bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Revisiting Brazilian Spotted Fever Focus of Caratinga, Minas Gerais State, Brazil
Authors: GALVÃO M.A.M. , CARDOSO L.D. , MAFRA C.L. , CALIC S.B. , WALKER D.H.
Published: November 2006

Abstract:  We revisited a Brazilian spotted fever focal area in Minas Gerais state, Brazil, in 2002, and performed a serologic survey in dogs and cats. The results of this survey are compared with the survey made 10 years before. The possible efficacy of vector control measures adopted in this area and the role of dogs and horses as sentinels of infection by Rickettsia are discussed.
Fatal Case of Brazilian Spotted Fever Confirmed by Immunohistochemical Staining and Sequencing Methods on Fixed Tissues
Authors: ROZENTAL TATIANA , EREMEEVA MARINA E. , PADDOCK CHRISTOPHER D. , ZAKI SHERIF R. , DASCH GREGORY A. , LEMOS ELBA R. S.
Published: November 2006

Abstract:  The authors describe the first characterization of Rickettsia rickettsii in a fatal case occurring in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil.
Mediterranean Spotted Fever in Crete, Greece
Authors: GERMANAKIS A. , PSAROULAKI A. , GIKAS A. , TSELENTIS Y.
Published: November 2006

Abstract:  The clinical, epidemiological, and therapeutic aspects of 15 patients with Mediterranean spotted fever (MSF), admitted to the Internal Medicine Department of the General Hospital of Sitia (southeastern Crete, Greece) between December 2000 and July 2003, were studied. Diagnosis was made on the basis of clinical signs and symptoms and was confirmed by serology. Of the patients studied, 67% were men and 33% women, with a median age of 52 years (range of 23–76 years). Ten cases (67%) were diagnosed between May and July. Of all the patients, 93% had a history of contact with animals, mainly with sheep (11 patients, 73%), while 53% of them had a history of tick‐bite (33%), or reported the presence of ticks in their environment (20%). The typical eschar lesion (tache noir) at the tick‐bite site was present in 53% of the patients, while the rash was present in 87% of them. Laboratory findings included leukopenia (47%), thrombocytopenia (54%), elevation of transaminases (80%), hyponatremia (33%), and microscopic hematuria (80%). Four patients (27%) displayed pulmonary infiltrates on chest radiography. All patients were treated with doxycycline (200 mg daily) and recovered rapidly. Renal function deteriorated in one patient with chronic renal failure, but he recovered thereafter.
Prediction of Habitat Suitability for Ticks
Authors: ESTRADA‐PEÑA AGUSTÍN
Published: November 2006

Abstract:  This article offers a personal perspective on the efforts to model the habitat suitability for ticks. A serious effort is being made to provide maps at an adequate resolution that can plot the probability of the presence and even the abundance of tick parasites of humans and that can be used to develop control programs for species with economic interest. Some of the methods being currently evaluated are described together with a summary of the techniques using remotely sensed information to capture the abiotic features of the habitat. Some examples, developed using different methods, are provided for the Mediterranean region and part of the U.S., together with an overview of the performance of these models.
Prevalence of Bacterial Agents in Ixodes persulcatus Ticks from the Vologda Province of Russia
Authors: EREMEEVA MARINA E. , OLIVEIRA ALICE , ROBINSON JENNILEE B. , RIBAKOVA NINA , TOKAREVICH NIKOLAY K. , DASCH GREGORY A.
Published: November 2006

Abstract:  The prevalence of rickettsiae, ehrlichiae, and the rickettsia‐like endosymbiont called Montezuma relative to that of

Borrelia

was determined in questing

Ixodes persulcatus

(

I. persulcatus)

ticks collected in 2002–2003 from Vologda Province, Russia.

Ehrlichia muris

,

Anaplasma phagocytophilum,

Montezuma, and new spotted fever group rickettsiae were detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the first time in this area. The rickettsiae were all

Candidatus

Rickettsia tarasevichiae, the furthest west this organism has been detected. After

Borrelia,

Montezuma was the agent most frequently detected; it may be present throughout the distribution of

I. persulcatus

in Russia. Ehrlichiae and rickettsiae frequently share the same tick host with

Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato

so cotransmission and mixed infections in vertebrate hosts, including humans, may occur.
Prevalence of Rickettsia felis in Ctenocephalides felis and Ctenocephalides canis from Uruguay
Authors: VENZAL JOSÉ M. , PÉREZ‐MARTÍNEZ LAURA , FÉLIX MARIA L. , PORTILLO ARÁNZAZU , BLANCO JOSÉ R. , OTEO JOSÉ A.
Published: November 2006

Abstract:  Our aim was to determine the presence of Rickettsia spp. in 66 fleas from Uruguay. Rickettsial DNA was amplified using gltA and ompB PCR primers. Rickettsia spp. were found in 41% of the fleas (25 Ctenocephalides felis and 2 Ctenocephlides canis). Sequences resulted in the identification of Rickettsia felis and four genotypes closely related to this species (Rickettsia sp. TwKM03, California 2, Hf187, and RF2125). The presence of R. felis in fleas from Uruguay in was demonstrated. This is the second species of Rickettsia identified in Uruguay in the past 2 years using molecular approaches, and it is helping to clarify the etiology of rickettsial diseases in the region.
Detection of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Coxiella burnetii, Rickettsia spp., and Borrelia burgdorferi s. l. in Ticks, and Wild‐Living Animals in Western and Middle Slovakia
Authors: SMETANOVÁ KATARÍNA , SCHWARZOVÁ KATARÍNA , KOCIANOVÁ ELENA
Published: November 2006

