An electron microscopic study of Cytoecetes phagocytophila infection in Ixodes ricinus.
Tick-borne fever, caused by a rickettsia-like organism, Cytoecetes phagocytophila, is transmitted by the sheep tick Ixodes ricinus. An electron microscopic technique was developed to examine I ricinus for C phagocytophila infection. Infected and uninfected ticks were obtained from a laboratory maintained tick culture. All stages of I ricinus collected from one field site were examined; 44 per cent of nymphae and 32 per cent of adults were infected with C phagocytophila, but larvae were uninfected. This supports the previously held theory of transtadial, but not transovarial transmission of tick-borne fever.
Division of Veterinary Medicine, West of Scotland College of Agriculture, Ayr.
K A
KA
Webster
G B
GB
Mitchell
D000818:Animals; D001096:Arachnid Vectors / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007814:Larva / Q000382:microbiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009758:Nymph / Q000382:microbiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012287:Rickettsiaceae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013987:Ticks / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure