Article
Microbiology
Melina Garcia Guizzo, Khemraj Budachetri, Abdulsalam Adegoke, Jose M. C. Ribeiro, Shahid Karim
Summary: The Gulf Coast tick is an important tick vector that can transmit several tick-borne pathogens, including Rickettsia parkeri. This study found that the persistence of R. parkeri within the tick population is facilitated by the tick tissues' oxidant/antioxidant balance and the non-pathogenic tick microbiome. The interaction between the tick and the pathogen leads to transcriptional alterations in both the tick and the pathogen, allowing for pathogen transmission and persistence within the tick population.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Abdulsalam Adegoke, Deepak Kumar, Khemraj Budachetri, Shahid Karim
Summary: This study explores the microbial communities in different developmental stages and tissues of Gulf-Coast ticks (Amblyomma maculatum) and investigates the impact of blood meal and Rickettsia parkeri infection on microbiome composition, diversity, and functionality. The results show that Rickettsia, Francisella, and Candidatus_Midichloria are key players in the core microbiome of Am. maculatum, and blood meal and R. parkeri infection lead to an increase in bacterial abundance in tick tissues.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Abdulsalam Adegoke, Jose M. C. Ribeiro, Sidney Brown, Ryan C. Smith, Shahid Karim
Summary: This study identified five distinct phagocytic and non-phagocytic hemocyte populations in ticks and showed that phagocytic hemocytes play a crucial role in eliminating bacterial infection. The research also revealed that an intracellular tick-borne pathogen modifies tick cellular immune responses by infecting phagocytic hemocytes.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Goudarz Molaei, Eliza A. H. Little, Noelle Khalil, Bryan N. Ayres, William L. Nicholson, Christopher D. Paddock
Summary: The discovery of Rickettsia parkeri-infected Gulf Coast ticks in Connecticut, at the northern range limit of the species, emphasizes the importance of tick surveillance and the public health challenges posed by the geographic expansion of tick vectors and pathogens.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Catherine A. Lippi, Samuel Canfield, Christina Espada, Holly D. Gaff, Sadie J. Ryan
Summary: Geographic approaches are increasingly used to assess the risk of tick-borne diseases and inform public health decision-making. This study explored the potential geographic range of a marsh rice rat species and found considerable overlap with the distribution of a tick species in the southeastern United States, highlighting the need for extended surveillance efforts and attention to the role of hosts in transmission cycles.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Jose R. Ramirez-Garofalo, Shannon R. Curley, Caitlin E. Field, Charles E. Hart, Saravanan Thangamani
Summary: The research aimed to determine the habitat associations and pathogen status of Amblyomma maculatum ticks in NYC. Ticks were collected from two parks on Staten Island and tested for pathogens, with a high rate of Rickettsia parkeri infection found. This underscores the importance of monitoring and understanding the presence of this tick species in urban environments.
VECTOR-BORNE AND ZOONOTIC DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Connie R. Johnson, Loganathan Ponnusamy, Allen L. Richards, Charles S. Apperson
Summary: This study investigated the host feeding patterns and prevalence of Rickettsia parkeri infection for the primary vector tick species, Amblyomma maculatum, and other sympatric tick species in North Carolina. The results showed a high prevalence of R. parkeri infection in A. maculatum, with cotton rats being the most common bloodmeal host.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Jasmine R. Hensley, Maria L. Zambrano, Amanda J. Williams-Newkirk, Gregory A. Dasch
Summary: Despite high levels of carriage of these tick-borne agents by Gulf Coast ticks and Lone Star ticks, exchange of these Rickettsia, Coxiella, and Francisella agents between the two tick species appears to be an infrequent event in a natural setting.
VECTOR-BORNE AND ZOONOTIC DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Anne-Marie L. Ross, John Stokes, Claire E. Cross, Navatha Alugubelly, Andrea S. Varela-Stokes
Summary: Spotted Fever Rickettsiosis (SFR), caused by SFGR, is challenging to diagnose. Guinea pig serves as a valuable model for studying SFR due to its immune system similarity to humans. By optimizing the qPCR assays, SFGR can be accurately detected in in vivo studies.
Article
Microbiology
Michelle E. J. Allerdice, Christopher D. Paddock, Joy A. Hecht, Jerome Goddard, Sandor E. Karpathy
Summary: This study investigated the genetic diversity within North American strains of Rickettsia parkeri s.s. and the genetic relationships between R. parkeri s.s. and R. parkeri s.l. The results showed distinct genetic clades within these strains, indicating a phylogeographic organization and potential public health risks associated with R. parkeri in the Americas.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2021)
Review
Infectious Diseases
Alessandra Castro Rodrigues, Marcio Botelho de Castro, Marcelo Bahia Labruna, Matias Pablo Juan Szabo
Summary: Two tick-borne rickettsioses, caused by Rickettsia rickettsii and Rickettsia parkeri, occur in Brazil. Rickettsia rickettsii causes a severe disease with high mortality, while Rickettsia parkeri causes a milder febrile disease with eschar at the tick bite site. Clinical diagnosis of rickettsiosis is challenging, especially during the early stages, and proper recognition of eschar as a clinical tool is crucial.