Abstract:  In this study, three tick species (Ixodes ricinus, Dermacentor marginatus, and D. reticulatus), small terrestrial mammals, and game were examined by PCR for the presence of tick‐borne pathogens Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Coxiella burnetii, Rickettsia spp., and Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu lato.
Prevalence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Rickettsia sp. and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato DNA in Questing Ixodes ricinus Ticks from France
Authors: HALOS LÉNAÏG , VOURC'H GWENAËL , COTTE VIOLAINE , GASQUI PATRICK , BARNOUIN JACQUES , BOULOUS HENRI‐JEAN , VAYSSIER‐TAUSSAT MURIEL
Published: November 2006

Abstract:  A total of 4701 Ixodes ricinus, collected during the summer of 2003, were analyzed for three pathogens. DNA was detected from the three pathogens. Co‐detection of more than one pathogen was observed.
Prevalence of Rickettsia slovaca in Dermacentor marginatus Ticks Removed from Wild Boar (Sus scrofa) in Northeastern Spain
Authors: ORTUÑO A. , QUESADA M. , LÓPEZ S. , MIRET J. , CARDEÑOSA N. , CASTELLÀ J. , ANTON E. , SEGURA F.
Published: November 2006

Abstract: 
Rickettsia slovaca, the causative agent of TIBOLA, is transmitted by Dermacentor ticks. Dermacentor marginatus is the most widely species distributed in northeasler Spain, and the wild boar constitutes the main host. D. marginatus ticks were collected from hunterkilled wild boar and were tested by PCR/RFLP. Rickettsial DNA–positive ticks were sequenced using the ompA PCR primers. The prevalence of R. slovaca in D. marginatus ticks was 17.7%. Other spotted fever group rickettsiae were detected in ticks, but these were not definitely identified.
Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiae in Ticks Feeding on Humans in Northwestern Spain
Authors: FERNÁNDEZ‐SOTO PEDRO , PÉREZ‐SÁNCHEZ RICARDO , ÁLAMO‐SANZ RUFINO , ENCINAS‐GRANDES ANTONIO
Published: November 2006

Abstract: During a 7‐year study, we identified and analyzed by PCR 4,049 ticks removed from 3,685 asymptomatic patients in Castilla y León (northwestern Spain). A total of 320 ticks (belonging to 10 species) were PCR‐positive for rickettsiae. Comparison of amplicon sequences in databases enabled us to identify eigth different spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiae:Rickettsia slovaca,Rickettsiasp. IRS3/IRS4,R. massiliae/Bar29,R. aeschlimannii,Rickettsiasp. RpA4/DnS14,R. helvetica,Rickettsiasp. DmS1, andR. conorii. Although Mediterranean spotted fever (MSF) is an endemic disease in Castilla y León,R. conoriiwas found in only oneRhipicephalus sanguineustick, whereas other pathogenic SFG rickettsiae were much more prevalent in the same area. Our data suggest that in Castilla y León, many MSF or MSF‐like cases attributed toR. conoriicould have been actually caused by other SFG rickettsiae present in ticks biting people in this region of Spain.
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in Arizona: Documentation of Heavy Environmental Infestations of Rhipicephalus sanguineus at an Endemic Site
Authors: NICHOLSON WILLIAM L. , PADDOCK CHRISTOPHER D. , DEMMA LINDA , TRAEGER MARC , JOHNSON BRIAN , DICKSON JEFFREY , McQUISTON JENNIFER , SWERDLOW DAVID
Published: November 2006

Abstract:  A recent epidemiologic investigation identified 16 cases and 2 deaths from Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) in two eastern Arizona communities. Prevalence studies were conducted by collecting free‐living ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) from the home sites of RMSF patients and from other home sites within the community. Dry ice traps and flagging confirmed heavy infestations at many of the home sites. Only Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks were identified and all developmental stages were detected. It is evident that under certain circumstances, this species does transmit Rickettsia rickettsii to humans and deserves reconsideration as a vector in other geographic areas.
An Outbreak of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Associated with a Novel Tick Vector, Rhipicephalus sanguineus, in Arizona, 2004
Authors: DEMMA LINDA J. , EREMEEVA M. , NICHOLSON W. L. , TRAEGER M. , BLAU D. , PADDOCK C. , LEVIN M. , DASCH G. , CHEEK J. , SWERDLOW D. , McQUISTON J.
Published: November 2006

Abstract:  This study describes preliminary results of an investigation of RMSF in Arizona associated with the brown dog tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus. High numbers of dogs and heavy infestations of ticks created a situation leading to human disease.
Incidence and Distribution Pattern of Rickettsia felis in Peridomestic Fleas from Andalusia, Southeast Spain
Authors: MÁRQUEZ F.J. , MUNIAIN M.A. , RODRÍGUEZ‐LIEBANA J.J. , DEL TORO M.D. , BERNABEU‐WITTEL M. , PACHÓN A.J.
Published: November 2006

Abstract:  The presence of Rickettsia felis was investigated in three species of pulicid fleas (Ctenocephalides felis, Ctenocephalides canis and Pulex irritans) collected in 38 locales in Andalusia (Spain) over the period 1999–2004. Amplification of a fragment of OmpB gene was positive in 54.17 % of lots of Ct. felis. The identity of the PCR bands was confirmed as R. felis by sequence data obtained directly from the PCR amplicon. No rickettsia was found in Ct. canis nor P. irritans.
Molecular Identification of Rickettsia felis‐like Bacteria in Haemaphysalis sulcata Ticks Collected from Domestic Animals in Southern Croatia
Authors: DUH DARJA , PUNDA‐POLIĆ VOLGA , TRILAR TOMI , PETROVEC MIROSLAV , BRADARIĆ NIKOLA , AVŠIČ‐ŽUPANC TATJANA
Published: November 2006

Abstract: 
Haemaphysalis sulcata ticks collected from sheep and goats in southern Croatia were found infected with rickettsiae. Molecular analysis of the complete gltA gene and portion of 17 kDa and ompB genes revealed the presence of Rickettsia felis‐like bacteria in up to 26% of tested ticks.
Expression of rOmpA and rOmpB Protein in Rickettsia massiliae during the Rhipicephalus turanicus Life Cycle
Authors: OGAWA MOTOHIKO , MATSUMOTO KOTARO , PHILIPPE PAROLA , RAOULT DIDIER , BROUQUI PHILIPPE
Published: November 2006

