TY - JOUR
T1 - Spotted fever group rickettsiae in multiple hard tick species from fairfax county, Virginia
AU - Henning, Tyler C.
AU - Orr, John M.
AU - Smith, Joshua D.
AU - Arias, Jorge R.
AU - Norris, Douglas E.
PY - 2014/7/1
Y1 - 2014/7/1
N2 - Spotted fever group rickettsiosis (SFGR) is a potentially fatal disease that has displayed increasing incidence in the United States in recent years. The most well-known and severe type of this disease is Rocky Mountain spotted fever, but there are other mild forms that occur. Recently, human infection with Rickettsia parkeri has been reported and linked with the tick Amblyomma maculatum. In 2010, a population of R. parkeri-infected A. maculatum was discovered in Fairfax County, Virginia, leading to increased surveillance of tick species. In this study, we report the presence of R. parkeri in Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Haemaphysalis leporispalustris, and Dermacentor variabilis in Fairfax County. R. parkeri was discovered in two Rh. sanguineus, one H. leporispalustris, and 17 D. variabilis. These findings suggest that spillover infections of R. parkeri may be occurring in tick species not typically associated with this pathogen; however, vector competence studies need to be conducted to determine if these tick species can serve as potential vectors for human SFGR.
AB - Spotted fever group rickettsiosis (SFGR) is a potentially fatal disease that has displayed increasing incidence in the United States in recent years. The most well-known and severe type of this disease is Rocky Mountain spotted fever, but there are other mild forms that occur. Recently, human infection with Rickettsia parkeri has been reported and linked with the tick Amblyomma maculatum. In 2010, a population of R. parkeri-infected A. maculatum was discovered in Fairfax County, Virginia, leading to increased surveillance of tick species. In this study, we report the presence of R. parkeri in Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Haemaphysalis leporispalustris, and Dermacentor variabilis in Fairfax County. R. parkeri was discovered in two Rh. sanguineus, one H. leporispalustris, and 17 D. variabilis. These findings suggest that spillover infections of R. parkeri may be occurring in tick species not typically associated with this pathogen; however, vector competence studies need to be conducted to determine if these tick species can serve as potential vectors for human SFGR.
KW - Dermacentor variabilis
KW - Haemaphysalis leporispalustris
KW - Rhipicephalus sanguineus
KW - Rickettsia parkeri
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84904304725&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84904304725&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1089/vbz.2013.1534
DO - 10.1089/vbz.2013.1534
M3 - Article
C2 - 24978651
AN - SCOPUS:84904304725
VL - 14
SP - 482
EP - 485
JO - Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases
JF - Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases
SN - 1530-3667
IS - 7
ER -