...	2000	15218915
prevalence of lyme disease borrelia spp. in ticks from migratory birds on the japanese mainland.	borrelia sp. prevalence in ticks on migratory birds was surveyed in central japan. in autumn, a total of 1,733 birds representing 40 species were examined for ticks. a total of 361 ticks were obtained from 173 birds of 15 species, and these ticks were immature haemaphysalis flava (94.4%), haemaphysalis longicornis, ixodes columnae, ixodes persulcatus, ixodes turdus, and an unidentified ixodes species. of these, 27 juveniles of h. flava on turdus pallidus, turdus cardis, or emberiza spodocephala, ...	2000	10698761
helminthic transmission and isolation of ehrlichia risticii, the causative agent of potomac horse fever, by using trematode stages from freshwater stream snails.	we report successful helminthic transmission of ehrlichia risticii, the causative agent of potomac horse fever, using trematode stages collected from juga yrekaensis snails. the ehrlichial agent was isolated from the blood of experimentally infected horses by culture in murine monocytic cells and identified as e. risticii ultrastructurally and by characterization of three different genes.	2000	10699046
comparison of efficacy of american and african amblyomma ticks as vectors of heartwater (cowdria ruminantium) infection by molecular analyses and transmission trials.	the ability of amblyomma americanum, amblyomma cajennense, amblyomma maculatum, and amblyomma variegatum to acquire and transmit cowdria ruminantium infection was investigated. uninfected nymphs were fed on clinically reacting c. ruminantium-infected sheep and then analyzed for infection by specific dna detection assays and by tick transmission trials. by polymerase chain reaction (pcr), the mean infection prevalence of a. maculatum ticks (50.7%) was similar to that of a. variegatum, elevage str ...	2000	10701562
antibody-mediated elimination of the obligate intracellular bacterial pathogen ehrlichia chaffeensis during active infection.	it is generally accepted that cellular, but not humoral immunity, plays an important role in host defense against intracellular bacteria. however, studies of some of these pathogens have provided evidence that antibodies can provide immunity if present during the initiation of infection. here, we examined immunity against infection by ehrlichia chaffeensis, an obligate intracellular bacterium that causes human monocytic ehrlichiosis. studies with mice have demonstrated that immunocompetent strai ...	2000	10722619
prevalence of ehrlichia chaffeensis (rickettsiales: rickettsiaceae) in amblyomma americanum (acari: ixodidae) from the georgia coast and barrier islands.	human monocytic ehrlichiosis is an emerging zoonosis caused by infection with ehrlichia chaffeensis anderson, dawson, jones & wilson, which is transmitted to mammals by ixodid ticks. prevalence of infected ticks and distribution of infection foci indicate relative risk of human exposure to ehrlichiosis and may be influenced by factors such as geographic isolation, human disturbance, and the availability of suitable mammalian reservoir hosts. to test, this, individual and pooled lone star ticks, ...	2000	10730500
new ehrlichia species closely related to ehrlichia chaffeensis isolated from ixodes ovatus ticks in japan.	seven ehrlichia strains (six hf strains and one anan strain) that were obtained from laboratory mice by intraperitoneally inoculating homogenates of adult ixodes ovatus collected in japan were characterized. 16s rrna sequences of all six hf strains were identical, and the sequences were 99.7, 98.2, and 97.7% identical to those of anan strain, ehrlichia chaffeensis (human monocytic ehrlichiosis agent), and e. muris, respectively. partial groel amino acid sequencing also revealed that the six hf s ...	2000	10747103
detection of the agent of heartwater, cowdria ruminantium, in amblyomma ticks by pcr: validation and application of the assay to field ticks.	we have previously reported that the pcs20 pcr detection assay for cowdria ruminantium, the causative agent of heartwater disease of ruminants, is more sensitive than xenodiagnosis and the pcs20 dna probe for the detection of infection in the vector amblyomma ticks. here, we further assessed the reliability of the pcr assay and applied it to field ticks. the assay detected dna of 37 isolates of c. ruminantium originating from sites throughout the distribution of heartwater and had a specificity ...	2000	10747140
tick infestations of birds in coastal georgia and alabama.	mist-netted birds were examined for ticks on jekyll island, glynn co., georgia (32 bird species) in 1996-1998, and at fort morgan, baldwin co., alabama (36 species) in 1998 during fall migration. sixty-two (14.7%) of 423 birds from jekyll island and 22 (13.3%) of 165 birds from fort morgan were infested with ticks. the mean number of ticks per infested bird was 2.0 on jekyll island and 6.3 at fort morgan. ten species of birds were infested with ticks on jekyl1 island where 87% of all ticks were ...	2000	10780541
