Prevalence of <i>Francisella tularensis</i> in <i>Dermacentor variabilis</i> Ticks, Minnesota, 2017

Whitten, Tory; Demontigny, Courtney; Bjork, Jenna; Foss, Mandy; Peterson, Molly; Scheftel, Joni; Neitzel, Dave; Sullivan, Maureen; Smith, Kirk E.

doi:10.1089/vbz.2018.2388

Cited by 14 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Notably, in the United States, Dermacentor variabilis ( D. variabilis ) assumes a pivotal role as a vector for F. tularensis , actively participating in the bacterium's natural life cycle ( Whitten et al, 2019 ; Zellner and Huntley, 2019 ). Whitten et al have documented a tularemia prevalence of 34% in D. variabilis through a comprehensive RT-PCR study ( Whitten et al, 2019 ). Similar to our study, previous research conducted in the USA and Europe has typically reported F. tularensis presence in various Dermacentor species ranging from less than 1% to less than 10% ( Goethert et al, 2004 ; Bielawska-Drozd et al, 2018 ; Hubalek and Rudolf, 2017 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

First molecular detection of Francisella tularensis in turtle (Testudo graeca) and ticks (Hyalomma aegyptium) in Northwest of Iran

Tukmechi,

Ownagh,

Enferadi

et al. 2024

International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

First molecular detection of Francisella tularensis in turtle (Testudo graeca) and ticks (Hyalomma aegyptium) in Northwest of Iran

Tukmechi,

Ownagh,

Enferadi

et al. 2024

International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife

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“…[ 119 ]. Dermacentor variabilis ticks have been reported infected with other Francisella tularensis , the causative agent of tularemia [ 120 ]. Ixodes species ticks are vectors of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato group, some of which are associated with Lyme disease.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Host species and environment drivers of ectoparasite community of rodents in a Mojave Desert wetlands

et al. 2022

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Drivers of patterns of ectoparasitism in rodents in patchy Mojave Desert wetlands were investigated. A total of 1,571 ectoparasites in Mesostigmata, Trombidiformes, Siphonaptera and Ixodida were collected from 341 rodents (Microtus californicus scirpensis, Mus musculus, Reithrodontomys megalotis, Peromyscus eremicus, and Neotoma lepida) at eleven marshes. Trombiculids accounted for 82.5% of mites, followed by the mesostigmatid Ornithonyssus bacoti (17.5%), with chiggers predominating on voles and harvest mice. There were at least three genera of chiggers (Eutrombicula alfreddugesi, Euschoengastia sp. novel, and Blankaartia sp. novel). Fleas included Orchopeas leucopus (90.3% of all fleas) and O. sexdentatus (9.7%), and ticks were the novel endemic Ixodes mojavensis (82.1% of ticks) and Dermacentor similis (17.9%). On all hosts and at all marshes, coverage-based rarefaction sampling was over 96%, indicating coverage sufficient for analysis. Dissimilarities in ectoparasite community structure were driven mainly by chiggers, I. mojavensis and O. leucopus. Northern marshes were dominated by chiggers; central marshes by I. mojavensis; and southern marshes by O. leucopus. Primary determinants of ectoparasite community structure were host species, patch size, and parasite interspecific interactions. Host species richness and environmental factors such as patch distance and water and plant availability were not significantly associated with patterns of ectoparasitism. There were nine (60%) significant negative pairwise associations between ectoparasite taxa and no significant positive relationships. Ixodes mojavensis had the highest number of negative associations (with five other species), followed by chiggers and O. bacoti with two negative associations each. The study area is among the most arid in North America and supports numerous rare and endemic species in increasingly isolated wetland habitat patches; knowledge of ectoparasite ecology in this region identifies potential ectoparasite vectors, and provides information needed to design and implement programs to manage vector-borne diseases for purposes of wildlife conservation.

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“…4% of A. americanum ticks (>5000 ticks tested) were positive for F. tularensis [ 49 ]. A study of over 3500 field-collected D. variabilis ticks from Minnesota identified Type A F. tularensis in 3.6% of those ticks [ 50 ]. That infection rate was similar to what has been reported at Martha’s Vineyard, where the annual F. tularensis infection rates in D. variabilis ticks ranges from 2.7% to 4.3%, demonstrating that tick-borne tularemia infections are not restricted to the south-central U.S. [ 42 ].…”

Section: Epidemiology Of F Tularensis Transmismentioning

confidence: 99%

Mechanisms Affecting the Acquisition, Persistence and Transmission of Francisella tularensis in Ticks

Tully

Huntley

2020

Microorganisms

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Over 600,000 vector-borne disease cases were reported in the United States (U.S.) in the past 13 years, of which more than three-quarters were tick-borne diseases. Although Lyme disease accounts for the majority of tick-borne disease cases in the U.S., tularemia cases have been increasing over the past decade, with >220 cases reported yearly. However, when comparing Borrelia burgdorferi (causative agent of Lyme disease) and Francisella tularensis (causative agent of tularemia), the low infectious dose (<10 bacteria), high morbidity and mortality rates, and potential transmission of tularemia by multiple tick vectors have raised national concerns about future tularemia outbreaks. Despite these concerns, little is known about how F. tularensis is acquired by, persists in, or is transmitted by ticks. Moreover, the role of one or more tick vectors in transmitting F. tularensis to humans remains a major question. Finally, virtually no studies have examined how F. tularensis adapts to life in the tick (vs. the mammalian host), how tick endosymbionts affect F. tularensis infections, or whether other factors (e.g., tick immunity) impact the ability of F. tularensis to infect ticks. This review will assess our current understanding of each of these issues and will offer a framework for future studies, which could help us better understand tularemia and other tick-borne diseases.

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Prevalence of Francisella tularensis in Dermacentor variabilis Ticks, Minnesota, 2017

Cited by 14 publications

References 22 publications

First molecular detection of Francisella tularensis in turtle (Testudo graeca) and ticks (Hyalomma aegyptium) in Northwest of Iran

First molecular detection of Francisella tularensis in turtle (Testudo graeca) and ticks (Hyalomma aegyptium) in Northwest of Iran

Host species and environment drivers of ectoparasite community of rodents in a Mojave Desert wetlands

Mechanisms Affecting the Acquisition, Persistence and Transmission of Francisella tularensis in Ticks

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