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prevalence and seasonality of tick-borne pathogens in questing ixodes ricinus ticks from luxembourg.in europe, ixodid ticks are important arthropod vectors of human and animal pathogens, but comprehensive studies of the prevalence of all relevant pathogens in central europe are scarce. as a result of ecological changes, the incidences of tick-borne infections are expected to increase. in this study, 1,394 nymphal and adult ixodes ricinus ticks sampled monthly during the active season from 33 ecologically distinct collection sites throughout luxembourg were screened for all human tick-borne pat ...201020228110
the increasing recognition of rickettsial pathogens in dogs and people.dogs and people are exposed to and susceptible to infection by many of the same tick-borne bacterial pathogens in the order rickettsiales, including anaplasma phagocytophilum, ehrlichia canis, e. chaffeensis, e. ewingii, rickettsia rickettsii, r. conorii, and other spotted fever group rickettsiae. recent findings include descriptions of novel ehrlichia and rickettsia species, recognition of the occurrence and clinical significance of co-infection, and increasing awareness of rhipicephalus sangui ...201020207197
meeting the challenges of on-host and off-host water balance in blood-feeding arthropods.in this review, we describe water balance requirements of blood-feeding arthropods, particularly contrasting dehydration tolerance during the unfed, off-host state and the challenges of excess water that accompany receipt of the bloodmeal. most basic water balance characteristics during the off-host stage are applicable to other terrestrial arthropods, as well. a well-coordinated suite of responses enable arthropods to conserve water resources, enhance their desiccation tolerance, and increase t ...201020206630
borrelia, ehrlichia, and rickettsia spp. in ticks removed from persons, texas, usa.data regarding the type, frequency, and distribution of tick-borne pathogens and bacterial agents are not widely available for many tick species that parasitize persons in the southern united states. we therefore analyzed the frequency and identity of pathogens and bacterial agents in ticks removed from humans and subsequently submitted to the texas department of state health services, zoonosis control program, from october 1, 2004, through september 30, 2008. the data showed associations of bac ...201020202419
potential for tick-borne bartonelloses.as worldwide vectors of human infectious diseases, ticks are considered to be second only to mosquitoes. each tick species has preferred environmental conditions and biotopes that determine its geographic distribution, the pathogens it vectors, and the areas that pose risk for tick-borne diseases. researchers have identified an increasing number of bacterial pathogens that are transmitted by ticks, including anaplasma, borrelia, ehrlichia, and rickettsia spp. recent reports involving humans and ...201020202411
detection of "candidatus rickettsia sp. strain argentina"and rickettsia bellii in amblyomma ticks (acari: ixodidae) from northern argentina.ixodid ticks were collected from vegetation and from humans, wild and domestic mammals in a rural area in the semi-arid argentine chaco in late spring 2006 to evaluate their potential role as vectors of spotted fever group (sfg) rickettsiae. a total of 233 adult ticks, identified as amblyomma parvum, amblyomma tigrinum and amblyomma pseudoconcolor, was examined for rickettsia spp. we identified an sfg rickettsia of unknown pathogenicity, "candidatus rickettsia sp. strain argentina", in a. parvum ...201020186466
efficacy of the fipronil 10%+(s)-methoprene 9% combination against rhipicephalus sanguineus in naturally infested dogs: speed of kill, persistent efficacy on immature and adult stages and effect of water.this field trial was designed to test the efficacy, in terms of treatment and prevention, of the fipronil 10%+(s)-methoprene 9% combination against immature and adult stages of rhipicephalus sanguineus in naturally infested dogs, and to assess the effect of a single plain water exposure. twenty-four dogs of various age, sex, weight and coat length were divided into two homogeneous groups, treated (t) and control (c), and housed into twin outdoor kennels. trial baseline was designed as day 0, whe ...201020185241
biogeography of tick-borne bhanja virus (bunyaviridae) in europe.bhanja virus (bhav) is pathogenic for young domestic ruminants and also for humans, causing fever and affections of the central nervous system. this generally neglected arbovirus of the family bunyaviridae is transmitted by metastriate ticks of the genera haemaphysalis, dermacentor, hyalomma, rhipicephalus, boophilus, and amblyomma. geographic distribution of bhav covers southern and central asia, africa, and southern (partially also central) europe. comparative biogeographic study of eight know ...201020182535
canine and feline vector-borne diseases in italy: current situation and perspectives.in italy, dogs and cats are at risk of becoming infected by different vector-borne pathogens, including protozoa, bacteria, and helminths. ticks, fleas, phlebotomine sand flies, and mosquitoes are recognized vectors of pathogens affecting cats and dogs, some of which (e.g., anaplasma phagocytophilum, borrelia burgdorferi, dipylidium caninum, leishmania infantum, dirofilaria immitis, and dirofilaria repens) are of zoonotic concern. recent studies have highlighted the potential of fleas as vectors ...201020145730
transovarial passage of leishmania infantum kdna in artificially infected rhipicephalus sanguineus.phlebotomine sand flies are the only proven biological vectors of leishmania parasites. however, rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks have long been suspected to transmit leishmania infantum in studies carried out in laboratory and natural conditions. in the present study, 5 microl of l. infantum promastigotes (1x10(6) cells per ml) was injected into the hemocel through the coxa i of four engorged females (f1, f2, f3 and f4). control ticks (f5 and f6) were injected with sterile phosphate-buffered sali ...201020138871
seroprevalence of equine piroplasms and host-related factors associated with infection in greece.serum samples were collected from a total of 544 equids that included 524 horses, 13 mules, and 7 ponies from various regions of mainland greece and were examined by competitive-inhibition elisa (celisa) to evaluate the level of exposure of greek equids to theileria (babesia) equi and/or babesia caballi, the causative agents of piroplasmosis. association between seropositivity and host-related factors of species, gender, age, origin, activity and location were investigated. the overall seropreva ...201020138434
detection of leishmania infantum in rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks from brazil and italy.canine leishmaniosis is a widespread disease caused by leishmania parasites, which are transmitted by phlebotomine sand flies. however, in some areas where canine leishmaniosis is endemic, but the primary vectors have not been found, ticks have been suspected to play a role in transmitting the infection. herewith, we report the detection of leishmania infantum kinetoplast minicircle dna (kdna) in ticks collected from naturally infected dogs living in rural areas of southern italy (site a) and no ...201020127362