Abstract: 
Rhipicephalus turanicus tick colony infected in the laboratory with Rickettsia massiliae showed that the rickettsia is transovarially and transdatially tramsmitted. The expression of rOmpB did not change with temperature or the stages of the tick life cycle. In contrast, rOmpA was less expressed during the larval stage.
Lice Infestation and Lice Control Remedies in the Ukraine
Authors: KURHANOVA I.
Published: November 2006

Abstract:  A permanent decrease was seen in the prevalence of lice infestation among population of the Ukraine from 1990–2004. The prevalence of lice infestation among children under 14 years of age was 6–27 times more than that in adults. The highest figures were among children 7–14 years old. During all of the observation period there were changing tendencies relative to the groups. The greatest number of cases of infection with lice were noted in the months when the control inspections of children in education institutions were performed.
Prevalence of Rickettsia felis in the Fleas Ctenocephalides felis felis and Ctenocephalides canis from Two Indian Villages in São Paulo Municipality, Brazil
Authors: HORTA MAURICIO C. , CHIEBAO DANIELA P. , De SOUZA DANIELE B. , FERREIRA FERNANDO , PINHEIRO SÔNIA R. , LABRUNA MACELO B. , SCHUMAKER TERESINHA T.S.
Published: November 2006

Abstract:  We evaluated the presence of Rickettsia infection among fleas collected on domestic dogs in two Guarani Indian communities in the suburban area of São Paulo Municipality, Brazil. A total of 114 Ctenocephalides felis felis and 47 Ctenocephalides canis were collected from 40 dogs. A total of 41 C. felis felis (36.0%) and 9 C. canis (19.1%) fleas yielded expected bands by PCR, which were all shown by DNA sequencing to be indentical to the corresponding sequence of a fragment of the Rickettsia felis gltA gene deposited in GenBank. The overall prevalence of R. felis was 31.0% (49/161).
Population Survey of Egyptian Arthropods for Rickettsial Agents
Authors: LOFTIS AMANDA D. , REEVES WILL K. , SZUMLAS DANIEL E. , ABBASSY MAGDA M. , HELMY IBRAHIM M. , MORIARITY JOHN R. , DASCH GREGORY A.
Published: November 2006

Abstract:  Between June 2002 and July 2003, 987 fleas, representing four species, and 1019 ticks, representing one argasid and eight ixodid species, were collected from Egyptian animals. These arthropods were tested for rickettsial agents using polymerase chain reaction. DNAs from Anaplasma and Ehrlichia spp. were detected in 13 ticks. Previously undescribed Bartonella spp. were detected in 21 fleas. Coxiella burnetii was detected in two fleas and 20 ticks. Rickettsia typhi was detected in 27 fleas from 10 cities. Spotted fever group rickettsiae were detected in both fleas and ticks and included Rickettsia aeschlimanii and an unnamed Rickettsia sp.
Ornithodoros moubata, a Soft Tick Vector for Rickettsia in East Africa?
Authors: CUTLER SALLY J , BROWNING PAUL , SCOTT JULIE C
Published: November 2006

Abstract: 
Omithodoros moubata complex (Argasidae) ticks collected from human dwellings in central Tanzania were found to carry a novel rickettsial species that clustered among the spotted fever group. Atlhough no evidence of human infection was evident, these ticks feed primarily on man, thus providing opportunity for zoonotic infection.
Detection of Members of the Genera Rickettsia, Anaplasma, and Ehrlichia in Ticks Collected in the Asiatic Part of Russia
Authors: SHPYNOV STANISLAV , FOURNIER PIERRE‐EDOUARD , RUDAKOV NIKOLAY , TARASEVICH IRINA , RAOULT DIDIER
Published: November 2006

Abstract:  A total of 395 adult ixodid ticks from three genera (Dermacentor, Haemaphysalis, and Ixodes) collected from the Urals to the Far East of Russia were tested by PCR and sequencing for the presence of spotted fever rickettsiae, anaplasmae, and ehrlichiae. Four, pathogens recognized in humans were detected in ticks: Rickettsia sibirica, R. heilongjiangensis, R. helvetica, and Anaplasma phagocytophilum. In addition, rickettsiae and ehrlichiae of unknown pathogenicity were detected, including Rickettsia sp. RpA4, Rickettsia sp. DnS14, Rickettsia sp. DnS28, “Candidatus R. tarasevichiae,” a rickettsia closely related to R. helvetica, A. bovis, Ehrlichia muris, “Ehrlichia‐like”“Schotti variant,” and bacterium “Montezuma.” Our findings indicated the distribution of rickettsiae and ehrlichiae in hard ticks in Russia.
Ticks, Tick‐Borne Rickettsiae, andCoxiella burnetiiin the Greek Island of Cephalonia
Authors: PSAROULAKI A. , RAGIADAKOU D , KOURIS G. , PAPADOPOULOS B. , CHANIOTIS B. , TSELENTIS Y.
Published: November 2006

Abstract: Domestic animals are the hosts of several tick species and the reservoirs of some tick‐borne pathogens; hence, they play an important role in the circulation of these arthropods and their pathogens in nature. They may act as vectors, but, also, as reservoirs of spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiae, which are the causative agents of SFG rickettsioses. Q fever is a worldwide zoonosis caused byCoxiella burnetii (C. burnetii), which can be isolated from ticks. A total of 1,848 ticks (954 female, 853 male, and 41 nymph) were collected from dogs, goats, sheep, cattle, and horses in 32 different localities of the Greek island of Cephalonia.Rhipicephalus (Rh.) bursa, Rh. turanicus, Rh. sanguineus, Dermacentor marginatus (D. marginatus), Ixodes gibbosus (I. gibbosus), Haemaphysalis (Ha.) punctata, Ha. sulcata, Hyalomma (Hy.) anatolicum excavatumandHy. marginatum marginatumwere the species identified.C. burnetiiand four different SFG rickettsiae, includingRickettsia (R.) conorii, R. massiliae, R. rhipicephali, and R. aeschlimanniiwere detected using molecular methods. Double infection withR. massiliaeandC. burnetiiwas found in one of the positive ticks.
BartonellaInfection in Domestic Cats and Wild Felids
Authors: CHOMEL BRUNO B. , KASTEN RICKIE W. , HENN JENNIFER B. , MOLIA SOPHIE
Published: November 2006