fine specificity of autoantibodies to calreticulin: epitope mapping and characterization.	extracellular calreticulin (crt) as well as anti-crt antibodies have been reported in patients with various autoimmune disorders and crt has been implicated in 'epitope spreading' to other autoantigens such as the ro/ss-a complex. in addition, antibodies against parasite forms of the endoplasmic reticulum chaperone, crt, have been found in patients suffering from onchocerciasis and schistosomiasis. in this study, we screened sera for anti-crt antibodies from patients with active and inactive sys ...	2000	10792392
short report: study on the efficacy of a new long-acting formulation of n, n-diethyl-m-toluamide (deet) for the prevention of tick attachment.	the beneficial effects of n, n-diethyl-m-toluamide (deet) against biting insects of human and animals appear to last <6 hr after a single application to the skin. to prolong the repellent effects of deet, recently we developed a new long-acting formulation of deet called lipodeet. this preparation was retained in the skin for a longer duration of time with minimal systemic absorption. in this study, we have evaluated the protective effect of three compounds (deet, lipodeet, and morpel 220) again ...	2000	10813468
isolation and molecular cloning of a secreted immunosuppressant protein from dermacentor andersoni salivary gland.	a 36-kda immunosuppressant protein (da-p36) was isolated from salivary glands of feeding female ixodid ticks dermacentor andersoni, using its affinity for ultralink biosupport medium (pierce, rockford, illinois)/protein complexes. using a nested set of forward degenerate oligonucleotide primers corresponding to da-p36 n-terminal amino acids, a cdna encoding the immunosuppressant protein was isolated by 3' rapid amplification of cdna ends. the resulting 772-base pair cdna encodes a novel protein ...	2000	10864249
identification of ehrlichia chaffeensis by nested pcr in ticks from southern china.	a total of 717 ticks collected from southern china were examined by nested pcr for the presence of ehrlichia chaffeensis. sixteen (55. 2%) of 29 adult amblyomma testudinarium ticks and 28 (11.7%) of 240 adult and at least 4.2% of 215 nymphal (pooled specimens) haemaphysalis yeni ticks tested positive. four other species of ticks were negative. selected positive amplicons were confirmed by dna sequencing.	2000	10878087
the '4-poster' passive topical treatment device to apply acaricide for controlling ticks (acari: ixodidae) feeding on white-tailed deer.	a '4-poster' device that attracts white-tailed deer to a bait source, and as they feed, allows a self-application of a pesticide to the head, ears, and neck to control ticks was designed, constructed, and tested. the device consists of a central bin containing bait to attract deer and two feeding and application stations. these stations each have one bait port and two vertical pesticide-impregnated applicator rollers. this design allows unrestricted vertical retraction of the head to minimize in ...	2000	10916301
distribution of ehrlichia chaffeensis (rickettsiales: rickettsiaeceae) in amblyomma americanum in southern indiana and prevalence of e. chaffeensis--reactive antibodies in white-tailed deer in indiana and ohio in 1998.	to continue monitoring the prevalence and distribution of ehrlichia chaffeensis (rickettsiales: rickettsiaeceae) in southern indiana, a total of 498 amblyomma americanum (l.) ticks (262 adults and 292 nymphs) was collected from five southern indiana counties during may and june 1998. ticks were pooled and examined for the presence of e. chaffeensis using nested polymerase chain reaction and primers specific for the 16s rrna gene of e. chaffeensis. the average minimum infection rate for adult tic ...	2000	10916302
a state-by-state survey of ticks recorded from humans in the united states.	based on tick specimens accessioned into the u.s. national tick collection, the species of ticks recorded as ectoparasites of humans are documented and compared for 49 u.s. states. a total of 44 tick species was recorded as parasites of humans, consisting of 11 species of soft ticks (argasidae) and 33 species of hard ticks (ixodidae). four of the hard tick species are not native to the u.s. and were removed from travelers returning from foreign destinations. therefore, we record 40 of the 84 spe ...	2000	10925803
prevalence of ehrlichia ewingii in amblyomma americanum in north carolina.		2000	10979750
prostaglandin e(2)-stimulated secretion of protein in the salivary glands of the lone star tick via a phosphoinositide signaling pathway.	previous studies identified a prostaglandin e(2) (pge(2)) receptor in the salivary glands of partially fed female lone star ticks, amblyomma americanum (l.). in the present studies, protein secretion from dispersed salivary gland acini was shown to be specific for pge(2), as compared with pgf(2alpha) or the thromboxane analog u-46619, in accordance with their respective binding affinities for the pge(2) receptor. furthermore, the selective pge(2) ep1 receptor agonist, 17-phenyl trinor pge(2), wa ...	2000	10989297
