Molecular screening for rickettsial bacteria and piroplasms in ixodid ticks surveyed from white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and nilgai antelope (Boselaphus tragocamelus) in southern Texas
A survey of ixodid ticks parasitizing white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and nilgai antelope (Boselaphus tragocamelus) was completed during the 2018–2019 public hunt season on the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge (Cameron County, Texas) and the East Foundation's El Sauz Ranch in...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2020-12-01
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| Series: | International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213224420301036 |
| _version_ | 1831560664487821312 |
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| author | Pia U. Olafson Beverly Greta Buckmeier Melinda A. May Donald B. Thomas |
| author_facet | Pia U. Olafson Beverly Greta Buckmeier Melinda A. May Donald B. Thomas |
| author_sort | Pia U. Olafson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A survey of ixodid ticks parasitizing white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and nilgai antelope (Boselaphus tragocamelus) was completed during the 2018–2019 public hunt season on the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge (Cameron County, Texas) and the East Foundation's El Sauz Ranch in nearby Willacy County (Texas). Anocenter nitens was the predominant tick species identified with 5% of these ticks collected from nilgai. All life stages were encountered in high numbers on white-tailed deer, indicating that deer may be a primary host in this region. Amblyomma maculatum and Amblyomma inornatum were identified from both hosts, while Ixodes scapularis was encountered only on white-tailed deer. This is the first published record of A. inornatum on nilgai. A subset of ticks was used in PCR assays to detect Rickettsia spp., family Anaplasmataceae, Borrelia spp., and Theileria-Babesia spp. Borrelia spp. were not detected in any of the ticks analyzed. Rickettsia parkeri was detected in three A. maculatum adult ticks from deer, Rickettsia sp. endosymbiont sequences were present in all I. scapularis ticks, and Rickettsia amblyommatis was detected in three A. inornatum adult ticks from deer. Sequence analysis of Anaplasmataceae-positive amplicons from A. nitens and A. maculatum had low percent identity to published Anaplasma spp. sequences, suggesting a unique Anaplasma sp. may be circulating in the population. Anaplasma platys was detected from A. nitens larvae and an Ehrlichia sp. Delta strain was present in A. maculatum, both of unknown pathogenicity towards deer. Theileria cervi was detected in all stages of A. nitens ticks, and positive ticks originated from 27 of 31 deer and a single nilgai sampled from throughout the survey site. The primary vector for T. cervi is absent from this region, suggesting T. cervi is possibly maintained by a different tick species. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T05:49:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bb1a9e08e0864d578a052e8ff5e867f4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2213-2244 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T05:49:42Z |
| publishDate | 2020-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife |
| spelling | doaj.art-bb1a9e08e0864d578a052e8ff5e867f42022-12-21T22:01:12ZengElsevierInternational Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife2213-22442020-12-0113252260Molecular screening for rickettsial bacteria and piroplasms in ixodid ticks surveyed from white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and nilgai antelope (Boselaphus tragocamelus) in southern TexasPia U. Olafson0Beverly Greta Buckmeier1Melinda A. May2Donald B. Thomas3USDA-ARS Knipling-Bushland Livestock Insects Research Laboratory, 2700 Fredericksburg Rd., Kerrville, TX, 78028, USA; Corresponding author. USDA-ARS Knipling-Bushland Livestock Insects Research Laboratory, 2700 Fredericksburg Road, Kerrville, TX, 78028, USA.USDA-ARS Knipling-Bushland Livestock Insects Research Laboratory, 2700 Fredericksburg Rd., Kerrville, TX, 78028, USAUSDA-ARS Knipling-Bushland Livestock Insects Research Laboratory, 2700 Fredericksburg Rd., Kerrville, TX, 78028, USAUSDA-ARS Cattle Fever Tick Research Laboratory, 22675 N. Moorefield Road, Moore Air Base, Edinburg, TX, 78541, USAA survey of ixodid ticks parasitizing white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and nilgai antelope (Boselaphus tragocamelus) was completed during the 2018–2019 public hunt season on the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge (Cameron County, Texas) and the East Foundation's El Sauz Ranch in nearby Willacy County (Texas). Anocenter nitens was the predominant tick species identified with 5% of these ticks collected from nilgai. All life stages were encountered in high numbers on white-tailed deer, indicating that deer may be a primary host in this region. Amblyomma maculatum and Amblyomma inornatum were identified from both hosts, while Ixodes scapularis was encountered only on white-tailed deer. This is the first published record of A. inornatum on nilgai. A subset of ticks was used in PCR assays to detect Rickettsia spp., family Anaplasmataceae, Borrelia spp., and Theileria-Babesia spp. Borrelia spp. were not detected in any of the ticks analyzed. Rickettsia parkeri was detected in three A. maculatum adult ticks from deer, Rickettsia sp. endosymbiont sequences were present in all I. scapularis ticks, and Rickettsia amblyommatis was detected in three A. inornatum adult ticks from deer. Sequence analysis of Anaplasmataceae-positive amplicons from A. nitens and A. maculatum had low percent identity to published Anaplasma spp. sequences, suggesting a unique Anaplasma sp. may be circulating in the population. Anaplasma platys was detected from A. nitens larvae and an Ehrlichia sp. Delta strain was present in A. maculatum, both of unknown pathogenicity towards deer. Theileria cervi was detected in all stages of A. nitens ticks, and positive ticks originated from 27 of 31 deer and a single nilgai sampled from throughout the survey site. The primary vector for T. cervi is absent from this region, suggesting T. cervi is possibly maintained by a different tick species.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213224420301036Anocenter nitensHorse tickAmblyomma maculatumAmblyomma inornatumRickettsia parkeriTheileria cervi |
| spellingShingle | Pia U. Olafson Beverly Greta Buckmeier Melinda A. May Donald B. Thomas Molecular screening for rickettsial bacteria and piroplasms in ixodid ticks surveyed from white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and nilgai antelope (Boselaphus tragocamelus) in southern Texas International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife Anocenter nitens Horse tick Amblyomma maculatum Amblyomma inornatum Rickettsia parkeri Theileria cervi |
| title | Molecular screening for rickettsial bacteria and piroplasms in ixodid ticks surveyed from white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and nilgai antelope (Boselaphus tragocamelus) in southern Texas |
| title_full | Molecular screening for rickettsial bacteria and piroplasms in ixodid ticks surveyed from white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and nilgai antelope (Boselaphus tragocamelus) in southern Texas |
| title_fullStr | Molecular screening for rickettsial bacteria and piroplasms in ixodid ticks surveyed from white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and nilgai antelope (Boselaphus tragocamelus) in southern Texas |
| title_full_unstemmed | Molecular screening for rickettsial bacteria and piroplasms in ixodid ticks surveyed from white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and nilgai antelope (Boselaphus tragocamelus) in southern Texas |
| title_short | Molecular screening for rickettsial bacteria and piroplasms in ixodid ticks surveyed from white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and nilgai antelope (Boselaphus tragocamelus) in southern Texas |
| title_sort | molecular screening for rickettsial bacteria and piroplasms in ixodid ticks surveyed from white tailed deer odocoileus virginianus and nilgai antelope boselaphus tragocamelus in southern texas |
| topic | Anocenter nitens Horse tick Amblyomma maculatum Amblyomma inornatum Rickettsia parkeri Theileria cervi |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213224420301036 |
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