Abstract: Bartonellaare vector‐borne, fastidious Gram‐negative bacteria causing persistent bacteremia in their reservoir hosts. Felids represent a major reservoir for severalBartonellaspecies. Domestic cats are the main reservoir ofB. henselae, the agent of cat‐scratch disease. Prevalence of infection is highest in warm and humid climates that are optimal for the survival of cat fleas, as fleas are essential for the transmission of the infection. Flea feces are the likely infectious substrate. Prevalence ofB. henselaegenotypes among cat populations varies worldwide. Genotype Houston I is more prevalent in the Far East and genotype Marseille is dominant in western Europe, Australia, and the western United States. Cats are usually asymptomatic, but uveitis, endocarditis, neurological signs, fever, necrotic lesions at the inoculation site, lymphadenopathy, and reproductive disorders have been reported in naturally or experimentally infected cats. Domestic cats are also the reservoir ofB. clarridgeiaeand co‐infection has been demonstrated.B. koehleraehas been isolated from domestic cats, and was identified in cat fleas and associated with a human endocarditis case.B. boviswas isolated from a few cats in the United States andB. quintanaDNA was recently identified in a cat tooth.Bartonellaspp. have also been isolated from free‐ranging and captive wild felids from North America and Africa. Whereas,B. henselaewas identified in African lions and a cheetah, some strains specific to these wild cats have also been identified, leading to the concept of aB. henselaegroup including various subspecies, as previously described forB. vinsonii.
Anaplasma phagocytophilum in Ruminants in Europe
Authors: WOLDEHIWET ZERAI
Published: November 2006

Abstract:  The agent that causes tick‐borne fever (TBF) in sheep was first described in 1940, 8 years after the disease was first recognized in Scotland. The same agent was soon shown to cause TBF in sheep and pasture fever in cattle in other parts of the UK, Scandinavia, and other parts of Europe. After the initial use of the name Rickettsia phagocytophila, the organism was given the name Cytoecetes phagocytophila to reflect its association with granulocytes and its morphological similarity with Cytoecetes microti. This name continued to be used by workers in the UK until the recent reclassification of the granulocytic ehrlichiae affecting ruminants, horses, and humans as variants of the same species, Anaplasma phagocytophilum. TBF and pasture fever are characterized by high fever, recurrent bacteremia, neutropenia, lymphocytopenia, thrombocytopenia, and general immunosuppression, resulting in more severe secondary infections such as tick pyemia, pneumonic pasteurellosis, listeriosis, and enterotoxemia. During the peak period of bacteremia as many as 90% of granulocytes may be infected. The agent is transmitted transtadially by the hard tick Ixodes ricinus, and possibly other ticks. After patent bacteremia, sheep, goats, and cattle become persistently infected “carriers,” perhaps playing an important role in the maintenance of infection, in the flock/herd. Little is known about how efficiently ticks acquire and maintain infection in ruminant populations or whether “carrier” domestic ruminants play an important role as reservoirs of infection, but deer, other free‐living ruminants, and wild rodents are also potential sources of infection. During the late 1990s serological evidence of infection of humans was demonstrated in several European countries, creating a renewed interest and increased awareness of the zoonotic potential of TBF variants. More recently, a few cases of human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA) have been reported in some European countries, but it remains to be established whether the variants causing HGA in Europe are genetically and biologically different from those causing TBF in ruminants. TBF is readily diagnosed by demonstrating intracytoplasmic inclusions in peripheral blood granulocytes or monocytes of febrile animals or by detecting specific DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and TBF variants of A. phagocytophilum can be cultivated in tick cell lines, but the differentiation of TBF variants from HGA variants awaits further investigations.
Epidemiological Survey of Ehrlichia canis and Related Species Infection in Dogs in Eastern Sudan
Authors: INOKUMA HISASHI , OYAMADA MAREMICHI , DAVOUST BERNARD , BONI MICKAËL , DEREURE JACQUES , BUCHETON BRUNO , HAMMAD AWAD , WATANABE MALAIKA , ITAMOTO KAZUHITO , OKUDA MASARU , BROUQUI PHILIPPE
Published: November 2006

Abstract:  The infection rates of Ehrlichia canis and related species in dogs in eastern Sudan were examined using molecular methods. Among 78 dogs examined, 63 (80.8%), 19 (24.4%), and 26 (33.3%) were positive for E. canis, Anaplasma platys, Mycoplasma haemocanis, and “Candidatus Mycoplasma haemoparvum,” respectively. Among these, 30 dogs were single‐positive: 25 for E. canis, 2 for A. platys, 1 for M. hemocanis, and 2 for “C. M. haemoparvum.” The rest of the dogs (48.7%) were positive for two or more pathogens.
Surveys on Seroprevalence of Canine Monocytic Ehrlichiosis among Dogs Living in the Ivory Coast and Gabon and Evaluation of a Quick Commercial Test Kit Dot‐ELISA
Authors: DAVOUST BERNARD , BOURRY OLIVIER , GOMEZ JOSÉ , LAFAY LAURENT , CASALI FANNY , LEROY ERIC , PARZY DANIEL
Published: November 2006

