DNA evidence of Borrelia lonestari in Amblyomma americanum (Acari: Ixodidae) in southeast Missouri.
Amblyomma americanum collected near Lake Wappapello, Missouri, tested positive for Borrelia lonestari using polymerase chain reaction and sequence analyses of B. lonestari 16S rRNA and flagellin (flaB) genes. Twelve pools containing a total of 214 nymph or adult ticks contained evidence of infection with B. lonestari (minimum prevalence 5.6%). These data suggest that persons in southeast Missouri are at risk for exposure to B. lonestari after A. americanum tick bite, a possible cause of erythema migrans-like rash illness in this region. Derivation of the complete coding sequence for B. lonestari flaB is also reported.
Bacon
Rendi Murphree
RM
Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Ft. Collins, CO 80521, USA. RBacon@CDC.gov
Gilmore
Robert D
RD
Quintana
Miquel
M
Piesman
Joseph
J
Johnson
Barbara J B
BJ
D000818:Animals; D001898:Borrelia / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D026863:Ixodidae / Q000382:microbiology*; D008923:Missouri; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D011157:Population Dynamics; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification
D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S