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Full-Text Articles in Veterinary Medicine
Characterization Of Rickettsial Infection Dynamics Within Dermacentor Variabilis And Amblyomma Maculatum, Emma Kate Harris
Characterization Of Rickettsial Infection Dynamics Within Dermacentor Variabilis And Amblyomma Maculatum, Emma Kate Harris
LSU Doctoral Dissertations
Spotted fever group (SFG) Rickettsia are primarily associated with their reservoir host and vector, the tick. Rickettsial colonization and maintenance within the arthropod is a key component of vector competence and pathogen transmission to the mammalian host. Contemporary detection of novel tick hosts for rickettsial species, combined with an unprecedented rise in human cases of SFG rickettsiosis, necessitates a deeper understanding of tick/Rickettsia interactions. The hypothesis for this work is that if primary tick/Rickettsia pairings do not exist then rickettsial determinants account for primary vector/pathogen relationships. To this end, Dermacentor variabilis and Amblyomma maculatum ticks were exposed to R. rickettsii, …
Development And Characterization Of A Murine Model Of Rickettsia Parkeri Rickettsiosis, Britton Grasperge
Development And Characterization Of A Murine Model Of Rickettsia Parkeri Rickettsiosis, Britton Grasperge
LSU Doctoral Dissertations
Rickettsia parkeri, a member of the spotted fever group of Rickettsia, is the agent of an emerging rickettsiosis in the southeastern United States and South America. Despite increased recognition of human cases, limited information is available regarding infection of invertebrate and vertebrate hosts for this emerging tick-borne disease. Towards development of a viable transmission model and to further characterize the pathology associated with R. parkeri infection, inbred mouse strains (A/J, Balb/C, C3H/HeJ, and C3H/HeN) were intravenously and intradermally inoculated with R. parkeri. The C3H/HeJ strain of mice were identified as the most susceptible to R. parkeri infection and were found …