mediterranean spotted fever, a diagnostic challenge in travellers.mediterranean spotted fever or boutonneuse fever is caused by rickettsia conorii and transmitted by the brown dog tick. the commonest symptoms are pyrexia, a maculopapular rash, lymphadenopathies and an inoculation eschar. increasingly, it is recognised as a cause of serious illness in southern europe. rickettsial infections of the spotted fever group are rarely reported in belgium. we report the case of a 20-year-old traveller returning from morocco who presented with fever and a markedly swoll ...200920101874
ticks (acari: ixodoidea: argasidae, ixodidae) of china.this paper presents results of an investigation and listing of tick species found in china during a survey in all 28 provinces. this will be a step towards a definitive list of tick species and their distribution. to date, the tick fauna of this area consists of 117 species in the following families: argasidae-argas (7 species), carios (4 species) and ornithodoros (2 species); ixodidae-amblyomma (8 species), anomalohimalaya (2 species), dermacentor (12 species), haemaphysalis (44 species), hyalo ...201020101443
the ccl3/macrophage inflammatory protein-1alpha-binding protein evasin-1 protects from graft-versus-host disease but does not modify graft-versus-leukemia in mice.ccl3 is a protein of the cc chemokine family known to be important for t cell recruitment in inflammatory diseases. the aim of the current study was to evaluate the effects and putative mechanism of action of evasin-1, a novel ccl3-binding protein, in the pathogenesis of acute graft-versus-host disease (gvhd). gvhd was induced by the transplantation of splenocytes from c57bl/6j to b6d2f1 mice. treatment of recipient mice with evasin-1 prevented mortality associated with gvhd. this was correlated ...201020100934
differences in the behavior of rhipicephalus sanguineus tested against resistant and susceptible dogs.to ascertain whether brown dog tick rhipicephalus sp. infests resistant (beagle) and susceptible (english cocker spaniel) dogs differently, five animals of each breed were maintained in a kennel whose walls were infested with 7,000 larvae, 320 nymphs, 80 males and 80 females, in 3 infestations, at 10-day intervals. five times more ticks were found on cocker spaniels (498) than on beagles (96). substances were collected by rubbing pieces of clean flannel on the dogs for 15 min and these were test ...201020091335
[molecular analysis of the antigenic sequence (sbm7462®) from bm86 of the rhipicephalus (boophilus) microplus and similarity with rhipicephalus sanguineus and hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum].the vaccination represents optimum method evaluated with effective cost to prevent economic losses and to increase the duration and quality of life of the production animals. . diverse vaccines are produced from the intestinal protein bm86 of the rhipicephalus. (b.) microplus. the knowledge of the conservation of the gene bm86 is very important to evaluate the vaccine efficiency and the possibility of reaction crossed between different species of ticks. samples of r. (b.) microplus come from dif ...200820059809
[cross-reaction evaluation of pcr-anaplasma platys positive dogs tested to anaplasma phagocytophilum antibodies by commercial elisa].anaplasma platys, agent of canine cyclic thrombocytopenia parasites exclusively dogs platelets. its probable vector is the tick rhipicephalus sanguineus. among the existent diagnostic methods, the most used include: morulae identification in blood smears; antibody detection by indirect immunofluorescence; or dna amplification by polymerase chain reaction (pcr). recently a new commercial elisa (idexx®), capable of detecting a. phagocytophilum antibodies, has been developed. according to the manuf ...200820059806
evidence of exposure to spotted fever group rickettsiae among arizona dogs outside a previously documented outbreak area.since 2003, two communities in eastern arizona have experienced a sustained outbreak of rocky mountain spotted fever (rmsf), caused by rickettsia rickettsii, associated with transmission by rhipicephalus sanguineus, the brown dog tick; 70 human cases, including eight deaths, were reported from these communities during 2003 through 2008. in both of the affected communities, antibodies to spotted fever group rickettsiae (sfgr) were present in dogs before the notice of the first human cases, sugges ...201120042069
structural basis of chemokine sequestration by a tick chemokine binding protein: the crystal structure of the complex between evasin-1 and ccl3.chemokines are a subset of cytokines responsible for controlling the cellular migration of inflammatory cells through interaction with seven transmembrane g protein-coupled receptors. the blocking of a chemokine-receptor interaction results in a reduced inflammatory response, and represents a possible anti-inflammatory strategy, a strategy that is already employed by some virus and parasites. anti-chemokine activity has been described in the extracts of tick salivary glands, and we have recently ...200920041127
permethrin-induced morphological changes in oocytes of rhipicephalus sanguineus (acari: ixodidae) semi-engorged females.the permethrin, active ingredient of the advantage(r) max3--bayer, has been widely used in the chemical control of ticks. these ectoparasites are one of the most important animal groups that cause serious damage to their hosts. this study evaluated the toxic effects of permethrin in oocytes of rhipicephalus sanguineus semi-engorged females subjected to four treatments: group i (control--distilled water), group ii (206 ppm of permethrin), group iii (1031 ppm of permethrin) and group iv (2062 ppm ...201020035820
molecular and clinical evidence of ehrlichia chaffeensis infection in cameroonian patients with undifferentiated febrile illness.in the u.s.a., human monocytotropic ehrlichiosis (hme) caused by ehrlichia chaffeensis is an emerging tick-transmitted zoonosis. in cameroon, where e. canis, e. chaffeensis and e. ewingii have recently been detected in dogs and/or ticks (rhipicephalus sanguineus), the potential exists for human infections. patients from the coastal region of cameroon who had acute fevers of unknown aetiology were therefore checked for ehrlichial infection, using a real-time pcr that amplifies part of a genus-spe ...200920030996
larval keys to the genera of ixodidae (acari) and species of ixodes (latreille) ticks established in california.in california, hard (ixodidae) ticks transmit at least 8 zoonotic disease agents (1 virus, 6 bacteria, 1 protozoan) to humans or other animals. the correct taxonomic identification of all 3 parasitic stages (larvae, nymphs, adults) of ticks is integral to understanding host-tick associations and disease dynamics, but immature ticks, especially the larvae, can be difficult to identify. here, we present larval keys to the 4 genera of ixodidae (dermacentorkoch, 1844; haemaphysaliskoch, 1844; ixodes ...200820027236
