scholarly journals Isolation of Metarhizium guizhouense and Metarhizium robertsii Strains from Soil-Exposed Amblyomma americanum (Acarina: Ixodidae) from Northwest Arkansas, USA

2021 ◽  
Vol 104 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Austin Goldsmith ◽  
Kelly Loftin ◽  
Donald Steinkraus ◽  
Allen Szalanski ◽  
Dylan Cleary ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amblyomma Americanum ◽  
Metarhizium Robertsii ◽  
Northwest Arkansas

scholarly journals Protective Effectiveness of Long-Lasting Permethrin Impregnated Clothing Against Tick Bites in an Endemic Lyme Disease Setting: A Randomized Control Trial Among Outdoor Workers

2020 ◽  
Vol 57 (5) ◽  
pp. 1532-1538
Author(s):  
Cedar Mitchell ◽  
Megan Dyer ◽  
Feng-Chang Lin ◽  
Natalie Bowman ◽  
Thomas Mather ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Rhode Island ◽  
The United States ◽  
Amblyomma Americanum ◽  
Adverse Outcomes ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Tick Bites ◽  
Outdoor Workers ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Protective Effectiveness

Abstract Tick-borne diseases are a growing threat to public health in the United States, especially among outdoor workers who experience high occupational exposure to ticks. Long-lasting permethrin-impregnated clothing has demonstrated high initial protection against bites from blacklegged ticks, Ixodes scapularis Say (Acari: Ixodidae), in laboratory settings, and sustained protection against bites from the lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum (L.) (Acari: Ixodidae), in field tests. However, long-lasting permethrin impregnation of clothing has not been field tested among outdoor workers who are frequently exposed to blacklegged ticks. We conducted a 2-yr randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded trial among 82 outdoor workers in Rhode Island and southern Massachusetts. Participants in the treatment arm wore factory-impregnated permethrin clothing, and the control group wore sham-treated clothing. Outdoor working hours, tick encounters, and bites were recorded weekly to assess protective effectiveness of long-lasting permethrin-impregnated garments. Factory-impregnated clothing significantly reduced tick bites by 65% in the first study year and by 50% in the second year for a 2-yr protective effect of 58%. No significant difference in other tick bite prevention method utilization occurred between treatment and control groups, and no treatment-related adverse outcomes were reported. Factory permethrin impregnation of clothing is safe and effective for the prevention of tick bites among outdoor workers whose primary exposure is to blacklegged ticks in the northeastern United States.

scholarly journals Citizen Science Contributions to Address Biodiversity Loss and Conservation Planning in a Rapidly Developing Region

Diversity ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 255
Author(s):  
Diana L. Soteropoulos ◽  
Caitlin R. De Bellis ◽  
Theo Witsell
Keyword(s):  
Citizen Science ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Wicked Problem ◽  
Herbarium Specimens ◽  
Rare Plant ◽  
Conservation Action ◽  
Plant Populations ◽  
Management Planning ◽  
Natural Heritage ◽  
Northwest Arkansas

Biodiversity data support conservation research and inform conservation decisions addressing the wicked problem of biodiversity loss. However, these data often need processing and compilation before use, which exceed the time availability of professional scientists. Nevertheless, scientists can recruit, train, and support a network of citizen scientists to prepare these data using online platforms. Here, we describe three citizen science projects sponsored by the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission to transcribe and georeference historic herbarium specimens and document current biodiversity through iNaturalist for two highly biodiverse and rapidly developing counties in Northwest Arkansas, USA. Citizen science-generated data will be used in a county natural heritage inventory (CNHI) report, including a comprehensive list of taxa tied to voucher specimens and records for rare plant populations. Since the CNHI project started in 2018, citizen scientists have transcribed 8,855 and georeferenced 2,636 specimen records. From iNaturalist observations, 125 rare plant populations of 39 taxa have been documented. This CNHI report will determine the most critical taxa, habitats, and sites for conservation action in the region and will inform conservation stakeholders at the local, state, and federal levels as they engage in land acquisition, ecological restoration, natural resource management, planning of growth and development, and environmental review/regulation.

Effect of methoprene and 20-hydroxyecdysone on salivary gland development of the lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum (L.)

1989 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 313-320 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kent S. Shelby ◽  
Katherine M. Kocan ◽  
John A. Bantle ◽  
John R. Sauer
Keyword(s):  
Salivary Gland ◽  
Amblyomma Americanum ◽  
Lone Star Tick ◽  
Gland Development

scholarly journals Experimental Infection of Amblyomma americanum (Acari: Ixodidae) With Bourbon Virus (Orthomyxoviridae: Thogotovirus)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marvin S Godsey ◽  
Dominic Rose ◽  
Kristin L Burkhalter ◽  
Nicole Breuner ◽  
Angela M Bosco-Lauth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Virus ◽  
Vector Competence ◽  
Blood Feeding ◽  
Human Case ◽  
Amblyomma Americanum ◽  
Live Virus ◽  
Active Life ◽  
Series Of Experiments ◽  
Transstadial Transmission ◽  
Very High

Abstract Following the recent discovery of Bourbon virus (BRBV) as a human pathogen, and the isolation of the virus from Amblyomma americanum (L.) collected near the location of a fatal human case, we undertook a series of experiments to assess the laboratory vector competence of this tick species for BRBV. Larval ticks were infected using an immersion technique, and transstadial transmission of virus to the nymphal and then to the adult stages was demonstrated. Transstadially infected nymphs transmitted virus to adult ticks at very high rates during cofeeding, indicating the presence of infectious virus in the saliva of engorging ticks. Vertical transmission by transstadially infected females to their progeny occurred, but at a low rate. Rabbits fed on by infected ticks of all active life stages developed high titers of antibody to the virus, demonstrating host exposure to BRBV antigens/live virus during tick blood feeding. These results demonstrate that A. americanum is a competent vector of BRBV and indicate that cofeeding could be critical for enzootic maintenance.