Abstract:  Canine monocytic ehlichiosis (CME), an enzootic disease in Africa, has been studied in canine blood samples (serum). These dogs, without any clinical sign of disease, were living in Abidjan (Ivory Coast) and in several small villages located in northeasst Gabon (Ogooué Ivindo). The results obtained by indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) test, used as a point of reference, and by a quick test dot‐Elisa were compared. Blood samples taken from 390 asymptomatic dogs in 2003 (137 in Ivory Coast and 253 in Gabon) were screened by IFA (antigen from Symbiotics Europe, Lyon) with a positive threshold set at 1/80. Afterwards, CME was detected by the commercial test kit Dot‐Elisa in solid phase Snap 3Dx (Idexx, Westbrook, Maine, USA), using recombinant proteins which belong to Ehrlichia canis, p30 and p30‐1. Using the IFA test, CME seroprevalence in the Ivory Coast is found to be 67.8%. Among 93 Ivorian seropositive blood samples, 76 samples show an antibody titer >1/2560. In Gabon, IFA showed that seroprevalence is only 3.1%. Among 8 seropositive Gabonese dogs, only one sample shows an antibody test titer> 1/2560. Results from the Snap 3Dx test used on 390 blood samples are 100 positive samples and 290 negative ones. Comparison between IFA and Snap test 3DX revealed that the Snap test shows 97.9% specificity, 93.1% sensitivity, a 94% positive predictive value, a 97.6%, negative predictive value, and 96.6% reliability. In conclusion, CME seroprevalence in Abidjan is very high. Dogs studied for CME were watchdogs, living in kennels, where infection transmitted by Rhipicephalus sanguineus seems to be higher in the Gabonese area called Ogooué Ivindo, where semi‐stray dogs were subjected to the test. These dogs where carried ticks identified as Haemaphysalis leachi, but this kind of tick is not considered as bearing Ehrlichia canis. Finally, results of the Snap 3Dx show that it is a simple and reliablemeans for quickly detecting dogs suspected of asymptomatic canine ehrlichiosis.
Reservoir Competency of Goats for Anaplasma phagocytophilum
Authors: MASSUNG ROBERT F. , LEVIN MICHAEL L. , MILLER NATHAN J. , MATHER THOMAS N.
Published: November 2006

Abstract:  The susceptibility of goats to infection by Anaplasma phagocytophilum (A. phagocytophilum) strains Ap‐Variant 1 and Ap‐ha was assessed by infestation of goats with field‐collected Ixodes scapularis (I. scapularis) ticks. Both strains were infectious in the goat model. These results demonstrate that goats can be used in a laboratory setting to propagate A. phagocytophilum. Transmission from an infected goat to a naïve goat by I. scapularis tick feeding was used to demonstrate that goats are reservoir‐competent for the Ap‐Variant 1 strain.
An Epidemiological Study on Anaplasma Infection in Cattle, Sheep, and Goats in Mashhad Suburb, Khorasan Province, Iran
Authors: RAZMI G.R. , DASTJERDI K. , HOSSIENI H. , NAGHIBI A. , BARATI F. , ASLANI M.R.
Published: November 2006

Abstract:  The prevalence of Anaplasma infection was studied in cattle, sheep, and goats in the Mashhad area from 1999 to 2002. A total of 160 cattle from 32 farms and 391 sheep and 385 goats from 77 flocks were clinically examined for the presence of Anaplasma spp. in blood smears. The study revealed that 19.37% of cattle were infected with Anaplasma marginale and 80.3% of sheep and 38.92% of goats were infected with Anaplasma ovis. Prevalence of Anaplasma infection between male and female and between different age groups of cattle, sheep, and goats were statistically nonsignificant. Seasonally, the prevalence of Anaplasma infection in sheep and goats reached its highest level in summer, while a decrease was observed in autumn, and reached the lowest level in winter. The seasonal prevalence of Anaplasma infection in cattle was not significantly different. Symptomatic cases were not observed in any of the cattle, sheep, and goats. The ranges of anaplasmatemia in infected cattle, sheep, and goats were 0.005–0.5%, 0.01–3%, and 0.01–3%, respectively.
Serological Evaluation of Anaplasma phagocytophilum Infection in Livestock in Northwestern Spain
Authors: AMUSATEGUI INMACULADA , SAINZ ÁNGEL , TESOURO MIGUEL ÁNGEL
Published: November 2006

Abstract:  A total of 1,098 serum samples were analyzed against Anaplasma phagocytophilum by immunofluorescent antibody (IFA) test. These serum samples belonged to four different populations distributed throughout two provinces of Galicia (Ourense and Pontevedra) located in northwestern Spain: bovine population (456 samples); ovine population (389 samples); caprine population (207 samples); and equine population (46 serum samples, all from Pontevedra). The seroprevalence against A. phagocytophilum within the bovine population was 3.07%. On the other hand, two of 389 (0.51%) sheep and one of 207 (0.48%) goats tested were seropositive, all of them showing low antibody titer. Seroprevalence within the equine population was 6.52% (3/46). Our results reveal the presence of antibodies against A. phagocytophilum in livestock from northwestern Spain, mainly in Pontevedra.
Anaplasma phagocytophilum Infection in Cattle in France
Authors: MATSUMOTO KOTARO , JONCOUR GUY , DAVOUST BERNARD , PITEL PIERRE‐HUGUES , CHAUZY ALAIN , COLLIN ERIC , MORVAN HERVÉ , VASSALLO NATHALIE , BROUQUI PHILIPPE
Published: November 2006

Abstract: 
Anaplasma phagocytophilum is the agent of pasture fever or tick‐borne fever, a disease of ruminants and humans in the United States and in Europe. Although several hundred cases have been suspected to occur in cattle in France, none has yet been microbiologically confirmed. We report the first identification of A. phagocytophilum 16S RNA gene sequence in a case of TBF in France. This indicates that the diagnosis of tick‐borne fever should be also evoked in cattle exposed to Ixodes ticks in France.
Public Health Problem of Zoonoses with Emphasis on Q Fever
Authors: BEŠLAGIĆ E. , HAMZIĆ S. , BEŠLAGIĆ O. , ZVIZDIĆ Š.
Published: November 2006