evaluation of the vectorial capacity of rhipicephalus sanguineus (acari: ixodidae) in the transmission of canine visceral leishmaniasis.the vectorial capacity of rhipicephalus sanguineus in the transmission of canine visceral leishmaniasis has been evaluated through a laboratory-controlled experiment. one healthy leishmania-free dog and two dogs naturally infected with leishmania were infested with r. sanguineus in various stages of development. engorged larvae, unfed nymphs, engorged nymphs, unfed adults, engorged female adults and fed male adults were collected from the experimental animals and examined for leishmania infectio ...201020012095
transcriptome analysis of the synganglion from the brown dog tick, rhipicephalus sanguineus.tick control strategies rely heavily on chemicals (acaricides), most of which target the central nervous system. with increasing resistance, new acaricides are urgently needed but knowledge of tick neurobiology is surprisingly limited, notably the number of neural-specific gene sequences. one thousand and eight expressed sequence tags (ests) were obtained from a normalized cdna library from rhipicephalus sanguineus synganglia. putative functional identities were assigned to 44% whereas 34% were ...201020002796
discovery of ectoparasiticidal hydrazonotrifluoromethanesulfonanilides.a series of hydrazonotrifluorosulfonanilide derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for in vitro activity against the ectoparasites ctenocephalides felis and rhipicephalus sanguineus. some compounds with excellent activity against tick were identified.201019962303
burden of tick-borne infections on american companion animals.this review examines the biology of ticks and tick-borne infections in the united states. the most common tick-borne diseases in dogs and cats are discussed. we demonstrate that there is much interest in tick-borne infections at the level of the lay public (pet owners), describe trends in the distribution and prevalence of tick-borne infections in the united states, summarize some issues in understanding the degree of ill health due to tick-borne infections, and suggest some avenues for research ...200919945085
prevalence and geographical distribution of canine hemotropic mycoplasma infections in mediterranean countries and analysis of risk factors for infection.two hemoplasma species are known in dogs: mycoplasma haemocanis (mhc) and 'candidatus mycoplasma haematoparvum' (cmhp). although their transmission routes are poorly understood, rhipicephalus sanguineus has been suggested as a potential tick vector. the aim of the present study was to assess the prevalence, risk factors, and clinical importance of canine hemoplasmas in countries with a mediterranean climate where r. sanguineus is highly prevalent using taqman real-time pcr, and to molecularly ch ...201019931320
fleatickrisk: a meteorological model developed to monitor and predict the activity and density of three tick species and the cat flea in europe.mathematical modelling is quite a recent tool in epidemiology. geographical information system (gis) combined with remote sensing (data collection and analysis) provide valuable models, but the integration of climatologic models in parasitology and epidemiology is less common. the aim of our model, called "fleatickrisk", was to use meteorological data and forecasts to monitor the activity and density of some arthropods. our parasitological model uses the weather research and forecasting (wrf) me ...200919908193
treatment with a novel chemokine-binding protein or eosinophil lineage-ablation protects mice from experimental colitis.eosinophils are multifunctional leukocytes implicated in numerous inflammatory diseases. the present study was conducted to clarify the precise role of eosinophils in the development of colitis by using eosinophil-depleted mice and a novel chemokine-binding protein that neutralizes ccl11 action. colitis was induced by administration of dextran sodium sulfate (dss) to wild-type and eosinophil-deficient deltadblgata-1 mice. accumulation of eosinophils in the gut of mice given dss paralleled worsen ...200919893035
the distribution of rickettsia in the tissues of insects and arachnids.in the absence of a satisfactory definition of rickettsia the observations herein recorded were arbitrarily limited to bacterium-like organisms which are intracellular and gram-negative. rickettsia of this type were found in the following species: amblyomma americana, amblyomma hebraeum, boophilus decoloratus, atomus sp., casinaria infesta, chrysopa oculata, ctenocephalus canis, dermacentor variabilis, lepisma saccharina, lucoppia curviseta, margaropus annulatus, margaropus annulatus australis, ...192319868737
when yellow jackets attack: recurrent and severe anaphylactic reactions to insect bites and stings. 200919862831
feeding-associated gene expression in sheep scab mites (psoroptes ovis).the mite psoroptes ovis is the causative agent of sheep scab. although not usually fatal, the disease can spread rapidly and is a serious animal welfare concern. vaccine development against ectoparasites has primarily focussed on two sources of candidate vaccine antigens - "exposed" antigens that are secreted in saliva during feeding on a host and "concealed" antigens that are usually expressed in the parasite gut and may be involved in digestion. here, we sought to identify genes encoding prote ...201019852923
a survey of ectoparasitic arthropods on domestic animals in tak province, thailand.in july 2008 a survey of ectoparasites on domestic animals was conducted in the royal thai army areas of operation along the thai-myanmar border, tak province, thailand. eleven different ectoparasites were collected: two species of hard ticks (ixodidae), three species of fleas (siphonaptera) and 6 species of sucking or chewing lice (2 species each in the suborders anoplura, ischnocera and amblycera) were collected. domestic dogs (canis lupusfamiliaris) (n = 94) were found infested with 2 species ...200919842427
efficacy of the bm86 antigen against immature instars and adults of the dog tick rhipicephalus sanguineus (latreille, 1806) (acari: ixodidae).the bm86 antigen has been used to control ticks of the boophilus genera in integrated programs that also include the use of acaricides. because of recent phylogenetic studies have lead to the inclusion of all boophilus species within the rhipicephalus genera, we aimed to investigate the efficacy of the bm86 antigen on the biotic potential of rhipicephalus sanguineus. domestic dogs were vaccinated with bm86 and challenged with the three instars of r. sanguineus. male and female mongrel dogs were ...201019836894
[pediatric mediterranean spotted fever].in france, mediterranean spotted fever due to rickettsia conorii is mainly observed in the south-east. rhipicephalus sanguineus, the brown dog tick, is the vector and the reservoir of the disease. clinical diagnosis relies on the association of fever, rash and inoculation's scar during summertime. pathological lesion is a diffuse vasculitis. severity is often explained by a delay in diagnosis, but prognosis is good in pediatrics. treatment relies on doxycycline and on macrolids in children under ...200919836684
