Sayler Katherine A, Loftis Amanda D, Beatty Sarah K, Boyce Carisa L, Garrison Elina, Clemons Bambi, Cunningham Mark, Alleman Arthur R, Barbet Anthony F
Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, 2015 SW 16th Ave., Gainesville, FL 32608 (
Department of Infectious Disease and Pathology, University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, 2015 SW 16th Ave., Gainesville, FL 32608 (
J Med Entomol. 2016 Jul;53(4):949-956. doi: 10.1093/jme/tjw054. Epub 2016 Apr 26.
Amblyomma americanum (L.), the lone star tick, is an aggressive tick that is expanding its geographic range within the United States. This tick is the vector for the human and veterinary pathogens Ehrlichia chaffeensis and Ehrlichia ewingii and is associated with other microbes of unspecified pathogenicity including Rickettsia amblyommii, Panola Mountain Ehrlichia, and Borrelia lonestari In Florida, there has been sparse contemporary data on the prevalence of these organisms in host-seeking lone star ticks. To determine the prevalence of this tick and associated microbes in North Central Florida state parks, ∼1,500 lone star tick specimens were collected between 2010 and 2012 analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) sequencing. Additionally, 393 white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus (Zimmerman), samples were analyzed for pathogen prevalence using molecular methods and serology. In lone star ticks, 14.6, 15.6, and 57.1% were positive for E. chaffeensis, E. ewingii, and Rickettsia spp. DNA, respectively. Panola Mountain Ehrlichia or B. lonestari DNA were each detected in nearly 2% of tick specimens. In white-tailed deer, 7.3% were PCR positive for E. chaffeensis, 6.0% for E. ewingii, and 3.2% for rickettsial species. Approximately 45% of white-tailed deer specimens had antibodies to Ehrlichia spp., and <1% had antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi In summary, E. chaffeensis, E. ewingii, and spotted fever group rickettsia are highly prevalent in host-seeking lone star ticks and in white-tailed deer in Florida. The molecular and serological evidence of these microbes underscore their zoonotic potential in this region.
美洲钝眼蜱(Amblyomma americanum (L.)),即孤星蜱,是一种攻击性很强的蜱虫,其在美国的地理分布范围正在扩大。这种蜱虫是人类和兽类病原体查菲埃立克体(Ehrlichia chaffeensis)和尤因埃立克体(Ehrlichia ewingii)的传播媒介,还与其他致病性未明的微生物有关,包括安氏立克次体(Rickettsia amblyommii)、帕诺拉山埃立克体(Panola Mountain Ehrlichia)和孤独星疏螺旋体(Borrelia lonestari)。在佛罗里达州,关于这些生物体在寻找宿主的孤星蜱中的流行情况,当代数据稀少。为了确定佛罗里达州中北部州立公园中这种蜱虫及相关微生物的流行情况,在2010年至2012年期间收集了约1500份孤星蜱标本,并通过聚合酶链反应(PCR)测序进行分析。此外,还使用分子方法和血清学对393份白尾鹿(Odocoileus virginianus (Zimmerman))样本进行了病原体流行情况分析。在孤星蜱中,查菲埃立克体、尤因埃立克体和立克次体属DNA的阳性率分别为14.6%、15.6%和57.1%。在近2%的蜱虫标本中分别检测到了帕诺拉山埃立克体或孤独星疏螺旋体DNA。在白尾鹿中,查菲埃立克体的PCR阳性率为7.3%,尤因埃立克体为6.0%,立克次体属为3.2%。约45%的白尾鹿标本对埃立克体属有抗体,而对伯氏疏螺旋体(Borrelia burgdorferi)有抗体的标本不到1%。总之,查菲埃立克体、尤因埃立克体和斑点热群立克次体在佛罗里达州寻找宿主的孤星蜱和白尾鹿中高度流行。这些微生物的分子和血清学证据突显了它们在该地区的人畜共患病潜力。