title: Molecular detection of bacteria in the families Rickettsiaceae and Anaplasmataceae in northern crested caracaras (Caracara cheriway).
abstract: Bacterial pathogens of the families Anaplasmataceae and Rickettsiaceae are often spread to humans or other animals from bites from infected arthropod hosts. Recently, an increasing number of studies have implicated migratory birds in the circulation of these pathogens through the spread of arthropod vectors. However, few studies have examined the potential for resident bird populations to serve as reservoirs for these zoonoses. In this study, we used nested PCRs of the GroESL and 17 kDa genes to screen for Anaplasmataceae and Rickettsiaceae, respectively, in a resident population of the northern crested caracara (Caracara cheriway) from Florida (n=55). Additionally, a small number (n=6) of captive individuals from Texas were included. We identified one individual (1.64%) positive for Rickettsia felis and one (1.64%) positive for Ehrlichia chaffeensis; both these individuals were from Florida. Presence of these pathogens demonstrates that these birds are potential hosts; however, the low prevalence of infections suggests that these populations likely do not function as an ecological reservoir.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Interdisciplinary Program in Genetics, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; James E. Rogers College of Law, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA. Electronic address: jaerwin@email.arizona.edu.
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Erwin
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
authors.forename: Robert R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Fitak
authors.affiliation: EDM International, Inc., Fort Collins, CO 80525, USA.
authors.forename: James F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Dwyer
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Trinity College, 300 Summit St., Hartford, CT 06106, USA.
authors.forename: Joan L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Morrison
authors.affiliation: Graduate Interdisciplinary Program in Genetics, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; Arizona Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, U.S. Geological Survey, School of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA.
authors.forename: Melanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Culver
mesh_terms: D000710:Anaplasmataceae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000712:Anaplasmosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D000818:Animals; D001179:Arthropod Vectors / Q000382:microbiology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D001717:Birds / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D018833:Chaperonins / Q000235:genetics; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D005431:Florida / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008925:Mites / Q000382:microbiology; D012287:Rickettsiaceae / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012288:Rickettsiaceae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C097970:GroESL protein, Bacteria; D018833:Chaperonins
keywords: Caracara cheriway; Ehrlichia chaffeensis; Nested PCR; Rickettsia felis; Tick-borne disease