analysis of the expressed genome of the lone star tick, amblyomma americanum (acari: ixodidae) using an expressed sequence tag approach.	an expressed sequence tag (est) approach was used to study the genome of two developmental stages of the lone star tick, amblyomma americanum. cdna libraries were constructed from the larval and adult stages of a. americanum. in total, 1942 ests were sequenced (1462 adult ests and 480 larval ests) and analyzed using bioinformatic programs. contig assembly using the capii program revealed 11% and 15% redundancy of sequences in the larval and adult ests, respectively. of the 1942 ests, 1738 sequen ...	2000	11087176
detection of ehrlichia chaffeensis dna in amblyomma americanum ticks in connecticut and rhode island.	ehrlichia chaffeensis, the causative agent of human monocytic ehrlichiosis, is transmitted by amblyomma americanum ticks, which are most abundant in the southern united states. because serologic evidence suggests that residents of connecticut are exposed to e. chaffeensis, a. americanum ticks were collected in connecticut and rhode island for pcr analysis to detect e. chaffeensis dna. eight of 106 (7.6%) a. americanum ticks from connecticut and 6 of 52 (11.5%) from rhode island contained e. chaf ...	2000	11101616
what's eating you? amblyomma ticks (amblyomma americanum).		2000	11109142
host association and seasonal activity of amblyomma americanum (acari: ixodidae) in missouri.	from june 1993 through june 1996, 2,260 adult, 4,426 nymphal, and 2,178 larval lone star ticks amblyomma americanum (l.) were collected in missouri from vertebrate hosts and by dragging a cloth over vegetation. prevalence, mean intensity, and relative abundance of each stage varied among hosts. the relative abundance of adult lone star ticks was highest on white-tailed deer, but this stage was also collected from raccoons, opossum, red fox, coyotes, and wild turkey. nymphs were collected from gr ...	2000	11128501
serologic testing for human granulocytic ehrlichiosis at a national referral center.	an indirect immunofluorescence assay (ifa) was used to identify patients with antibodies reactive to the human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (hge) agent. serum samples collected from clinically ill individuals were submitted to the centers for disease control and prevention by physicians via state health departments from throughout the united states and tested against a panel of ehrlichial and rickettsial pathogens. antibodies reactive to the hge agent were detected in 142 (8.9%) of 1,602 individual ...	1999	9986812
molecular cloning of camp-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit isoforms from the lone star tick, amblyomma americanum (l.).	the salivary glands of ixodid ticks are central to tick feeding and to survival during off-host periods. they produce and secrete a number of molecules critical to maintaining the complex host-vector interface and to maintaining osmotic balance. we have previously shown that a cyclic amp-dependent protein kinase (capk) is involved in the mechanism of salivary gland secretion. we have now cloned cdnas encoding three isoforms of the catalytic subunit (capk-c) of the capk from amblyomma americanum, ...	1999	10070744
comparison of ehrlichia muris strains isolated from wild mice and ticks and serologic survey of humans and animals with e. muris as antigen.	in metropolitan tokyo, the ehrlichia muris seropositivity rate of 24 wild mice was 63% in hinohara village, but in the surrounding areas, it was 0 to 5%. this finding suggests that the reservoir of e. muris is focal. among the 15 seropositive mice, ehrlichiae were isolated from 9 apodemus speciosus mice and 1 a. argenteus mouse, respectively. five ehrlichial isolates were obtained from 10 ticks (haemaphysalis flava) collected in asuke town, aichi prefecture, where the e. muris type strain had be ...	1999	10074536
genetic diversity of the 28-kilodalton outer membrane protein gene in human isolates of ehrlichia chaffeensis.	the ehrlichia chaffeensis 28-kda outer membrane protein (p28) gene was sequenced completely by genomic walking with adapter pcr. the dna sequence of the p28 gene was nearly identical to the previously reported sequence (n. ohashi, n. zhi, y. zhang, and y. rikihisa, infect. immun. 66:132-139, 1998), but analysis of a further 75 bp on the 5' end of the gene revealed dna that encoded a 25-amino-acid signal sequence. the leader sequence was removed from the n terminus of a 30-kda precursor to genera ...	1999	10074538
novel ehrlichia organism (rickettsiales: ehrlichieae) in white-tailed deer associated with lone star tick (acari: ixodidae) parasitism.	polymerase chain reaction (pcr) evidence of a novel ehrlichia organism was found recently in wild white-tailed deer, odocoileus virginianus zimmermann, and lone star ticks, amblyomma americanum l., from the southeastern united states. to evaluate whether lone star tick parasitism was associated with the presence of this novel ehrlichia organism in deer, 2 retrospective studies were conducted using specific nested pcr to test archived deer serum samples. the 1st study of 150 serum samples collect ...	1999	10083757