Abstract:  Zoonoses are animal and human diseases. Q fever is primarily a zoonosis—an animal disease that can be transmitted to humans under certain conditions. Recent epidemiological studies suggest that Q fever should be considered as a public health problem in many countries where it is present, but unrecognizable due to inadequate disease controls. Through specific serological diagnosis of clinically suspected human Q fever cases, we are trying to determine a level of general Coxiella burnetii (C. burnetii) exposition among populations in different regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina. This would be a contribution in controlling the present and the future disease outbreaks, as well as its prevention, which is one of the prime objectives of public health. During the period from January to June 2004, in the Laboratory of the Department for Microbiology in the Medical Faculty of the University of Sarajevo, of 58 tested sera from 48 clinically suspected individuals, we confirmed the presence of specific anti‐C. burnetii antibodies in 30 sera (51.7%), from 25 seropositive individuals (52.0%), by means of indirect immunofluorescent antibody (IFA) testing. Urgent steps must be taken in public education to help decrease the risk of C. burnetii infection among at‐risk populations in regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Detection of Coxiella burnetii in Market Chicken Eggs and Mayonnaise
Authors: TATSUMI NORIYUKI , BAUMGARTNER ANDREAS , QIAO YING , YAMAMOTO IKKYU , YAMAGUCHI KAZUO
Published: November 2006

Abstract:  We tried to detect C. burnetii in market chicken eggs and mayonnaise by nested PCR assay. The PCR target was the com 1 gene of C. burnetii. The positive rate for egg and mayonnaise samples was 4.2% and 17.6%, respectively. Direct sequence of some of the positive egg samples shows mutations whereas no mutation was found in the positive mayonnaise samples. The number of molecules of the Q fever agent is estimated at 104 to 106 per egg, according to our quantitative PCR test.
Efficacy of Several Anti‐Tick Treatments to Prevent the Transmission of Rickettsia conorii under Natural Conditions
Authors: ESTRADA‐PEÑA A. , BIANCHI J.M. VENZAL
Published: November 2006

Abstract:  The efficacy of several anti‐tick treatments to prevent the transmission of Rickettsia was evaluated under natural conditions of tick pressure in a kennel. Only Amitraz (Preventic) provided total control on transmission (no dogs were infected), whereas with Frontline, Advantix, or Scalibor, the rate of infection varied among the dogs.
The Occurrence of Spotted Fever Group (SFG) Rickettsiae in Ixodes ricinus Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) in Northern Poland
Authors: STAŃCZAK JOANNA
Published: November 2006

Abstract: 
Ixodes ricinus, the most commonly observed tick species in Poland, is known vector of microorganisms pathogenic for humans as TBE virus, Borrelia burgdorferi s.1., Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Babesia sp. in this country. Our study aimed to find out whether this tick can also transmit also rickettsiae of the spotted fever group (SFG). DNA extracts from 560 ticks (28 females, 34 males, and 488 nymphs) collected in different wooded areas in northern Poland were examined by PCR for the detection of Rickettsia sp., using a primer set RpCS.877p and RpCS.1258n designated to amplify a 381‐bp fragment of gltA gene. A total of 2.9% ticks was found to be positive. The percentage of infected females and males was comparable (10.5% and 11.8%, respectively) and 6.6–7.6 times higher than in nymphs (1.6%). Sequences of four PCR‐derived DNA fragments (acc. no. DQ672603) demonstrated 99% similarity with the sequence of Rickettsia helvetica deposited in GenBank. The results obtained suggest the possible role of I. ricinus as a source of a microorganism, which recently has been identified as an agent of human rickettsioses in Europe.
Spotted Fever Group Rickettsial Infection in Dogs from Eastern Arizona
Authors: NICHOLSON WILLIAM L. , GORDON RONDEEN , DEMMA LINDA J.
Published: November 2006

Abstract:  A serosurvey of free‐roaming dogs for antibodies to spotted fever group rickettsiae was conducted using archival samples that had been collected in the White Mountain region of eastern Arizona during a plague study in 1996. Immunoglobulin G antibodies to Rickettsia rickettsii (5.1%) and to R. rhipicephali (3.6%) were demonstrated, and no cross‐reactive samples were identified. This study indicates that R. rickettsii was likely present in the dog populations in this area prior to the recognition of human cases of Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF). The role of dogs as short‐term reservoirs and primary hosts for the vector tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus, should receive closer attention.
Isolation of Rickettsia rickettsii and Rickettsia bellii in Cell Culture from the Tick Amblyomma aureolatum in Brazil
Authors: PINTER ADRIANO , LABRUNA MARCELO B.
Published: November 2006

Abstract:  Brazilian spotted fever (BSF) is a highly lethal disease caused by Rickettsia rickettsii. In the present study, rickettsial infection was evaluated in 669 Amblyomma aureolatum adult ticks collected from naturally infested dogs in Taiaçupeba, a BSF‐endemic area in the state of São Paulo. Ten (1.49%) ticks were infected with Rickettsia bellii, and 6 (0.89%) ticks were infected with R. rickettsii. Both Rickettsia species were isolated and established in Vero cell cultures. The Rickettsia isolates were characterized by molecular analyses, sequencing fragments of different rickettsial genes. Our results suggest that A. aureolatum is an important vector of R. rickettsii in Brazil.
Multiplexed Serology in Atypical Bacterial Pneumonia
Authors: GOURIET FRÉDÉRIQUE , DRANCOURT MICHEL , RAOULT DIDIER
Published: November 2006

