Ixodes dammini as a potential vector of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis

J Infect Dis. 1995 Oct;172(4):1007-12. doi: 10.1093/infdis/172.4.1007.

Abstract

Little is known about the epidemiology and mode of transmission of the agent of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (HGE). Analyses of an engorged female Ixodes dammini tick removed from an HGE patient and 101 field-collected I. dammini and Dermacentor variabilis from three Wisconsin counties for Borrelia burgdorferi and Ehrlichia phagocytophila/Ehrlichia equi DNA revealed that the patient tick and 7 of 68 I. dammini ticks from Washburn County collected in 1982 and 1991 were positive for ehrlichial DNA; 10 ticks from the same collections were positive for B. burgdorferi. Two specimens (2.2%) were positive for both organisms. Serologic evidence for exposure to the agent of HGE or its relatives was detected in 3 of 25 Lyme disease patients from the upper Midwest. These data argue that I. dammini is a common vector for transmission of both Lyme disease and HGE.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Blotting, Southern
  • Borrelia burgdorferi Group / genetics
  • Borrelia burgdorferi Group / isolation & purification
  • DNA Primers
  • Ehrlichia / genetics
  • Ehrlichia / isolation & purification
  • Ehrlichiosis / blood
  • Ehrlichiosis / complications
  • Ehrlichiosis / diagnosis
  • Ehrlichiosis / transmission*
  • Female
  • Granulocytes*
  • Humans
  • Insect Vectors*
  • Ixodes*
  • Lyme Disease / blood
  • Lyme Disease / complications
  • Lyme Disease / diagnosis
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Species Specificity
  • Wisconsin / epidemiology

Substances

  • DNA Primers