tick saliva induces regulatory dendritic cells: map-kinases and toll-like receptor-2 expression as potential targets.ticks (acari: ixodidae) are bloodsucking ectoparasitic arthropods of human and veterinary medical importance. tick saliva has been shown to contain a wide range of bioactive molecules with vasodilatory, antihemostatic, and immunomodulatory activities. we have previously demonstrated that saliva from rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks inhibits the maturation of dendritic cells (dcs) stimulated with lps. here we examined the mechanism of this immune subversion, evaluating the effect of tick saliva on ...201019836139
seasonal variation of infestation rate with lice, tick and mite among rodents in certain egyptian regions.four species of mites (ornithonyssus bacoti, haemolaelaps glusgowi, echinolaelaps echinolelaps & dermanyssus gallinae), two species of ticks (rhipicephalus sanguineus & hyalomma dromedarrii) and one species of lice (polyplax spinulose) were identified on rodents during 4 successive seasons (2005) trapped in five governorates (suez, menoufia, giza, damietta and beni-sewaf). the rodents were rattus norvegicus, rattus rattus alexandrinus, rattus rattus frugivourus, acomys cahirinus and mus musculus ...200919795768
prevalence and associated risk factors for bovine tick infestation in two districts of lower punjab, pakistan.bovine tick infestation is still a serious nuisance to livestock and the dairy industry of pakistan. the current paper reports the prevalence and associated risk factors for bovine tick infestation in the districts layyah and muzaffargarh of lower punjab, pakistan. a questionnaire-based survey was conducted to identify and to quantify variation in the prevalence of bovine tick infestation with respect to host (age, species, sex, and breed) and environmental (geographical area and climate) determ ...200919782414
molecular dissimilarities of rhipicephalus sanguineus (acari: ixodidae) in brazil and its relation with samples throughout the world: is there a geographical pattern?in this study the genetic variability of rhipicephalus sanguineus within brazil and its relation with ticks of the same group from different continents was evaluated. mitochondrial 12s and 16s rdna fragments of r. sanguineus from seven brazilian states were sequenced and compared to genbank sequences of r. sanguineus and r. turanicus ticks from africa, asia, europe, south america and usa. results indicate a relatively high intra-specific variability between brazilian samples but also a global la ...201019774468
ectoparasite infestation on rural dogs in the municipality of são vicente férrer, pernambuco, northeastern brazil.this article presents the results of a study on ectoparasites infesting rural dogs in pernambuco, northeastern brazil. forty-one dogs from a rural community of pernambuco were examined and 70.7% were infested by ectoparasites. the prevalence rates of infestation by ticks, fleas, and lice were 58.5, 43.9 and 22%, respectively. of 24 dogs parasitized by ticks, 15 were exclusively infested by rhipicephalus sanguineus (latreille) (32 females, 66 males, 9 nymphs; prevalence, 48.8%; mean intensity, 5. ...200919772781
ticks on domestic animals in pernambuco, northeastern brazil.the objective of this article was to discuss some aspects of ticks associated with domestic animals in the state of pernambuco, northeastern brazil, based on a literature review and present new data obtained from recent tick collections carried out in this northeastern brazilian state. from august 2007 to june 2008, 1,405 ticks were collected and five species were identified: amblyomma cajennense (fabricius, 1787), amblyomma ovale koch, 1844, dermacentor nitens neumann, 1897, rhipicephalus (boop ...200919772771
evaluation of the speed of kill of fleas and ticks with frontline top spot in dogs.the speed of kill of a spot-on formulation of fipronil (frontline top spot, merial limited, duluth, ga) against adult cat fleas (ctenocephalides felis) and brown dog ticks (rhipicephalus sanguineus) was evaluated in dogs in a commercial laboratory setting. forty dogs were allocated to 20 replicates of two based on sex and pretreatment flea counts. within each replicate, dogs were randomly allocated to an untreated control group or to treatment with fipronil, administered topically as a spot-on p ...200119753710
tick-borne rickettsiosis in traveler returning from honduras. 200919751607
effects of fipronil (active ingredient of frontline) on salivary gland cells of rhipicephalus sanguineus females (latreille, 1806) (acari: ixodidae).the present study analyzed the effects of the chemical compound fipronil, active ingredient of frontline (acaricide and insecticide), on the salivary glands of unfed and semi-engorged female rhipicephalus sanguineus tick. unfed females were only exposed to the concentration of 1 ppm of fipronil, while semi-engorged females were treated with fipronil in three concentrations: 1 ppm, 5 ppm, and 10 ppm (distilled water was used as control). the histological and histochemical results revealed signifi ...200919748741
ticks and haemoparasites of dogs from praia, cape verde.in february 2008 an epidemiological field study on arthropod-borne infections in dogs was carried out in praia, the capital city of cape verde. for this purpose 130 dogs were included in the study. of these, 94.6% were infested with ticks. altogether, 1293 ticks of the genus rhipicephalus (in all evaluated cases r. sanguineus) were collected. examination for haemotropic parasites was performed via polymerase chain reaction (pcr). lymph node fine-needle aspirates were screened by pcr for leishman ...200919729247
preliminary study on the acaricidal efficacy of spinosad administered orally to dogs infested with the brown dog tick, rhipicephalus sanguineus (latreille, 1806) (acari: ixodidae).spinosad is a novel mode of action insecticide and acaricide derived from a family of natural compounds produced from fermentation of the actinomycete, saccharopolyspora spinosa. although spinosad has been shown to have rapid knockdown and 1 month of residual efficacy against fleas (ctenocephalides spp.) following oral administration in dogs, potential activity against ticks infesting dogs has not been determined. to address this possibility, a proof-of-concept laboratory efficacy study was cond ...200919713042
directed evolution of a filamentous fungus for thermotolerance.filamentous fungi are the most widely used eukaryotic biocatalysts in industrial and chemical applications. consequently, there is tremendous interest in methodology that can use the power of genetics to develop strains with improved performance. for example, metarhizium anisopliae is a broad host range entomopathogenic fungus currently under intensive investigation as a biologically based alternative to chemical pesticides. however, it use is limited by the relatively low tolerance of this spec ...200919709419
