title: Occurrence of Amblyomma americanum (Acari: Ixodidae) and Human Infection With Ehrlichia chaffeensis in Wisconsin, 2008-2015.
abstract: Because of the increasing incidence of human ehrlichiosis in Wisconsin, we assessed reports of human infections by Ehrlichia chaffeensis and the distribution of its vector, the lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum (L.)). From 2008 through 2015, 158 probable and confirmed human cases of E. chaffeensis infections were reported to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. Five cases without travel history outside of Wisconsin were confirmed as E. chaffeensis by polymerase chain reaction. Surveillance for the vector occurred from 2008 through 2015 and was based on active and passive methods, including examination of white-tailed deer, collections from live-trapped small mammals, submissions of ticks removed from wild and domestic animals through the Wisconsin Surveillance of Animals for Ticks (SWAT) program, digital or physical submissions by the public to the University of Wisconsin Insect Diagnostic or Medical Entomology laboratories, and active tick dragging. More than 50 lone star ticks (46 adults, 6 nymphs, and 1 larva) were identified. Lone star ticks were more commonly found in south central Wisconsin, particularly in Dane County, where discovery of more than one life stage in a single year indicates possible establishment.
authors.affiliation: Division of Public Health, Wisconsin Department of Health Services, 1 West Wilson St., Madison, WI 53703 (Megan.Christenson@dhs.wisconsin.gov; Diep.HoangJohnson@dhs.wisconsin.gov; Julia.Jensen@dhs.wisconsin.gov; memeller@wisc.edu).
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Christenson
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Dr., Madison, WI 53706 (xlee1@wisc.edu; srlarson3@wisc.edu; smpaskew@wisc.edu).
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Dr., Madison, WI 53706 (xlee1@wisc.edu; srlarson3@wisc.edu; smpaskew@wisc.edu).
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Larson
authors.affiliation: Division of Public Health, Wisconsin Department of Health Services, 1 West Wilson St., Madison, WI 53703 (Megan.Christenson@dhs.wisconsin.gov; Diep.HoangJohnson@dhs.wisconsin.gov; Julia.Jensen@dhs.wisconsin.gov; memeller@wisc.edu).
authors.forename: Diep Hoang
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.affiliation: Division of Public Health, Wisconsin Department of Health Services, 1 West Wilson St., Madison, WI 53703 (Megan.Christenson@dhs.wisconsin.gov; Diep.HoangJohnson@dhs.wisconsin.gov; Julia.Jensen@dhs.wisconsin.gov; memeller@wisc.edu).
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.affiliation: Division of Public Health, Wisconsin Department of Health Services, 1 West Wilson St., Madison, WI 53703 (Megan.Christenson@dhs.wisconsin.gov; Diep.HoangJohnson@dhs.wisconsin.gov; Julia.Jensen@dhs.wisconsin.gov; memeller@wisc.edu).
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meller
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1630 Linden Dr., Madison, WI 53706 (xlee1@wisc.edu; srlarson3@wisc.edu; smpaskew@wisc.edu).
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Paskewitz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001096:Arachnid Vectors / Q000502:physiology*; D003670:Deer / Q000469:parasitology; D018469:Ehrlichia chaffeensis / Q000502:physiology*; D016873:Ehrlichiosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission*; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D006801:Humans; D026863:Ixodidae / Q000502:physiology*; D014922:Wisconsin
keywords: ehrlichiosis; lone star tick; surveillance