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Full-Text Articles in Veterinary Pathology and Pathobiology

Prevalence Of Cytauxzoon Felis In Ticks From South-Central Kansas And Northwest Arkansas, Nicole E. Mcilvain Dec 2025

Prevalence Of Cytauxzoon Felis In Ticks From South-Central Kansas And Northwest Arkansas, Nicole E. Mcilvain

Animal Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Cytauxzoon felis is a protozoan that causes an often-fatal illness in felines known as cytauxzoonosis, or bobcat fever. Ticks are vectors of this pathogen, with Amblyomma americanum being the most common vector. Previous studies have noted a correlation between peak tick season and peak cytauxzoonosis diagnosis. For cytauxzoonosis, minimal treatments exist, and scientists have not found a cure, which is why focus needs to be on preventing disease. Knowledge on the prevalence of C. felis in different tick species helps veterinarians and pet owners be aware of the potential for their cat developing cytauxzoonosis if one or more ticks are …


First Records Of Established Populations Of Ixodes Scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) Collected From Three Nebraska Counties, Lindsey E. Nielsen, Roberto Cortinas, Paul D. Fey, Peter C. Iwen, David H. Nielsen Jan 2020

First Records Of Established Populations Of Ixodes Scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) Collected From Three Nebraska Counties, Lindsey E. Nielsen, Roberto Cortinas, Paul D. Fey, Peter C. Iwen, David H. Nielsen

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Reported cases of Lyme disease in Nebraska have been assumed to be imported from other endemic areas. Previous surveillance efforts provided no evidence of established populations as only individual specimens of Ixodes scapularis (Say) had been collected. In the winter of 2018, adult I. scapularis were found on a dog at Two Rivers State Recreation Area, Douglas County, prompting tick collection at the site and nearby natural areas. In May 2019, all life stages of host-seeking I. scapularis were collected using dragging and flagging techniques in sites located near the Platte River in Douglas, Sarpy, and Saunders counties. This is …


First Records Of Established Populations Of Ixodes Scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) Collected From Three Nebraska Counties, Lindsey E. Nielsen, Roberto Cortinas, Paul D. Fey, Peter C. Iwen, David H. Nielsen Jan 2020

First Records Of Established Populations Of Ixodes Scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) Collected From Three Nebraska Counties, Lindsey E. Nielsen, Roberto Cortinas, Paul D. Fey, Peter C. Iwen, David H. Nielsen

School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences: Faculty Publications

Reported cases of Lyme disease in Nebraska have been assumed to be imported from other endemic areas. Previous surveillance efforts provided no evidence of established populations as only individual specimens of Ixodes scapularis (Say) had been collected. In the winter of 2018, adult I. scapularis were found on a dog at Two Rivers State Recreation Area, Douglas County, prompting tick collection at the site and nearby natural areas. In May 2019, all life stages of host-seeking I. scapularis were collected using dragging and flagging techniques in sites located near the Platte River in Douglas, Sarpy, and Saunders counties. This is …


Identification And Characterization Of A Relish-Type Nf-Kb, Dvrelish In Dermacentor Variabilis, The American Dog Tick, Victoria Irene Verhoeve Jan 2016

Identification And Characterization Of A Relish-Type Nf-Kb, Dvrelish In Dermacentor Variabilis, The American Dog Tick, Victoria Irene Verhoeve

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Ticks are important worldwide as vectors of bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Pathogenic and non-pathogenic Spotted fever group (SFG) Rickettsia are maintained and transmitted by ticks with specific hard tick-Rickettsia pairings evident in nature. The pathogenic SFG Rickettsia rickettsii is transmitted by the hard tick Dermacentor variabilis. In response to infection, D. variabilis is known differentially respond to SFG Rickettsia infection. The mechanisms of differential immune induction are currently unknown, and are likely involved in the establishment of specific tick-SFG Rickettsia pairings. It was hypothesized that the level of response by D. variabilis to SFG Rickettsia occurs in a species-specific manner, …


Signal Transduction And Rickettsial Infection Of Tick Cells, Natthida Petchampai Jan 2013

Signal Transduction And Rickettsial Infection Of Tick Cells, Natthida Petchampai

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Spotted fever group (SFG) Rickettsia are obligate intracellular bacteria that are carried by ticks. One such tick, Dermacentor variabilis is a vector for the etiologic agent of Rocky Mountain spotted fever, R. rickettsii. These ticks also carry a non-pathogenic R. montanensis, the agent used in this study. Interestingly, field data collected from infected D. variabilis throughout the United States revealed that the majority of Rickettsia in ticks are non-pathogenic species such as R. montanensis. Although ticks serve as both vector and reservoir hosts for SFG Rickettsia, many questions regarding tick-Rickettsia interaction remain unresolved. Therefore, the overall goal of this research …


Development And Characterization Of A Murine Model Of Rickettsia Parkeri Rickettsiosis, Britton Grasperge Jan 2012

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 …