predominance of ehrlichia chaffeensis in rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks from kennel-confined dogs in limbe, cameroon.rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks (n = 63) collected from five dogs (two adults and three puppies) housed in a kennel were screened for ehrlichial agents (ehrlichia canis, e. chaffeensis, and e. ewingii) using a species-specific multicolor real-time taqman pcr amplification of the disulphide bond formation protein (dsb) gene. ehrlichia chaffeensis dna was detected in 33 (56%) ticks, e. canis dna was detected in four (6%) ticks, and one tick was coinfected. the e. chaffeensis and e. canis nucleotide ...201019693681
ticks (acari: ixodidae) within various phytophysiognomies of a cerrado reserve in uberlândia, minas gerais, brazil.cerrado biome, the south american savannah, covers about 2 million km(2) and is very rich in endemic species but threatened by agriculture. in this report free-living tick species are presented, and their seasonal and relative distribution within the various phytophysiognomies in a small cerrado reserve in minas gerais state, brazil. overall 2,694 free-living ticks were found during a 2 years sampling period with co(2) traps and cloth dragging. of these, 73.5% were amblyomma cajennense and 0.6% ...201019693680
ticks on captive and free-living wild animals in northeastern brazil.from 2005 to 2009, 147 ticks found on 32 wild animals from or referred to two zoobotanical parks (parque zoobotânico arruda câmara and parque estadual dois irmãos) located in northeastern brazil were identified. ticks found on two veterinarians working in one of the parks (i.e., parque estadual dois irmãos), after return from forested areas within the park's territory, were also identified. the following tick-host associations were recorded: amblyomma fuscum neumann on boa constrictor l.; amblyo ...201019693679
ectoparasites of dogs and cats in albania.one hundred eighty-one dogs and 26 short-hair cats from suburban areas around tirana, albania were examined for ectoparasite infestation. the dogs were examined on several occasions from 2005 through 2009 representing three seasons: winter (december-february), spring (march-may), and summer (june-august); the cats were examined in late autumn (november). in addition, deep ear swab specimens of 30 dogs were examined for ear mites. the arthropod ectoparasite fauna of the dogs included two tick spe ...200919690887
ehrlichia chaffeensis infections in drosophila melanogaster.ehrlichia chaffeensis is an obligate, intracellular bacterium, transmitted by the tick amblyomma americanum, and is the causative agent of human monocytic ehrlichiosis infections. we previously demonstrated that e. chaffeensis is capable of growing in drosophila s2 cells. therefore, we tested the hypothesis that e. chaffeensis can infect adult drosophila melanogaster. adult drosophila organisms were experimentally challenged with intra-abdominal injections of bacteria. ehrlichia-infected flies s ...200919687202
determination of lc(50) of permethrin acaricide in semi-engorged females of the tick rhipicephalus sanguineus (latreille, 1806) (acari: ixodidae).currently, the most efficient and widely used method of tick control still is the treatment with acaricides, especially permethrin (active ingredient of the advantage, max3, bayer), a pyrethroid with neurotoxic action. due to the wide use of this acaricide in the control of the tick rhipicephalus sanguineus, this study carried out laboratorial procedures to determine the lc(50) (lethal concentration fifty) of permethrin in semi-engorged females of r. sanguineus. based on the result of 14 dilutio ...200919679129
development and use of real-time pcr to detect and quantify mycoplasma haemocanis and "candidatus mycoplasma haematoparvum" in dogs.two canine haemoplasma species have been recognised to date; mycoplasma haemocanis (mhc), which has been associated with anaemia in splenectomised or immunocompromised dogs, and "candidatus mycoplasma haematoparvum" (cmhp), recently described in an anaemic splenectomised dog undergoing chemotherapy. the study aim was to develop quantitative real-time pcr assays (qpcrs) incorporating an endogenous internal control to detect mhc and cmhp and to apply these assays to dna samples extracted from cani ...201019646827
detection and identification of rickettsial agents in ticks from domestic mammals in eastern panama.several outbreaks of rocky mountain spotted fever have occurred in recent years in colombian communities close to the border with panama. however, little is known about rickettsiae and rickettsial diseases in eastern panamanian provinces, the darien province and the kuna yala, located north of the endemic area in colombia. in 2007, 289 ticks were collected in several towns from dogs, horses, mules, cows, and pigs. dna was extracted from 124 dermacentor nitens, 64 rhipicephalus sanguineus, 43 amb ...200919645289
canine piroplasmosis in italy: epidemiological aspects in vertebrate and invertebrate hosts.in italy, canine piroplasmosis is believed to be widespread, but few data are available on its presence in most areas. in 2005 and 2006, vertebrate and invertebrate hosts were investigated in central and northern regions of the country. microscopy on blood smears, molecular tools and serological tests were applied to 420 blood samples collected from dogs, in order to evaluate the presence of these protozoa and to identify possible risk factors. moreover, ticks were analyzed by molecular techniqu ...200919632786
[mutagenic occurrence in teleoginae of rhipicephalus sanguineus from intradomiciliary environment at rio de janeiro city].from material collected by into a residence house at rio de janeiro city, using an aspirator machine during four continues hours in all house, it was captured 1,284 rhipicephalus sanguineus including 289 females; one of them showed a mutagenic alteration like an asymmetry of opistosome, and monstrosity like a two anus. the first register of this phenomenon in r. sanguineus is reported.200919602319
[occurrence of ticks (acari: ixodidae) in the municipality of goiatins, tocantins].due to a suspected human case of brazilian lyme-like disease in the city of goiatins, tocantins state, an epidemiological survey was carried out in eight counties in this region during september 2007 and february 2008, where 1,890 ticks were collected from domestic animals and from the environment. a total of eight tick species were identified: rhipicephalus sanguineus, rhipicephalus (boophilus) microplus, dermacentor nitens, amblyomma cajennense, amblyomma oblongoguttatum, amblyomma ovale, ambl ...200919602318
babesia spp. infection in dogs from rural areas of são paulo state, brazil.the status of babesia spp. infection in dogs from rural areas of são paulo state, brazil was studied. for this, 150 animals were examined by blood smears and by pcr; the presence of tick infestation was also investigated. by the blood smear examination, 3 animals (2%) were detected positive and by pcr for babesia spp. 12 (8%) were positive, with bands visualized in 450 bp. rhipicephalus sanguineus or amblyomma spp. were found on 36 (24%) of the 150 dogs. amblyomma species found were a. cajennens ...200919602312
