Molecular Evidence ofBartonellaspp. in Questing AdultIxodes pacificusTicks in California

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Ticks are the vectors of many zoonotic diseases in the United States, including Lyme disease, human monocytic and granulocytic ehrlichioses, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Most knownBartonellaspecies are arthropod borne. Therefore, it is important to determine if someBartonellaspecies, which are emerging pathogens, could be carried or transmitted by ticks. In this study, adultIxodes pacificusticks were collected by flagging vegetation in three sites in Santa Clara County, Calif. PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism and partial sequencing of 273 bp of thegltAgene were applied forBartonellaidentification. Twenty-nine (19.2%) of 151 individually tested ticks were PCR positive forBartonella. Male ticks were more likely to be infected withBartonellathan female ticks (26 versus 12%,P= 0.05). None of the nine ticks collected at Baird Ranch was PCR positive forBartonella. However, 7 (50%) of 14 ticks from Red Fern Ranch and 22 (17%) of 128 ticks from the Windy Hill Open Space Reserve were infected withBartonella. In these infected ticks, molecular analysis showed a variety ofBartonellastrains, which were closely related to a cattleBartonellastrain and to several known human-pathogenicBartonellaspecies and subspecies:Bartonella henselae, B. quintana, B. washoensis,andB. vinsoniisubsp.berkhoffii. These findings indicate thatI. pacificusticks may play an important role inBartonellatransmission among animals and humans.

This publication has 57 references indexed in Scilit: