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Full-Text Articles in Veterinary Medicine
Transmission Potential Of Rickettsia Felis Through Cutaneous Inoculation Of Infectious Flea Feces, Kelsey Porter Legendre
Transmission Potential Of Rickettsia Felis Through Cutaneous Inoculation Of Infectious Flea Feces, Kelsey Porter Legendre
LSU Master's Theses
Rickettsia felis, the causative agent of flea-borne spotted fever, is an emerging pathogen of the transitional group Rickettsiae and an important cause of febrile illness in Africa. Since the organism’s original discovery in the early 1990s, much research has been directed towards elucidating transmission mechanisms within the believed primary host and reservoir, the cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis). However, while a growing number of human cases are being reported throughout the world, a definitive transmission mechanism from arthropod host to vertebrate host resulting in clinical disease has not been found. Several possible mechanisms, including bite of infected arthropods …
Development Of Mouse Models For The Study Of Zika Virus Pathogenesis And Antibody Response, Anna Beatriz Kawiecki
Development Of Mouse Models For The Study Of Zika Virus Pathogenesis And Antibody Response, Anna Beatriz Kawiecki
LSU Master's Theses
After the emergence of Zika virus (ZIKV) in the Americas in 2015, ZIKV infection was associated for the first time since its discovery with severe symptoms in both adults and congenital cases, including neurological, ocular, and developmental manifestations. Previous ZIKV circulation in Africa and Southeast Asia has been characterized by mild symptoms and small-scale case-counts. It is unclear whether the unprecedented size and severity of the ZIKV outbreak in the Americas are the consequence of a change in the virus, different background flaviviral immunity in the population, or a reporting issue. In addition, ZIKV has been shown to be transmitted …
Rickettsia Felis, Transmission Mechanisms Of An Emerging Flea-Borne Rickettsiosis, Lisa Diane Brown
Rickettsia Felis, Transmission Mechanisms Of An Emerging Flea-Borne Rickettsiosis, Lisa Diane Brown
LSU Doctoral Dissertations
Rickettsia felis is an emerging insect-borne rickettsial pathogen and the causative agent of flea-borne spotted fever. First described as a human pathogen from the United States in 1991, R. felis is now identified throughout the world and considered a common cause of fever in Africa. The cosmopolitan distribution of this pathogen is credited to the equally widespread occurrence of cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis), the primary vector and reservoir of R. felis. Additionally, R. felis has been identified in other hematophagous arthropods (including numerous species of fleas, ticks, mosquitoes, and mites). Most transmission cycles of pathogenic Rickettsia include transovarial and transstadial …
Arbovirus Phenotype Alters Transmission Potential, Rebecca C. Christofferson
Arbovirus Phenotype Alters Transmission Potential, Rebecca C. Christofferson
LSU Doctoral Dissertations
Extrinsic and environmental factors are known to affect the transmission of arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses), including variations in the arthropod vector populations. Differences among these factors have been associated with differential transmission and are sometimes used to control the spread of an arbovirus through a vertebrate population in an effort to prevent or disrupt an outbreak. However, diversity in intrinsic viral populations, such as genetic and phenotypic variability, is not often accounted for when considering alterations in transmission. Presented in this dissertation are four experimental studies that explore the contribution of viral intrinsic factors, especially phenotypic variability, to the transmission potential …