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Feeding of Ticks on Animals for Transmission and Xenodiagnosis in Lyme Disease Research
Published on: August 31, 2013
Introduction of the exotic tick Amblyomma hebraeum into Florida on a human host
M J Burridge1, L A Simmons, B H Simbi
1Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, P.O. Box 110880, Gainesville, Florida 32611-0880, USA. burridgem@mail.vetmed.ufl.edu
Abstract:
A resident of Florida returned from a short visit to southern Africa to find a male Amblyomma hebraeum tick attached to the skin behind her knee. Amblyomma hebraeum is a major vector of 2 pathogens that cause important diseases in southern Africa, heartwater of ruminants and African tick-bite fever of humans. The tick was tested by polymerase chain reaction assay for evidence of infection with Cowdria ruminantium and Rickettsia africae (the causative agents of heart-water and African tick-bite fever, respectively) and was found to be negative for both agents. This is the second record of the exotic tick, A. hebraeum, being introduced into the United States on a human host.
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