Argasid ticks are vectors of viral and bacterial agents of humans and animals. Carios capensis, a tick of seabirds, infests the nests of brown pelicans, Pelecanus occidentalis, and other ground nesting birds along the coast of South Carolina. This tick is associated with pelican nest abandonment and could pose a threat to humans visiting pelican rookeries if visitors are exposed to ticks harboring infectious agents. We collected ticks from a pelican rookery on Deveaux Bank, South Carolina and screened 64 individual ticks, six pools of larvae, and an egg mass for DNA from Bartonella, Borrelia, Coxiella, and Rickettsia by polymerase chain reaction amplification and sequencing. Ticks harbored DNA from "Borrelia lonestari", a novel Coxiella sp., and three species of Rickettsia, including Rickettsia felis and two undescribed Rickettsia spp. DNA from the Coxiella and two undescribed Rickettsia were detected in unfed larvae that emerged in the laboratory, which implies these agents are transmitted vertically by female ticks. We partially characterize the novel Coxiella by molecular means.
A study in late 1979 to early 1980 was conducted to assess arbovirus activity in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. From 38,245 mosquitoes collected at 3 locations, 16 isolations of Sindbis virus were made: 13 from Culex univittatus and one each from Cx tritaeniorhynchus, Cx pipiens complex, and Culex spp. These isolations represent the first records of a mosquito-borne virus from the Gulf of Arabia and implicate Cx univittatus as the principal vector. A potential risk of human diseases exists due to Sindbis virus in Saudi Arabia.
The genus Coxiella is currently defined by a single monotypic species, Coxiella burnetii. Novel Coxiella spp. have been detected in ticks throughout the world. These bacteria have not been cultured or named, and their evolutionary relationships to C. burnetii are poorly known. A novel Coxiella-like agent was detected by PCR amplification and sequencing of DNA extracted from 64 pelican ticks, Carios capensis, from Devoux Bank, South Carolina, USA. PCR was used to amplify and characterize genes from the new bacterium. Sequences from some metabolic and housekeeping genes shared a 92-98% similarity to C. burnetii, but other genes such as the IS1111 transposon, com1, and 5S and 16S rRNA genes were not amplified by conventional PCR. Transovarial and transtadial transmission and environmental shedding of the agent were detected by PCR.
A survey of ectoparasites and their associated pathogens was conducted in two South Carolina zoos, from 2004 to 2007. Dead, wild birds and mammals, as well as captive animals examined during routine veterinary checks constituted the study populations. Ectoparasites were tested for species of Anaplasma, Bartonella, Coxiella burnetii, Ehrlichia, Rickettsia, and Trypanosoma. Forty-six species of ectoparasites were collected from 133 free-roaming and captive hosts and their associated nesting and bedding materials. Six vector-borne pathogens were detected molecularly in the ectoparasites, including Anaplasma phagocytophilum in the tick Ixodes dentatus Marx from an eastern cottontail rabbit, Bartonella clarridgeiae in the cat flea Ctenocephalides felis (Bouché) from a Virginia opossum, Bartonella sp. Oh6 in the squirrel flea Orchopeas howardi (Baker) from an eastern grey squirrel, Bartonella sp. T7498 in the sucking louse Neohaematopinus sciuri Jancke from a squirrel, Rickettsia sp. Rf2125 in C. felis from a zookeeper and a grizzly bear, and Rickettsiales sp. Ib 2006 in Ixodes brunneus Koch from an American crow. While the pathology of some of these pathogens is poorly known, Anaplasma phagocytophilum (causative agent of human granulocytic anaplasmosis) and Bartonella clarridgeiae (causative agent of a disease similar to cat-scratch disease) can infect humans. Ectoparasites and their pathogens, especially those originating from free-roaming animals, present a potential threat to captive animals and humans.
Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) werc collected froin anitnals and workcrs at vctcrinaty clinics and animal shcltcrs in Orangeburg County, South Carolina from April to December 1994. Frequently recovcrcd species were Dertnacenlor variabilis (Say), Amblyotnrna maculalum Koch, Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille), Ixodes scapularis Say and Arnblyomrna americanutn (L.). Except for four A . americanurn nymphs, only adult ticks wcre collected. Ixodes scapularis was collccted in the fall, winter, and spring and R. sanguineus was present during most months. All otlicr species were activc during the spring Kerry L. Downloaded by [Monash University Library] at 06:45 03 February 2015 46 .JOURNAL OF AGROMEDICINE and suninier. A bricf discussion of the medical and vetcrinary importance of each spccics is included. [Ar?icle copies available J w t i The I-lcrwor/h Docuttietit Delivety Setvice: 1-800-342-9678. E-ttiail addt.ess: geliifo@lia ivor/li.coni]
Hurricane Katrina caused massive destruction and flooding along the Gulf Coast in August 2005. We collected mosquitoes and tested them for arboviral infection in a severely hurricane-damaged community to determine species composition and to assess the risk of a mosquito-borne epidemic disease in that community about 6 wk after the landfall of Hurricane Katrina. Light-trap collections yielded 8,215 mosquitoes representing 19 species, while limited gravid-trap collections were not productive. The most abundant mosquito species was Culex nigripalpus, which constituted 73.6% of all specimens. No arboviruses were detected in any of the mosquitoes collected in this survey, which did not support the assertion that human risk for arboviral infection was increased in the coastal community 6 wk after the hurricane.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.