Tincup
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J Parasitol. 2013 Aug 23. [Epub ahead of print] Environmental investigation following the first human case of babesiosis in Tennessee.
Fritzen C, Mosites E, Applegate R, Telford S, Huang J, Yabsley M, Carpenter LR, Dunn J, Moncayo AC. a Vector-borne Diseases Section, Tennessee Department of Health.
Babesiosis is an emerging tick-borne zoonotic disease in the United States caused by Babesia parasites. In 2009, the first case of babesiosis was documented in Tennessee.
Environmental investigation at the reported site of tick exposure included collection of ticks and specimens from eastern cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus floridanus) and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) that were tested for piroplasms by molecular and serologic methods.
One hundred and sixty-six Ixodes scapularis ticks and biological samples from 8 rabbits and 5 deer were collected.
Ixodes scapularis were PCR positive for B. odocoilei (n=7, 4%) and Theileria cervi (n=24, 14%).
Deer were seropositive for B. odocoilei and PCR positive for T. cervi. Rabbits were seropositive for B. odocoilei and Babesia sp. MO1 and 1 rabbit was PCR positive for Babesia sp. MO1.
In summary, zoonotic Babesia sp. MO1 infection in rabbits are reported here for the first time in Tennessee as well as infection of deer and I. scapularis ticks with two other piroplasms of veterinary importance.
PMID: 23971411 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
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