Filarial Nematodes Discovered in Virginia Ticks
Ticks Tick Borne Dis. 2015 Nov 26. pii: S1877-959X(15)30039-X. doi: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2015.11.007. [Epub ahead of print]
Discovery of filarial nematode DNA in Amblyomma americanum in Northern Virginia.
Henning TC1, Orr JM2, Smith JD3, Arias JR4, Rasgon JL5, Norris DE6.
1The W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N Wolfe St E5132, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. Electronic address: thennin4@jhu.edu.
2Fair County Health Department, Disease Carrying Insects Program, 10777 Main Street, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA.
Electronic address: John.Orr@fairfaxcounty.gov.
3Fair County Health Department, Disease Carrying Insects Program, 10777 Main Street, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA.
Electronic address: Joshua.Smith@fairfaxcounty.gov.
4Fair County Health Department, Disease Carrying Insects Program, 10777 Main Street, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA.
Electronic address: jorgearias@reagan.com.
5Department of Entomology, the Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics and the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, W127 Millennium Sci Complex, University Park, PA 16802, USA. Electronic address: jlr54@psu.edu.
6The W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of
Public Health, 615 N Wolfe St E5132, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. Electronic address: dnorris3@jhu.edu.
Abstract
Ticks collected in 2011 were screened for the presence of filarial nematode genetic material, and positive samples were sequenced for analysis.
Monanema-like filarial nematode DNA was recently discovered in Amblyomma americanum in northern Virginia, marking the first time genetic material from this parasite has been discovered in ticks in the state.
Phylogenetic analysis revealed that this material was directly related to a previously discovered filarial nematode in A. americanum populations in Maryland as well as recently identified parasites in Ixodes scapularis from southern Connecticut.
Further study is warranted to visually confirm the presence of these nematodes, characterize their distribution, and determine if these ticks are intermediate hosts.
Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier GmbH.
KEYWORDS:
Amblyomma americanum; Filarial nematode; Monanema
PMID: 26707835 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]