morpho-histochemical characterization of salivary gland cells of males of the tick rhipicephalus sanguineus (acari: ixodidae) at different feeding stages: description of new cell types.this study describes the changes undergone by cells of the salivary glands of unfed and feeding (at day two and four post-attachment) rhipicephalus sanguineus males, as well as new cell types. in unfed males, types i and ii acini are observed with cells "undifferentiated", undefined 1 and 2 (the latter, with atypical granules), a, c1 and c3; type iii is composed of cells d and e; and type iv present cells g. in males at day two post-attachment, type i acini exhibit the same morphology of unfed i ...201019582584
acaricidal efficacy of thymol on engorged nymphs and females of rhipicephalus sanguineus (latreille, 1808) (acari: ixodidae).the present work was aimed at evaluating the "in vitro" efficacy of different concentrations of thymol on engorged nymphs and females of rhipicephalus sanguineus. the nymphs were separated in seven groups and immersed in different concentrations of thymol (0.25%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, and 2.0%) for 5 min. a control group was established (water + dimethylsulfoxide) together with a positive control group (amitraz*), and mortality was evaluated after 15 days. in order to perform the experiment with fem ...200919562380
tick-borne zoonotic bacteria in ticks collected from central spain.the prevalence of tick-borne and related bacteria infecting adult ticks in central spain was assessed by molecular methods. six areas were sampled monthly during a 2-year longitudinal study. a total of 1,038 questing and 442 feeding ticks, belonging to eight different species, were tested. the most abundant species were hyalomma lusitanicum (54% of captures), followed by dermacentor marginatus (23%) and rhipicephalus sanguineus (10%). four human pathogens, including seven rickettsia species, ana ...200919556569
histopathology of rhipicephalus sanguineus (acari: ixodidae) ticks fed on resistant hosts.histological features of rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks fed on dog, a non resistant host, and on guinea pig, a resistant host, were compared. unfed ticks and ticks from each host species were collected during first and third infestation and processed for histology. many ticks from guinea pigs, especially during third infestation, were unattached, dehydrated and small. only the midgut of ticks fed on guinea pigs had host leukocytes. vacuolization of midgut cells was observed in all ticks, with ex ...201019554460
epidemiology and phylogenetic analysis of crimean-congo hemorrhagic fever viruses in xinjiang, china.in 2004 and 2005, an epidemiological survey of crimean-congo hemorrhagic fever virus (cchfv) was conducted in xinjiang, china. a total of 5,629 serum samples of human and livestock were collected and tested for the cchfv antibody, and 17,319 ticks were collected for viral identification. reverse passive hemagglutination inhibition assays showed that the average prevalence of cchfv antibody was 1.7% for the humans and 12.7% for the livestock. a relatively high antibody prevalence, ranging from 19 ...200919553586
characterization of rickettsial diseases in a hospital-based population in central tunisia.in tunisia, 2 rickettsial groups, spotted fever group and typhus group, have been described since the beginning of the 20th century. mediterranean spotted fever (msf), also known as boutonneuse fever, caused by rickettsia conorii and transmitted by the dog tick rhipicephalus sanguineus, is the most frequent rickettsial infection observed. its seroprevalence in our region is 9% among blood donors and 23% in hospitalized febrile patients. typhus group rickettsioses, caused by r. typhi and r. prowa ...200919538277
deciphering the relationships between rickettsia conorii conorii and rhipicephalus sanguineus in the ecology and epidemiology of mediterranean spotted fever.mediterranean spotted fever is the most important tick-borne disease occurring in southern europe and north africa. the first case of this life-threatening zoonosis was reported in 1910. in the 1930s, the role of the brown dog tick, rhipicephalus sanguineus, and the causative agent, rickettsia conorii were described. however, basic questions regarding the relationships between the rickettsia and its tick vector are still unresolved, and the life cycle of r. conorii is incompletely known. there i ...200919538263
closing the gaps between genotype and phenotype in rickettsia rickettsii.rocky mountain spotted fever (rmsf) caused by rickettsia rickettsii is a severe rickettsiosis that occurs in nearly every state of the continental usa. rmsf is endemic in central and southern america, with recent well-documented cases in mexico, costa rica, panama, colombia, brazil, and argentina. rmsf is the most malignant among known rickettsioses causing severe multiorgan dysfunction and high case fatality rates, which can reach 73% in untreated cases. variations in pathogenic biotypes of r. ...200919538260
external and intestinal parasites of pet dogs with reference to zoonotic toxocariasis.examination of 3000 pet dogs over two years at the veterinary teaching hospital, faculty of veterinary medicine revealed external and internal parasites. the external parasites were rhipicephalus sanguineus, ctenocephalus felis, sarcoptes canis, and sarcoptes scabiei. the internal parasites were echinococcus granulosus, dipylidium caninum, rare heterophyes heterophyes, and toxocara canis. toxocara eggs were detected in 9.83%. the results were discussed with reference to zoonotic toxocariasis.200919530631
microarray analysis of gene expression changes in feeding female and male lone star ticks, amblyomma americanum (l).a collection of est clones from female tick amblyomma americanum salivary glands was hybridized to rna from different feeding stages of female tick salivary glands and from unfed or feeding adult male ticks. in the female ticks, the expression patterns changed dramatically upon starting feeding, then changed again towards the end of feeding. on beginning feeding, genes possibly involved in survival on the host increased in expression as did many housekeeping genes. as feeding progressed, some of ...200919514082
isolation of entomopathogenic fungi from soils and ixodes scapularis (acari: ixodidae) ticks: prevalence and methods.entomopathogenic fungi are commonly found in forested soils that provide tick habitat, and many species are pathogenic to ixodes scapularis say, the blacklegged tick. as a first step to developing effective biocontrol strategies, the objective of this study was to determine the best methods to isolate entomopathogenic fungal species from field-collected samples of soils and ticks from an eastern deciduous forest where i. scapularis is common. several methods were assessed: (1) soils, leaf litter ...200919496427