Abstract:  Atypical pneumonia is a term applied to lower respiratory tract infections that are not characterized by signs and symptoms of lobar consolidation. This article will discuss the epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and laboratory diagnoses of Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydia sp., Legionella sp., Francisella tularensis, and Coxiella burnetii, which are the agents most commonly associated with atypical pneumonia. Because many of these pathogens are intracellular, diagnosis depends upon serological confirmation. The current serological tests used to identify these agents in the etiologic diagnosis of atypical pneumonia are described. Recently, however, it has become possible to make a diagnosis directly in these cases using DNA or protein microarrays. Here, we describe the development of a new, automated technique for simultaneous testing and detection of several pathogens using a multiplexed serology test. This should prove to be a valuable tool for the rapid determination of patient status, allowing effective and efficient postexposure prophylaxis and treatment.
Isolation of Anaplasma phagocytophilum Strain Ap‐Variant 1 in a Tick‐Derived Cell Line
Authors: MASSUNG ROBERT F. , LEVIN MICHAEL L. , MUNDERLOH ULRIKE G. , SILVERMAN DAVID J. , LYNCH MEGHAN J. , KURTTI TIMOTHY J.
Published: November 2006

Abstract:  Ten isolates of the Ap‐Variant 1 strain of Anaplasma phagocytophilum were made in the Ixodes scapularis (I. scapularis)–derived cell line, ISE6. Two isolates were obtained from laboratory‐infected goats and eight isolates were obtained from field‐collected I. scapularis ticks. Each isolate showed 16S rRNA sequences identical to those as previously described for the Ap‐Variant 1 strain. These are the first tissue culture isolates of the Ap‐Variant 1 strain and will allow for further characterization of the biological and antigenic properties of this strain.
Human Anaplasmosis
Authors: GARCÍA J. C. , NÚÑEZ M. J. , CASTRO B. , FRAILE F. J. , LÓPEZ A. , MELLA M. C. , BLANCO A. , SIEIRA C. , LOUREIRO E. , PORTILLO A. , OTEO J. A.
Published: November 2006

Abstract:  We report a case of human anaplasmosis (HA) fulfilling the confirmation criteria: epidemiologic data and clinical picture compatible with HA; presence of a morulae within polymorphonuclear leukocyte; and positive PCR assay for Anaplasma phagocytophilum: This case report shows the presence of HA in Spain.
Two Cases of Human Granulocytic Ehrlichiosis in Sardinia, Italy Confirmed by PCR
Authors: MASTRANDREA S. , MURA M.S , TOLA S. , PATTA C. , TANDA A. , PORCU R. , MASALA G.
Published: November 2006

Abstract:  In this work we report the first two cases of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (HGE) in Sardinia. In early September 2004, a 69‐year‐old woman (patient 1) was admitted to the Infectious Diseases Institute of Sassari for rickettsiosis like‐syndrome: high fever (39.5–40°C), dyspnea, reduced consciousness, vomiting, and cutaneous rash. In late September 2004, a 30‐year‐old man (patient 2) with high fever was admitted for an evident palmar and oral erythema, edema of the labium, very intense arthralgia, myalgia, and dyspnea. In these two hospitalized patients, the diagnosis was made through indirect IgM and IgG immunofluorescent technique and confirmed by the presence of the specific DNA in the leukocytes. The two patients were A. phagocytophilum–PCR positive.
Multiplex Detection of Ehrlichia and Anaplasma Pathogens in Vertebrate and Tick Hosts by Real‐Time RT‐PCR
Authors: SIRIGIREDDY KAMESH R. , MOCK DONALD C. , GANTA ROMAN R.
Published: November 2006

Abstract:  Tick‐borne rickettsial infections are responsible for many emerging diseases in humans and several vertebrates. These include human infections with Ehrlichia chaffeensis, Ehrlichia ewingii and Anaplasma phagocytophilum. As single or co‐infections can result from a tick bite, the availability of a rapid, multiplex molecular test will be valuable for timely diagnosis and treatment. We recently described a muliplex‐molecular test that can detect single or co‐infections with up to five Ehrlichia and Anaplasma species. We reported that the test has the sensitivity to identify single infections in the canine host with E. chaffeensis, E. canis, E. ewingii, A. phagocytophilum, and A. platys and co‐infection with E. canis and A. platys. In this study, ticks were collected from different parts of the state of Kansas during summer months of the year 2003 and tested for the presence of infection using the molecular test. The analysis revealed a minimum of 3.66% of the ticks to be positive for either E. chaffeensis or E. ewingii in A. americanum and Dermacenter species. This assay will be valuable in monitoring infections in dogs and ticks, and with minor modifications it can be used for diagnosing infections in people and other vertebrates.
Identification and Characterization of Coxiella burnetii Strains and Isolates Using Monoclonal Antibodies
Authors: SEKEYOVÁ Z. , KOVÁČOVÁ E.
Published: November 2006

Abstract:  We evaluated 6 monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) for their usefulness in identifying and characterizing recognized laboratory strains as well as field isolates of Coxiella burnetii. Five had been generated in response to strain Nine Mile (3 IgM class, 1 IgG class, 1 light chain producers only) and were polypeptide‐specific, and 1 was anti‐Priscilla (IgG class) and was lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐specific. Initially, the MAbs were used in conjunction with a dot blot assay with which we could differentiate C. burnetii from rickettsiae or chlamydiae. Confirmation of the specificity of these MAbs was provided by demonstrating that only C. burnetii antigens were recognized by certain combinations of antibodies used for immunoblotting proteins of various C. burnetii strains. Subsequently, we characterized antigens of 11 C. burnetii field isolates and 3 reference strains by Western blotting with individual MAbs. MAb 921 and 922 (IgG class), MAb 241, 242, 384, 386, 614 (IgM class), and 7A5, 7A1 (light chain) consistently recognized a protein. Staining intensity differed, depending on the strain tested, and there was variability in the size of the antigen immunoreactive with MAb 14H (IgG class, LPS‐specific). The most reactive region was at about 249 kD. Variability of reactivities with field isolates was seen in both the distribution of individual bands and their intensities. We conclude that an extensive immunoblotting technique may be useful for C. burnetii strain differentiation and routine identification of C. burnetii can be accomplished using this MAb‐based dot blot assay.
Evaluation of a Real‐Time PCR Assay to Detect Coxiella burnetii
Authors: KLEE SILKE R. , ELLERBROK HEINZ , TYCZKA JUDITH , FRANZ TATJANA , APPEL BERND
Published: November 2006

