We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Blood meal analysis to identify reservoir hosts for Amblyomma americanum ticks.
- Authors
Allan, Brian F; Goessling, Lisa S; Storch, Gregory A; Thach, Robert E
- Abstract
Efforts to identify wildlife reservoirs for tick-borne pathogens are frequently limited by poor understanding of tick-host interactions and potentially transient infectivity of hosts under natural conditions. To identify reservoir hosts for lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum)-associated pathogens, we used a novel technology. In field-collected ticks, we used PCR to amplify a portion of the 18S rRNA gene in remnant blood meal DNA. Reverse line blot hybridization with host-specific probes was then used to subsequently detect and identify amplified DNA. Although several other taxa of wildlife hosts contribute to tick infection rates, our results confirm that the white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) is a reservoir host for several A. americanum-associated pathogens. Identification of host blood meal frequency and reservoir competence can help in determining human infection rates caused by these pathogens.
- Publication
Emerging infectious diseases, 2010, Vol 16, Issue 3, p433
- ISSN
1080-6059
- Publication type
Journal Article
- DOI
10.3201/eid1603.090911