Ornithodoros parkeri: Distribution and Host Data; Spontaneous Infection with Relapsing Fever Spirochetes

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Abstract
This argasid tick has been collected in Wyoming, Washington, Montana, Utah and Colorado. Six strains of spirochetes have been recovered from ticks representing 3 of the collection areas, 4 from the northern part and 1 from the southern part of Sweetwater County, Wyoming and 1 from Beaverhead Co., Montana. This species has been found feeding on ground squirrels, a jack rabbit, a cottontail rabbit, prairie dogs, a weasel and a white-footed mouse. In the laboratory it feeds readily on white mice, white rats, guinea pigs, monkeys and man. No cases of relapsing fever have been reported from Wyoming and none from that part of Colorado in which O. parkeri was collected. One case has occurred near Salt Lake City, Utah and 2 cases were treated at Walla Walla, Washington. One of the cases was apparently infected in Montana and the other in Washington. Since O. parkeri is the only known likely transmitting agent in this area and since it feeds readily on man it is at least open to suspicion as a transmitting agent to man.

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