Abstract:  We evaluated real‐time PCR assays for the detection of C. burnetii which targets sequences that are present either in one (icd) or in several copies (transposase of IS1111a) on the chromosome. The assays are highly sensitive, with reproducible detection limits of approximately 10 copies per reaction, at least 100 times more sensitive than capture ELISA, when performed on infected placenta material and specific for C. burnetii. The numbers of IS1111 elements in the genomes of 75 C. burnetii isolates were quantified by real‐time PCR and proved to be highly variable.
Diagnosis of Acute Q Fever by PCR on Sera during a Recent Outbreak in Rural South Australia
Authors: TURRA M. , CHANG G. , WHYBROW D. , HIGGINS G. , QIAO M.
Published: November 2006

Abstract:  Diagnosis of Q fever has largely been dependent upon serology, which may lead to delayed diagnosis as seroconversion can take weeks to develop. During a recent Q fever outbreak (27 patients) in rural South Australia, we compared the diagnostic rate of serology with two separate real‐time PCRs, the 27kDa outer membrane protein and the insertion sequence. PCR was positive (on either or both PCR assays) in sera of 67% of the patients. Median time required for making serological diagnosis was 17 days, compared with 4 days by PCR. Q fever PCR is an effective tool in the diagnosis of acute Q fever infection.
Ten Years' Experience of Isolation of Rickettsia spp. from Blood Samples Using the Shell‐Vial Cell Culture Assay
Authors: QUESADA MARIELA , SANFELIU ISABEL , CARDEÑOSA NEUS , SEGURA FERRAN
Published: November 2006

Abstract:  Two strategies to improve the efficacy of the shell‐vial method for Rickettsia were analyzed. Blood samples from 59 patients with Mediterranean spotted fever (MSF) were examined using the shell‐vial technique. (i) DNA from positive lenses was obtained when they were contaminated. (ii) Blood sample from one patient was cultured in 17 shell‐vials. R. conorii was identified in four cases by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)‐RFLP. Three of these were obtained from cells adherent to lenses and the fourth one by using total patient blood sample. Rickettsia isolation using all blood samples as well as DNA from shell‐vial lenses could be useful in the study of rickettsial infections.
Automated Method Based in VNTR Analysis for Rickettsiae Genotyping
Authors: VITORINO LILIANA , De SOUSA RITA , BACELLAR FATIMA , ZÉ‐ZÉ LÍBIA
Published: November 2006

Abstract:  A genetic locus named Rc‐65, which is 5′ adjacent to gene dksA and 3′ adjacent to xerC gene, has previously been demonstrated to contain a VNTR with high discriminatory power in several rickettsial strains and thus, potentially useful for genetically similar strains identification. In this work, we present an automated molecular identification method based on capillary electrophoresis separation of VNTRs amplicons. The resulting electropherograms were in agreement with the sequence data obtained in a previous work. The presented genotyping method is fast and suitable for full automation, being a powerful tool for epidemiological surveillance in a large number of samples and enables the detection co‐infected samples. The combination of other VNTR loci should improve the discriminatory capacity of this typing system, providing greater resolution and contributing to a more accurate VNTR‐based assay. To our knowledge, this is the first automated assay for rickettsial strains identification.
Early Diagnosis of Rickettsioses by Electrochemiluminscence
Authors: WEN GARY , McBRIDE JERE W. , ZHANG XIAOFENG , OLANO JUAN P.
Published: November 2006

Abstract:  The diagnosis of acute rickettsioses during the acute phase of the disease is challenging. We present preliminary evidence that antigen‐capture using streptavidin‐coated magnetic beads with biotinylated anti‐rickettsia typhi rabbit polyclonal antibodies followed by electrochemiluminescent detection with ruthenylated antibodies of the same specificity could be used for the diagnosis of rickettsial diseases in the acute phase.
Proposal to Create Subspecies of Rickettsia sibirica and an Emended Description of Rickettsia sibirica
Authors: FOURNIER PIERRE‐EDOUARD , ZHU YONG , YU XUEJIE , RAOULT DIDIER
Published: November 2006

Abstract:  The Rickettsia sibirica species is composed of isolates that are genotypically close but can be classified within two distinct serotypes, that is, R. sibirica sensu stricto and R. sibirica mongolitimonae (incorrectly named R. mongolotimonae). We investigated the possibility of classifying rickettsiae closely related to R. sibirica as R. sibirica subspecies, as proposed by the ad hoc Committee on Reconciliation of Approaches to Bacterial Systematics. For this, we first estimated the genotypic variability by using multilocus sequence typing (MLST), including the sequencing of five genes, and multispacer typing (MST) using three intergenic spacers, of five isolates and three tick amplicons of R. sibirica sensu stricto and six isolates of R. sibirica mongolotimonae. Then, we selected a representative of each MLST genotype and used mouse serotyping to estimate their degree of taxonomic relatedness. Among the 14 isolates or tick amplicons studied, 2 MLST genotypes were identified: (i) the R. sibirica sensu stricto type; and (ii) the R. sibirica mongolitimonae type. Representatives of the two MLST types were classified within three MST types and into two serotypes. Therefore, as isolates within the R. sibirica species are genotypically homogeneous but show MST genotypic, serotypic, and epidemio‐clinical dissimilarities, we propose to modify the nomenclature of the R. sibirica species through the creation of subspecies. We propose the names R. sibirica subsp. sibirica subsp. nov. (type strain = 2‐4‐6, ATCC VR‐541T), and R. sibirica subsp. mongolitimonae subsp. nov. (type strain = HA‐91, ATCC VR‐1526T). The description of R. sibirica is emended to accommodate the two subspecies.