Panola Mountain Ehrlichia in Amblyomma maculatum From the United States and Amblyomma variegatum (Acari: Ixodidae) From the Caribbean and Africa

Amanda D Loftis; Patrick J Kelly; Christopher D Paddock; Keith Blount; Jason W Johnson; Elizabeth R Gleim; Michael J Yabsley; Michael L Levin; Lorenza Beati

doi:10.1093/jme/tjv240

Panola Mountain Ehrlichia in Amblyomma maculatum From the United States and Amblyomma variegatum (Acari: Ixodidae) From the Caribbean and Africa

J Med Entomol. 2016 May;53(3):696-698. doi: 10.1093/jme/tjv240. Epub 2016 Jan 7.

Authors

Amanda D Loftis¹, Patrick J Kelly², Christopher D Paddock³, Keith Blount⁴, Jason W Johnson⁵, Elizabeth R Gleim^{6

7

8}, Michael J Yabsley^{6

7}, Michael L Levin³, Lorenza Beati⁹

Affiliations

¹ Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, P.O. Box 334, Basseterre, St. Kitts, St. Kitts and Nevis (adloftis@gmail.com; PKelly@rossvet.edu.kn), adloftis@gmail.com.
² Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, P.O. Box 334, Basseterre, St. Kitts, St. Kitts and Nevis (adloftis@gmail.com; PKelly@rossvet.edu.kn).
³ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30333 (cdp9@cdc.gov; msl3@cdc.gov).
⁴ Department of Biology, U.S. Air Force Academy, CO 80840 (keith.blount@usafa.edu).
⁵ College of Veterinary Medicine, Lincoln Memorial University, 6965 Cumberland Gap Parkway, Harrogate, TN 37752 (jason.johnson@LMUnet.edu).
⁶ Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA (egleim@gmail.com; myabsley@uga.edu).
⁷ Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Georgia, 589 DW Brooks Drive, Athens Georgia 30602.
⁸ Joseph W. Jones Ecological Research Center at Ichauway, Newton, GA, and.
⁹ The U.S. National Tick Collection, Georgia Southern University, Georgia Avenue - Building 204, P.O. Box 8056, Statesboro, Georgia 30460 (lorenzabeati@georgiasouthern.edu).

PMID: 26744465
DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjv240

Abstract

Panola Mountain Ehrlichia (PME) has been suggested as an emerging pathogen of humans and dogs. Domestic goats and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are also susceptible and likely serve as reservoirs. Experimentally, both the lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum (L.)) and the Gulf Coast tick (Amblyomma maculatum Koch) can transmit PME among deer and goats. In the current study, we detected PME in adult wild-caught A. maculatum from the United States and Amblyomma variegatum (F.) from the Caribbean and Africa. This significantly expands the range, potential tick vectors, and risk for exposure to PME.

Keywords: Africa; Amblyomma; Caribbean; Ehrlichia; tick.

Publication types

Comparative Study
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Africa
Animals
Arachnid Vectors / microbiology*
Arachnid Vectors / physiology
Caribbean Region
Ehrlichia chaffeensis / genetics
Ehrlichia chaffeensis / isolation & purification*
Ehrlichia chaffeensis / physiology
Ehrlichiosis / microbiology
Ehrlichiosis / transmission*
Humans
Ixodidae / microbiology*
Ixodidae / physiology
United States