title: Note on Ehrlichia chaffeensis, Ehrlichia ewingii, and "Borrelia lonestari" infection in lone star ticks (Acari: Ixodidae), Nebraska, USA.
abstract: The lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum (L.) (Acari: Ixodidae), is established in southeastern Nebraska yet the prevalence of tick-associated microorganisms is not known. An initial PCR-based analysis for Ehrlichia chaffeensis, Ehrlichia ewingii, and Borrelia infection in host-seeking adult ticks collected in southeast Nebraska was conducted. A total of 251 adult ticks collected in six sites in southeast Nebraska were tested. E. chaffeensis, E. ewingii, and Borrelia spp. were present, and the prevalence of each was approximately 1.6%. This study demonstrates that Ehrlichia spp. are present in Nebraska lone star tick populations.
authors.affiliation: University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Department of Entomology, Lincoln, NE 68583-0816, USA.
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maegli
authors.affiliation: University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Nebraska Veterinary Diagnostic Center, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Lincoln, NE 68583-0907, USA.
authors.forename: J Dustin
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Loy
authors.affiliation: University of Nebraska-Lincoln, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Lincoln, NE 68583-0905, USA. Electronic address: rcortinas@unl.edu.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cortinas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001898:Borrelia / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D004536:Ehrlichia / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D018469:Ehrlichia chaffeensis / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D026863:Ixodidae / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D009329:Nebraska; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods
keywords: Ehrlichia; Nebraska; Tick-borne microorganisms; Ticks