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Microbiology

Old Dominion University

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Amblyomma maculatum

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Determining The Prevalence And Distribution Of Tick-Borne Pathogens In Southeastern Virginia And Exploring The Transmission Dynamics Of Rickettsia Parkeri In Amblyomma Maculatum, Chelsea L. Wright Thompson Jul 2015

Determining The Prevalence And Distribution Of Tick-Borne Pathogens In Southeastern Virginia And Exploring The Transmission Dynamics Of Rickettsia Parkeri In Amblyomma Maculatum, Chelsea L. Wright Thompson

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Tick-borne pathogens are an increasing threat to human and animal health worldwide. In the United States, cases of Lyme disease, spotted fever rickettsioses, ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis are on the rise. Factors related to emergence include appearance of a new pathogen, recognition of an existing pathogen and environmental changes that result in new exposure events. Despite the rise in tick-borne disease incidence within many states, including Virginia, there is a paucity of data related to the prevalence and distribution of ticks and tick-borne pathogens.

The first aim of this dissertation research was to determine the tick-borne pathogen composition within tick populations …