Evidence of Cowdria ruminantium Infection (Heartwater) in Amblyomma sparsum Ticks Found on Tortoises Imported into Florida

• Published in: The Journal of parasitology Vol. 86; no. 5; pp. 1135 - 1136
• Main Authors: Burridge, M. J, Simmons, L. A, Simbi, B. H, Peter, T. F, Mahan, S. M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lawrence, KS American Society of Parasitologists 01-10-2000
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; DNA, Bacterial - analysis; Ehrlichia; Ehrlichia ruminantium; Ehrlichia ruminantium - genetics; Ehrlichia ruminantium - isolation & purification; Female; Florida; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Infections; Male; Medically important nuisances and vectors, pests of stored products and materials: population survey and control; Parasitology; Polymerase chain reaction; Polymerase Chain Reaction - methods; Reptiles; Research facilities; RESEARCH NOTES; Tick Infestations - parasitology; Tick Infestations - veterinary; Ticks; Ticks - microbiology; Tortoises; Turtles - parasitology; Vectors. Intermediate hosts; Veterinary medicine; Florida; United States; North America; America; Host parasite relation; Animal microorganism relation; Prevalence; Ehrlichieae; Imported disease; Acari; Chelonia; Bacteria; Ehrlichia infection; Heartwater; Vector; Ixodidae; Ehrlichiaceae; Parasitiformes; Introduced species; Rickettsialosis; Host; Infection; Rickettsiales; Arachnida; Vertebrata; Ixodida; Cowdria ruminantium; Arthropoda; Bacteriosis; Reptilia; Invertebrata
• ISSN: 0022-3395; 1937-2345
• DOI: 10.1645/0022-3395(2000)086[1135:EOCRIH]2.0.CO;2

Amblyomma marmoreum and A. sparsum ticks were collected from tortoises imported into Florida from Africa and were tested for Cowdria ruminantium infection using a C. ruminantium-specific pCS20 polymerase chain reaction assay. In 1 shipment imported from Zambia, 15 of the 38 A. sparsum male ticks collected from the leopard tortoises (Geochelone pardalis) were found to be positive for infection with C. ruminantium. In contrast, all 148 A. marmoreum tested were negative for C. ruminantium infection. This is the first reported evidence of the introduction of heartwater-infected ticks into the United States, but there were no opportunities to confirm isolation of C. ruminantium from the ticks by either culture or transmission studies.