A Novel Phospholipase A2Activity in Saliva of the Lone Star Tick,Amblyomma americanum(L.)

1997 ◽  
Vol 87 (2) ◽  
pp. 121-132 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.S. Bowman ◽  
C.L. Gengler ◽  
M.R. Surdick ◽  
K. Zhu ◽  
R.C. Essenberg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amblyomma Americanum ◽  
Lone Star Tick

scholarly journals Why so many unknown genes? Partitioning orphans from a representative transcriptome of the lone star tick Amblyomma americanum

BMC Genomics ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda K Gibson ◽  
Zach Smith ◽  
Clay Fuqua ◽  
Keith Clay ◽  
John K Colbourne
Keyword(s):  
Amblyomma Americanum ◽  
Lone Star Tick

SUSCEPTIBILITY OF AMBLYOMMA AMERICANUM TO NATURAL AND EXPERIMENTAL INFECTIONS WITH THEILERIA CERVI

1988 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 679-683 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Scott Laird ◽  
A. Alan Kocan ◽  
Katherine M. Kocan ◽  
Steven M. Presley ◽  
Jakie A. Hair
Keyword(s):  
Amblyomma Americanum ◽  
Experimental Infections

scholarly journals Three sympatrically occurring species of Metarhizium show plant rhizosphere specificity

Microbiology ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 157 (10) ◽  
pp. 2904-2911 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Wyrebek ◽  
Cristina Huber ◽  
Ramanpreet Kaur Sasan ◽  
Michael J. Bidochka
Keyword(s):  
Tree Species ◽  
Acer Saccharum ◽  
Panicum Virgatum ◽  
Sugar Maple ◽  
Root Exudate ◽  
Pathogenic Fungus ◽  
Plant Roots ◽  
Metarhizium Robertsii ◽  
Grass Roots

Here we tested the hypothesis that species of the soil-inhabiting insect-pathogenic fungus Metarhizium are not randomly distributed in soils but show plant-rhizosphere-specific associations. We isolated Metarhizium from plant roots at two sites in Ontario, Canada, sequenced the 5′ EF-1α gene to discern Metarhizium species, and developed an RFLP test for rapid species identification. Results indicated a non-random association of three Metarhizium species (Metarhizium robertsii, Metarhizium brunneum and Metarhizium guizhouense) with the rhizosphere of certain types of plant species (identified to species and categorized as grasses, wildflowers, shrubs and trees). M. robertsii was the only species that was found associated with grass roots, suggesting a possible exclusion of M. brunneum and M. guizhouense. Supporting this, in vitro experiments showed that M. robertsii conidia germinated significantly better in Panicum virgatum (switchgrass) root exudate than did M. brunneum or M. guizhouense. M. guizhouense and M. brunneum only associated with wildflower rhizosphere when co-occurring with M. robertsii. With the exception of these co-occurrences, M. guizhouense was found to associate exclusively with the rhizosphere of tree species, predominantly Acer saccharum (sugar maple), while M. brunneum was found to associate exclusively with the rhizosphere of shrubs and trees. These associations demonstrate that different species of Metarhizium associate with specific plant types.

scholarly journals The bacterial community of the lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum)

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Paulina Maldonado-Ruiz ◽  
Saraswoti Neupane ◽  
Yoonseong Park ◽  
Ludek Zurek
Keyword(s):  
Bacterial Community ◽  
Amblyomma Americanum ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Culturable Bacteria ◽  
Core Microbiome ◽  
Lone Star Tick ◽  
Animal Pathogens ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Culture Independent ◽  
Culture Dependent

Abstract Background The lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum), an important vector of a wide range of human and animal pathogens, is very common throughout the East and Midwest of the USA. Ticks are known to carry non-pathogenic bacteria that may play a role in their vector competence for pathogens. Several previous studies using the high throughput sequencing (HTS) technologies reported the commensal bacteria in a tick midgut as abundant and diverse. In contrast, in our preliminary survey of the field collected adult lone star ticks, we found the number of culturable/viable bacteria very low. Methods We aimed to analyze the bacterial community of A. americanum by a parallel culture-dependent and a culture-independent approach applied to individual ticks. Results We analyzed 94 adult females collected in eastern Kansas and found that 60.8% of ticks had no culturable bacteria and the remaining ticks carried only 67.7 ± 42.8 colony-forming units (CFUs)/tick representing 26 genera. HTS of the 16S rRNA gene resulted in a total of 32 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) with the dominant endosymbiotic genera Coxiella and Rickettsia (> 95%). Remaining OTUs with very low abundance were typical soil bacterial taxa indicating their environmental origin. Conclusions No correlation was found between the CFU abundance and the relative abundance from the culture-independent approach. This suggests that many culturable taxa detected by HTS but not by culture-dependent method were not viable or were not in their culturable state. Overall, our HTS results show that the midgut bacterial community of A. americanum is very poor without a core microbiome and the majority of bacteria are endosymbiotic.

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