Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2014
MeSH Terms
Ixodidae, Nematode Infections
Subject: LCSH
Ixodidae, Ticks
Disciplines
Biology | Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Abstract
It was recently demonstrated that the lone star tick Amblyomma americanum could harbor filarial nematodes within the genus Acanthocheilonema. In this study, Ixodes scapularis (deer) ticks collected from Southern Connecticut were evaluated for their potential to harbor filarial nematodes. Non-engorged nymphal and adult stage Ixodes scapularis ticks were collected in Southern Connecticut using the standard drag method. In situ hybridization with filarial nematode specific sequences demonstrated the presence of filarial nematodes in Ixodes ticks. Filarial nematode specific DNA sequences were amplified and confirmed by direct sequencing in Ixodes nymphal and adult ticks using either general filarial nematode or Onchocercidae family specific PCR primers. Phylogenetic analysis of the 12S rDNA gene sequence indicated that the filarial nematode infecting Ixodes scapularis ticks is most closely related to the species found in Amblyoma americanum ticks and belongs to the genus of Acanthocheilonema. Our data also demonstrated that infection rate of these filarial nematode in Ixodes ticks is relatively high (about 22% and 30% in nymphal and adult Ixodes ticks, respectively). In summary, the results from our studies demonstrated that filarial nematode infection was found in Ixodes ticks similar to what has been found in Amblyomma americanum ticks.
DOI
10.3390/vetsci1010005
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Repository Citation
Namrata, Pabbati; Miller, Jamie M.; Shilpa, Madari; Reddy, Patlolla Raghavender; Bandoski,, Cheryl; Rossi, Michael J.; and Sapi, Eva, "Filarial Nematode Infection in Ixodes scapularis Ticks Collected from Southern Connecticut" (2014). Biology and Environmental Science Faculty Publications. 2.
https://digitalcommons.newhaven.edu/biology-facpubs/2
Publisher Citation
Namrata, P., Miller, J.M., Shilpa, M., Reddy, P.R., Bandoski, C., Rossi, M.J. and Sapi, E. (2014). Filarial Nematode Infection in Ixodes scapularis Ticks Collected from Southern Connecticut. Veterinary Sciences 1, 5-15.
Comments
This article was published in the journal Veterinary Sciences under a Creative Commons with Attribution license. The article was originally posted at the journal site.