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Originally posted by Tincup:
Speculation/Question...

If a plant or its fruit (tomato, etc.) is infested with white flies before going to market, or a predator (animal or human) eats the white flies, can the diseases (bacteria, viruses, etc.) be transmitted to those doing the eating?

Could then a spider, or a mite, or an ant transmit spotted fever if it bites you?

Just something to consider and creep you out on an otherwise lovely evening.

New Study...

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29608200

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Another good find Tincup!

Yes, Absolutely, you can get "tick-borne" infections from the bite of infected spiders, ants, mites, etc!

I know a man in my area that was bitten by an ant at a family reunion (need an excuse not to go to the next one.....?) and got a bulls-eye rash the exact spot of the ant-bite 3 days later and a fever. It took him a couple years to get well again.

Also, recorded in the New England Journal of Medicine, a case FROM 1990 of a man bitten by a biting fly (deer or horse fly) while out jogging that came down with Lyme Disease through that bite.

http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199006143222415


And,

https://doi.org/10.1111/jvec.12225

Detection of Lyme disease and anaplasmosis pathogens via PCR in Pennsylvania deer ked
M. Buss L. Case B. Kearney C. Coleman J.D. Henning
First published: 17 November 2016

ABSTRACT

"Borrelia burgdorferi and Anaplasma phagocytophilum are obligate intracellular parasites that maintain their life cycles in enzoonotic vector‐host cycles with Ixodes scapularis as a vector. In addition to ticks, the hosts are commonly infested with insects from the Hippoboscidae family. This study confirms the presence of B. burgdorferi and A. phagocytophilum in deer keds (Lipoptena cervi) removed from white‐tailed deer using PCR. Detection of these pathogens in deer ked represents a potential novel susceptibility of wildlife and also suggests the risk of transmission of these pathogens to humans and animals alike through the bite of an infected ectoparasite. This study represents the first instance in the U.S. of detection of tick‐borne pathogens in a member of the Hippoboscid family."

As for getting infected via accidentally eating an infected white fly hidden on a vegetable or fruit, I think that would be nearly impossible. Actually, it would be more likely that person would develop immunity to whatever pathogens were harbored in the fly. The gut is the gateway to the immune system and is where many antibodies are formed. 70% of the immune system is (developed) in the gut.

I wouldn't recommend eating ticks though, ha ha! Especially not engorged ones!

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