pathogenicity of metarhizium anisopliae (hypocreales: clavicipitaceae) to tick eggs and the effect of egg cuticular lipids on conidia development.the ovicidal efficacy of two entomopathogenic hyphomycetes fungi--metarhizium anisopliae variety acridum (m. an. ac.) driver and milner (hypocreales: clavicipitaceae) and metarhizium anisopliae variety anisopliae (m. an. an.) (metschn.) sorokin (hypocreales: clavicipitaceae)--was evaluated against eggs of three tick species (acari: ixodidae)--hyalomma excavatum (koch), rhipicephalus (boophilus) annulatus (say), and rhipicephalus sanguineus (latereille)--by placing eggs, laid by surface-sterilize ...200919496424
the immunomodulatory action of sialostatin l on dendritic cells reveals its potential to interfere with autoimmunity.sialostatin l (sialol) is a secreted cysteine protease inhibitor identified in the salivary glands of the lyme disease vector ixodes scapularis. in this study, we reveal the mechanisms of sialol immunomodulatory actions on the vertebrate host. lps-induced maturation of dendritic cells from c57bl/6 mice was significantly reduced in the presence of sialol. although ova degradation was not affected by the presence of sialol in dendritic cell cultures, cathepsin s activity was partially inhibited, l ...200919494265
a dog naturally infected with rickettsia akari in yucatan, méxico.rickettsia akari is the causative agent of rickettsialpox, a primarily urban mite-borne rickettsiosis that is encountered in the united states and in a few countries around the world. its vector is the mite liponyssoides sanguineus, which is found on rats and mice, which serve as reservoirs for the disease. in this work we report a severe animal case of r. akari infection with two unusual features: r. akari was found in a dog, and its potential vector was a tick.200919492943
hepatozoon canis infecting dogs in the state of espírito santo, southeastern brazil.from may 2007 to march 2008, blood samples were collected from 92 healthy dogs living in 21 households (17 farms in rural area, and 4 homes in urban area) in 6 counties of the state of espírito santo, southeastern brazil. in addition, ticks were collected from these dogs. a mean of 4.4+/-3.0 dogs (range: 1-12) were sampled per household; 78 and 14 dogs were from rural and urban areas, respectively. polymerase chain reaction (pcr) designed to amplify fragments of the 18s rdna gene of babesia spp ...200919482427
high prevalence of tick-borne pathogens in dogs from an indian reservation in northeastern arizona.we evaluated the serological and molecular prevalence of selected organisms in 145 dogs during late spring (may/june) of 2005 and in 88 dogs during winter (february) of 2007 from the hopi indian reservation. additionally, in 2005, 442 ticks attached to dogs were collected and identified as rhipicephalus sanguineus. infection with or exposure to at least one organism was detected in 69% and 66% of the dogs in may/june 2005 and february 2007, respectively. exposure to spotted fever group (sfg) ric ...201019469667
rapid screening and cultivation of ehrlichia canis from refrigerated carrier blood. 200919438630
transmission of rickettsia conorii conorii in naturally infected rhipicephalus sanguineus. 200919438619
experimental infection of rhipicephalus sanguineus with rickettsia conorii conorii. 200919438618
influence of temperature on the attachment of rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks on rabbits. 200919438617
wild canids as sentinels of ecological health: a conservation medicine perspective.abstract : the extinction of species across the globe is accelerating, directly or indirectly due to human activities. biological impoverishment, habitat fragmentation, climate change, increasing toxification, and the rapid global movement of people and other living organisms have worked synergistically to diminish ecosystem function. this has resulted in unprecedented levels of disease emergence, driven by human-induced environmental degradation, which poses a threat to the survival and health ...200919426446
new developments in canine hepatozoonosis in north america: a review.abstract : canine hepatozoonosis is caused by hepatozoon canis and hepatozoon americanum, apicomplexan parasites transmitted to dogs by ingestion of infectious stages. although the two agents are phylogenetically related, specific aspects, including characteristics of clinical disease and the natural history of the parasites themselves, differ between the two species. until recently, h. canis infections had not been clearly documented in north america, and autochthonous infection with h. america ...200919426444
canine babesiosis: from molecular taxonomy to control.abstract : canine babesiosis is a clinically significant emerging vector-borne disease caused by protozoan haemoparasites. this review article considers recent literature pertaining to the taxonomic classification of babesia and theileria species affecting dogs and the geographical distribution of these parasites. the diagnosis of canine babesiosis by traditional, molecular and serological methods is reviewed, together with recent advances in our understanding of the pathophysiology of piroplasm ...200919426443
canine leishmaniosis in south america.abstract : canine leishmaniosis is widespread in south america, where a number of leishmania species have been isolated or molecularly characterised from dogs. most cases of canine leishmaniosis are caused by leishmania infantum (syn. leishmania chagasi) and leishmania braziliensis. the only well-established vector of leishmania parasites to dogs in south america is lutzomyia longipalpis, the main vector of l. infantum, but many other phlebotomine sandfly species might be involved. for quite som ...200919426440
incongruent effects of two isolates of rickettsia conorii on the survival of rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks.rickettsia conorii, the etiologic agent of mediterranean spotted fever is widely distributed in southern europe, the middle east, africa, india and the caspian region. in the mediterranean region, the brown dog tick, rhipicephalus sanguineus, is the recognized vector of r. conorii. to study tick-pathogen relationships and pathogenesis of infection caused in model animals by the bite of an infected tick, we attempted to establish a laboratory colony of rh. sanguineus persistently infected with r. ...200919421877
emerging arthropod-borne diseases of companion animals in europe.vector-borne diseases are caused by parasites, bacteria or viruses transmitted by the bite of hematophagous arthropods (mainly ticks and mosquitoes). the past few years have seen the emergence of new diseases, or re-emergence of existing ones, usually with changes in their epidemiology (i.e. geographical distribution, prevalence, and pathogenicity). the frequency of some vector-borne diseases of pets is increasing in europe, i.e. canine babesiosis, granulocytic anaplasmosis, canine monocytic ehr ...200919403239
attachment of nymphal rhipicephalus sanguineus (acari: ixodidae) to a human in an urban area followed by severe adverse reaction shortly before drop-off.a case of attachment and complete engorgement of a rhipicephalus sanguineus (latreille, 1806) nymph on a woman with severe pain shortly before nymphal drop-off is described. the pain continued for about 2 weeks after tick removal. apparently, this is the first documented case of human adverse reaction developed at the very last stage of engorgement of nymphal r. sanguineus. the infestation most likely took place inside the enclosed household garden in the southern area of jerusalem where the wom ...200919391333