TICKS AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Andre de Abreu Rangel Aguirre, Ivaneide Nunes da Costa, Paula Frassinetti Medeiros de Paulo, Marcos Valerio Garcia, Jansen Fernandes Medeiros
Summary: This study detected the presence of Rickettsia parkeri strain Atlantic rainforest in ticks in the Amazon biome for the first time, providing evidence of the circulation of a pathogenic spotted fever group Rickettsia in this region. This finding offers substantial information for public health authorities to understand the species of Rickettsia that may be related to Amazon spotted fever cases.
TICKS AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES
(2022)
Review
Microbiology
Elise A. A. Richardson, R. Michael Roe, Charles S. S. Apperson, Loganathan Ponnusamy
Summary: R. amblyommatis is a potentially pathogenic species of Rickettsia transmitted by ticks. The pathogenicity and diagnostic inhibition role of this species in illnesses caused by other Rickettsia species are still debated. High infection prevalence of R. amblyommatis has been recorded in tick populations worldwide. Understanding its role as a pathogen and inhibitor of infection compared to other tick-borne pathogens is important for public health efforts.
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Pawiga Usananan, Warissara Kaenkan, Ronnayuth Sudsangiem, Visut Baimai, Wachareeporn Trinachartvanit, Arunee Ahantarig
Summary: This study reports the detection of tick-associated bacteria in northeastern Thailand, expanding our knowledge of the diversity of tick-borne pathogens in the region.
FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Entomology
J. Matthew Flenniken, Holly C. Tuten, Hannah Rose Vineer, Victoria C. Phillips, Chris M. Stone, Brian F. Allan
Summary: The Gulf Coast tick, Amblyomma maculatum, is an important vector for diseases in humans and canines in the United States. This study used ecological niche modeling to analyze the environmental factors driving the distribution of A. maculatum, and found that climate and habitat characteristics play key roles. The study also predicts potential expansion of A. maculatum's range towards the north and west.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Richard P. Meisel, Pia U. Olafson, Kiran Adhikari, Felix D. Guerrero, Kranti Konganti, Joshua B. Benoit
G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS
(2020)
Article
Biology
Pia U. Olafson, Serap Aksoy, Geoffrey M. Attardo, Greta Buckmeier, Xiaoting Chen, Craig J. Coates, Megan Davis, Justin Dykema, Scott J. Emrich, Markus Friedrich, Christopher J. Holmes, Panagiotis Ioannidis, Evan N. Jansen, Emily C. Jennings, Daniel Lawson, Ellen O. Martinson, Gareth L. Maslen, Richard P. Meisel, Terence D. Murphy, Dana Nayduch, David R. Nelson, Kennan J. Oyen, Tyler J. Raszick, Jose M. C. Ribeiro, Hugh M. Robertson, Andrew J. Rosendale, Timothy B. Sackton, Perot Saelao, Sonja L. Swiger, Sing-Hoi Sze, Aaron M. Tarone, David B. Taylor, Wesley C. Warren, Robert M. Waterhouse, Matthew T. Weirauch, John H. Werren, Richard K. Wilson, Evgeny M. Zdobnov, Joshua B. Benoit
Summary: This study utilizes high-quality genome sequencing and RNA-Seq analysis to delve into the biology of stable flies, focusing on genes related to reproduction, vision, chemosensation, immunity, and metabolic detoxification pathways. The results of the study will lay the groundwork for controlling stable fly infestations.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jaee Shailesh Shah, Beverly Greta Buckmeier, Wendell Griffith, Pia Untalan Olafson, Adalberto A. Perez de Leon, Robert Renthal
Summary: The study identified a potential metal binding activity in the N-terminal region of the stable fly OBP ScalOBP60, with divalent metals binding to histidine-rich regions. The results suggest a mechanism of metal regulation of ligand binding through conformational equilibrium. Possible olfactory and non-olfactory functions for this OBP were proposed based on the findings.
INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Pia Untalan Olafson, Karen C. Poh, Jesse R. Evans, Michael J. Skvarla, Erika T. Machtinger
Summary: Deer keds, blood-feeding flies, can carry various pathogens. Co-feeding with infected ticks is suggested as a possible way for deer keds to acquire these bacteria. However, limited similarity in bacterial DNA detected between different hosts implies that co-feeding may not be the main mechanism for bacterial acquisition by deer keds.
MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Alec S. Baker, Kelly A. Persinger, Pia U. Olafson, Tammi L. Johnson
Summary: White-tailed deer are important hosts for tick species, and research has focused on understanding their relationship. This study proposes a standardized method to artificially infest captive white-tailed deer with ticks, which can be applied to study tick-host interactions and tick-borne diseases.
JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE
(2023)