Relatively low prevalence of Babesia microti and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in Ixodes scapularis ticks collected in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania. 2015

Marten J Edwards, and Laura A Barbalato, and Amulya Makkapati, and Katerina D Pham, and Louise M Bugbee
Muhlenberg College Department of Biology, Allentown, PA 18104, United States. Electronic address: edwards@muhlenberg.edu.

Several human pathogens are transmitted by the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis. These include the spirochetes that cause Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi) which is endemic to the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania. Emerging and currently rare tick-borne diseases have been of increasing concern in this region, including tick-borne relapsing fever (caused by Borrelia miyamotoi), human granulocytic anaplasmosis (caused by Anaplasma phagocytophilum), and human babesiosis (caused by Babesia microti). Real-time PCR assays and in some instances, conventional PCR followed by DNA sequencing, were used to screen 423 DNA samples that were prepared from questing adult and nymph stage I. scapularis ticks for infection with four tick-borne human pathogens. B. burgdorferi was detected in 23.2% of the sampled ticks, while B. miyamotoi, B. microti and a human variant of A. phagocytophilum were detected in less than 0.5% of the ticks. Our results are consistent with those expected in a region where Lyme disease is prevalent and human cases of tick-borne relapsing fever, babesiosis and human granulocytic anaplasmosis are not currently widespread. It is expected that this study will serve as a baseline for future studies of tick-borne pathogens in an area that is in close proximity to regions of high endemicity for Lyme disease, human granulocytic anaplasmosis and human babesiosis.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D010414 Pennsylvania State bounded on the north by New York and Lake Erie, on the east by Delaware and New Jersey, on the south by Delaware and Maryland, and on the west by Ohio and West Virginia.
D004269 DNA, Bacterial Deoxyribonucleic acid that makes up the genetic material of bacteria. Bacterial DNA
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D016054 DNA, Protozoan Deoxyribonucleic acid that makes up the genetic material of protozoa. Protozoan DNA
D054884 Host-Pathogen Interactions The interactions between a host and a pathogen, usually resulting in disease. Host Pathogen Interaction,Host-Pathogen Relations,Pathogen-Host Interaction,Pathogen-Host Interactions,Host Pathogen Interactions,Host Pathogen Relations,Host-Pathogen Interaction,Host-Pathogen Relation,Interaction, Host Pathogen,Interaction, Host-Pathogen,Interaction, Pathogen-Host,Interactions, Host Pathogen,Interactions, Host-Pathogen,Interactions, Pathogen-Host,Pathogen Host Interaction,Pathogen Host Interactions,Pathogen Interaction, Host,Pathogen Interactions, Host,Relation, Host-Pathogen,Relations, Host-Pathogen
D060888 Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction Methods used for detecting the amplified DNA products from the polymerase chain reaction as they accumulate instead of at the end of the reaction. Kinetic Polymerase Chain Reaction,Quantitative Real-Time PCR,Quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction,Real-Time PCR,PCR, Quantitative Real-Time,PCR, Real-Time,PCRs, Quantitative Real-Time,PCRs, Real-Time,Quantitative Real Time PCR,Quantitative Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction,Quantitative Real-Time PCRs,Real Time PCR,Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction,Real-Time PCR, Quantitative,Real-Time PCRs,Real-Time PCRs, Quantitative
D018884 Ixodes The largest genus of TICKS in the family IXODIDAE, containing over 200 species. Many infest humans and other mammals and several are vectors of diseases such as LYME DISEASE; ENCEPHALITIS, TICK-BORNE; and KYASANUR FOREST DISEASE. Black-legged Tick,Blacklegged Tick,California Black Legged Tick,Castor Bean Tick,Deer Tick,Ixodes dammini,Ixodes pacificus,Ixodes persulcatus,Ixodes ricinus,Ixodes scapularis,Western Black Legged Tick,Western Blacklegged Tick,Black legged Tick,Black-legged Ticks,Blacklegged Tick, Western,Blacklegged Ticks,Castor Bean Ticks,Deer Ticks,Ixodes damminus,Ixodes scapulari,Tick, Black-legged,Tick, Blacklegged,Tick, Castor Bean,Tick, Deer,Tick, Western Blacklegged,Western Blacklegged Ticks
D041001 Babesia microti A species of protozoa infecting humans via the intermediate tick vector IXODES scapularis. The other hosts are the mouse PEROMYSCUS leucopus and meadow vole MICROTUS pennsylvanicus, which are fed on by the tick. Other primates can be experimentally infected with Babesia microti. Babesia microtus,microtus, Babesia
D041081 Anaplasma phagocytophilum A species of gram-negative bacteria in the genus ANAPLASMA, family ANAPLASMATACEAE, formerly called Ehrlichia phagocytophila or Ehrlichia equi. This organism is tick-borne (IXODES) and causes disease in horses and sheep. In humans, it causes human granulocytic EHRLICHIOSIS. Cytoecetes phagocytophila,Ehrlichia equi,Ehrlichia phagocytophila,HGE Agent
D063147 Animal Distribution A process by which animals in various forms and stages of development are physically distributed through time and space. Animal Dispersal,Animal Dispersals,Animal Distributions,Dispersal, Animal,Dispersals, Animal,Distribution, Animal,Distributions, Animal

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