title: Survey of Ixodes pacificus Ticks in California Reveals a Diversity of Microorganisms and a Novel and Widespread Anaplasmataceae Species.
abstract: Ixodes pacificus ticks can harbor a wide range of human and animal pathogens. To survey the prevalence of tick-borne known and putative pathogens, we tested 982 individual adult and nymphal I. pacificus ticks collected throughout California between 2007 and 2009 using a broad-range PCR and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (PCR/ESI-MS) assay designed to detect a wide range of tick-borne microorganisms. Overall, 1.4% of the ticks were found to be infected with Borrelia burgdorferi, 2.0% were infected with Borrelia miyamotoi and 0.3% were infected with Anaplasma phagocytophilum. In addition, 3.0% were infected with Babesia odocoilei. About 1.2% of the ticks were co-infected with more than one pathogen or putative pathogen. In addition, we identified a novel Anaplasmataceae species that we characterized by sequencing of its 16S rRNA, groEL, gltA, and rpoB genes. Sequence analysis indicated that this organism is phylogenetically distinct from known Anaplasma species with its closest genetic near neighbors coming from Asia. The prevalence of this novel Anaplasmataceae species was as high as 21% at one site, and it was detected in 4.9% of ticks tested statewide. Based upon this genetic characterization we propose that this organism be called 'Candidatus Cryptoplasma californiense'. Knowledge of this novel microbe will provide awareness for the community about the breadth of the I. pacificus microbiome, the concept that this bacterium could be more widely spread; and an opportunity to explore whether this bacterium also contributes to human or animal disease burden.
authors.affiliation: Ibis Biosciences, an Abbott Company, Carlsbad CA, United States of America.
authors.forename: Mark W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Eshoo
authors.affiliation: Ibis Biosciences, an Abbott Company, Carlsbad CA, United States of America.
authors.forename: Heather E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Carolan
authors.affiliation: Ibis Biosciences, an Abbott Company, Carlsbad CA, United States of America.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Massire
authors.affiliation: Ibis Biosciences, an Abbott Company, Carlsbad CA, United States of America.
authors.forename: Danny M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.affiliation: Ibis Biosciences, an Abbott Company, Carlsbad CA, United States of America.
authors.forename: Chris D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Crowder
authors.affiliation: Ibis Biosciences, an Abbott Company, Carlsbad CA, United States of America.
authors.forename: Megan A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rounds
authors.affiliation: Ibis Biosciences, an Abbott Company, Carlsbad CA, United States of America.
authors.forename: Curtis A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Phillipson
authors.affiliation: Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Dept. of Medicine, Newark, New Jersey, United States of America.
authors.forename: Steven E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Schutzer
authors.affiliation: Ibis Biosciences, an Abbott Company, Carlsbad CA, United States of America.
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Ecker
mesh_terms: D000710:Anaplasmataceae / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D044822:Biodiversity; D002140:California; D018884:Ixodes / Q000382:microbiology*; D010802:Phylogeny; D012281:Rickettsia / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013559:Symbiosis