babesia and its hosts: adaptation to long-lasting interactions as a way to achieve efficient transmission.babesia, the causal agent of babesiosis, are tick-borne apicomplexan protozoa. true babesiae (babesia genus sensu stricto) are biologically characterized by direct development in erythrocytes and by transovarial transmission in the tick. a large number of true babesia species have been described in various vertebrate and tick hosts. this review presents the genus then discusses specific adaptations of babesia spp. to their hosts to achieve efficient transmission. the main adaptations lead to lon ...200919379662
analysis of the rickettsia africae genome reveals that virulence acquisition in rickettsia species may be explained by genome reduction.the rickettsia genus includes 25 validated species, 17 of which are proven human pathogens. among these, the pathogenicity varies greatly, from the highly virulent r. prowazekii, which causes epidemic typhus and kills its arthropod host, to the mild pathogen r. africae, the agent of african tick-bite fever, which does not affect the fitness of its tick vector.200919379498
the relationship between spotted fever group rickettsiae and ixodid ticks.spotted fever group rickettsiae are predominantly transmitted by ticks. rickettsiae have developed many strategies to adapt to different environmental conditions, including those within their arthropod vectors and vertebrate hosts. the tick-rickettsiae relationship has been a point of interest for many researchers, with most studies concentrating on the role of ticks as vectors. unfortunately, less attention has been directed towards the relationship of rickettsiae with tick cells, tissues, and ...200919358804
population dynamics of rhipicephalus sanguineus (latrielle, 1806) in belo horizonte, minas gerais state, brazil.rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks are distributed throughout the world, especially in those areas in which dogs are in close contact with humans. r. sanguineus and fleas are regarded as the main ectoparasites infesting dogs in brazil. besides causing direct damage during the blood feeding process, this tick species can also transmit pathogens to dogs and humans. despite its importance in brazil, data regarding the seasonality of r. sanguineus are limited, especially with regard to natural infestati ...200919339119
evaluation of the acaricide activity of thymol on engorged and unengorged larvae of rhipicephalus sanguineus (latreille, 1808) (acari: ixodidae).the present work was aimed at evaluating the in vitro efficacy of thymol on engorged and unengorged larvae of rhipicephalus sanguineus. in order to perform the study, unengorged larvae were interleaved on filter paper (2 x 2 cm) recently sprayed with thymol in the following concentrations: 0.25%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, and 2.0%. for each concentration, ten repetitions of 50 larvae each were performed. a control group was established (water + dmso) together with a positive control group (amitraz), wit ...200919330353
molecular investigations of rickettsia helvetica infection in dogs, foxes, humans, and ixodes ticks.rickettsia helvetica, a tick-borne member of the spotted-fever-group rickettsiae, is a suspected pathogen in humans; however, its role in animals is unknown. the aims of this study were to establish a r. helvetica-specific real-time taqman pcr assay and apply it to the analysis of tick vectors (to determine potential exposure risk) and blood samples from canidae and humans (to determine prevalence of infection). the newly designed 23s rrna gene assay for r. helvetica was more sensitive than a pu ...200919329665
rickettsia rickettsii, rickettsia felis and rickettsia sp. twkm03 infecting rhipicephalus sanguineus and ctenocephalides felis collected from dogs in a brazilian spotted fever focus in the state of rio de janeiro/brazil. 200919298400
effects of rickettsia conorii infection on the survival of rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks. 200919298397
a novel sphingomyelinase-like enzyme in ixodes scapularis tick saliva drives host cd4 t cells to express il-4.tick feeding modulates host immune responses. tick-induced skewing of host cd4(+) t cells towards a th2 cytokine profile facilitates transmission of tick-borne pathogens that would otherwise be neutralized by th1 cytokines. tick-derived factors that drive this th2 response have not previously been characterized. in the current study, we examined an i. scapularis cdna library prepared at 18-24 h of feeding and identified and expressed a tick gene with homology to loxosceles spider venom proteins ...200919292772
the complete mitochondrial genome of the house dust mite dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (trouessart): a novel gene arrangement among arthropods.the apparent scarcity of available sequence data has greatly impeded evolutionary studies in acari (mites and ticks). this subclass encompasses over 48,000 species and forms the largest group within the arachnida. although mitochondrial genomes are widely utilised for phylogenetic and population genetic studies, only 20 mitochondrial genomes of acari have been determined, of which only one belongs to the diverse order of the sarcoptiformes. in this study, we describe the mitochondrial genome of ...200919284646
effects of climate change on ticks and tick-borne diseases in europe.zoonotic tick-borne diseases are an increasing health burden in europe and there is speculation that this is partly due to climate change affecting vector biology and disease transmission. data on the vector tick ixodes ricinus suggest that an extension of its northern and altitude range has been accompanied by an increased prevalence of tick-borne encephalitis. climate change may also be partly responsible for the change in distribution of dermacentor reticulatus. increased winter activity of i ...200919277106
[characterization of ectoparasites on dogs in the nucleus of urban expansion of juiz de fora, minas gerais, brazil].the present work studied the characterization of ectoparasites on dogs in the nucleus of urban expansion of juiz de fora, minas gerais, brazil. the collections were conducted from july to september 2003, examining 101 dogs of no defined breed. the ectoparasites were collected through visual and tactile inspection of the animals' bodies, and were then placed in bottles with 70 degrees gl ethanol and identified under a stereomicroscope. specimens were clarified and mounted on slides for analysis u ...200819265575
molecular documentation of bartonella infection in dogs in greece and italy.this study reports the occurrence of "bartonella rochalimae" in europe and the presence of bartonella vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii genotypes ii and iii in dogs in southern italy and provides dna sequencing evidence of a potentially new bartonella sp. infecting dogs in greece and italy.200919261798
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