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Hu Y, Yin T, Ma W, Qiu J, Zhang J, Wang Q. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the prevalence of tick-borne SFGR in China from 2000 to 2022. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0012550. [PMID: 39383137 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 09/19/2024] [Indexed: 10/11/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ticks carry and transmit a wide range of pathogens (bacteria, viruses, and protozoa) that pose significant threats to human and animal health worldwide. Only few meta-analyses have been conducted on the distribution of ticks and tick-borne spotted fever group rickettsia (SFGR). Therefore, this study aims to examine the tick species and SFGR positivity in China in order to provide support for further research and improvements in the prevention and control of tick-borne diseases. METHODOLOGY This systematic review was performed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Relevant Chinese and English studies were retrieved from PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP database, Chinese Biomedical literature database (CBM) and Wanfang database from inception to January 9, 2023. Pooled SFGR positive rate was meta-analyzed using a random effects model and heterogeneity was assessed by the I2 index. Publication bias was also evaluated by funnel plot and Egger's test. The meta-analysis was performed on R studio 4.0.4. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Meta-analysis of 57 studies published between 2000 and 2022 involving 39,380 ticks revealed a pooled SFGR positive rate of 21.4% (Q = 6423.74, I2 = 99%, Q-p<0.001, 95% CI: 15.0-29.6). Most studies of tick-borne SFGR infection rate were conducted in forest areas and developed animal husbandry areas in the northern region. There were slightly more tick species in the southern region, but the differences in tick species (Feeding tick 31.5%, 95%CI: 15.7-53.2, Questing tick 11.5%, 95%CI: 4.4-26.7, Q = 3.29, Q-p = 0.19) between areas (Northern area 20.4%, 95%CI: 14.1-28.7, Southern area 25.5%, 95%CI: 15.0-29.6, Q = 0.21, Q-p = 0.64) were not statistically significant. The most common tick species were Dermacentor silvarum (13%), Ixodes persulcatus (11%) and Haemaphysalis Iongicornis (10%), and the most prevalent SFGR species were Rickettsia raoultii (20%), Rickettsia heilongjiangiensis (11%), and some uncultured species (18%). CONCLUSIONS This study examined the distribution of tick-borne SFGR in China. Our findings revealed that the main tick species were D. silvarum, I. persulcatus and H. iongicornis, and the common SFGR species were R. raoultii, R. heilongjiangiensis, and some uncultured species. Further studies are warranted to identify the potential vectors of SFGR and to better understand the epidemiology and pathogenesis of tick-borne diseases in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanchao Hu
- Department of Infectious Disease, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Ting Yin
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Factors and Chronic Disease Control, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Wei Ma
- Department of Dermatology, The Second People's Hospital of Yinchuan, Yinchuanf, China
| | - Jiangwei Qiu
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Jiaxing Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Factors and Chronic Disease Control, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Qingan Wang
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Factors and Chronic Disease Control, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
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Anderson KL, Birkenheuer A, Moore GE, Kendall A. A retrospective study of vector borne disease prevalence among anemic dogs in North Carolina. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0293901. [PMID: 37939135 PMCID: PMC10631695 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0293901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anemia is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in dogs. Further understanding of the prevalence of vector borne diseases (VBD) in anemic dogs is needed. OBJECTIVES The objective of this retrospective study was to describe the rate of exposure to or infection with VBD among anemic dogs presented to a teaching hospital in North Carolina and to further characterize the anemia in dogs with VBD exposure. ANIMALS A total of 597 anemic dogs that were concurrently tested for VBD were examined at a referral veterinary hospital between January 2012 and December 2018. METHODS Retrospective descriptive study. Demographic, clinicopathologic, and VBD testing data were obtained from medical records. RESULTS Of the 597 anemic dogs examined, 180 (30.15%; 95% CI: 26.49-34.01%) tested positive for one or more VBD. There was no difference in the severity of anemia or the proportion of dogs displaying a regenerative anemia between dogs testing positive and negative for VBD. CONCLUSIONS A large proportion of anemic dogs from this region test positive for exposure to or infection with VBD. Our study supported the use of PCR and serology run in parallel to maximize the chance of detecting exposure to or infection with VBD compared to either serology or PCR alone. At this time, it is unknown whether infection with VBD contributed to the development of anemia in these patients. However, given the prevalence of VBD exposure in anemic dogs, testing for VBD in anemic patients from this region of the United States is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie L. Anderson
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, NC State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Raleigh, NC, United States of America
| | - Adam Birkenheuer
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, NC State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Raleigh, NC, United States of America
| | - George E. Moore
- Department of Veterinary Administration, Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, West Lafayette, IN, United States of America
| | - Allison Kendall
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, NC State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Raleigh, NC, United States of America
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Huggins LG, Colella V, Atapattu U, Koehler AV, Traub RJ. Nanopore Sequencing Using the Full-Length 16S rRNA Gene for Detection of Blood-Borne Bacteria in Dogs Reveals a Novel Species of Hemotropic Mycoplasma. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0308822. [PMID: 36250862 PMCID: PMC9769565 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03088-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Dogs across the globe are afflicted by diverse blood- and vector-borne bacteria (VBB), many of which cause severe disease and can be fatal. Diagnosis of VBB infections can be challenging due to the low concentration of bacteria in the blood, the frequent occurrence of coinfections, and the wide range of known, emerging, and potentially novel VBB species encounterable. Therefore, there is a need for diagnostics that address these challenges by being both sensitive and capable of detecting all VBB simultaneously. We detail the first employment of a nanopore-based sequencing methodology conducted on the Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) MinION device to accurately elucidate the "hemobacteriome" from canine blood through sequencing of the full-length 16S rRNA gene. We detected a diverse range of important canine VBB, including Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma platys, Mycoplasma haemocanis, Bartonella clarridgeiae, "Candidatus Mycoplasma haematoparvum", a novel species of hemotropic mycoplasma, and Wolbachia endosymbionts of filarial worms, indicative of filariasis. Our nanopore-based protocol was equivalent in sensitivity to both quantitative PCR (qPCR) and Illumina sequencing when benchmarked against these methods, achieving high agreement as defined by the kappa statistics (k > 0.81) for three key VBB. Utilizing the ability of the ONT' MinION device to sequence long read lengths provides an excellent alternative diagnostic method by which the hemobacteriome can be accurately characterized to the species level in a way previously unachievable using short reads. We envision our method to be translatable to multiple contexts, such as the detection of VBB in other vertebrate hosts, including humans, while the small size of the MinION device is highly amenable to field use. IMPORTANCE Blood- and vector-borne bacteria (VBB) can cause severe pathology and even be lethal for dogs in many regions across the globe. Accurate characterization of all the bacterial pathogens infecting a canine host is critical, as coinfections are common and emerging and novel pathogens that may go undetected by traditional diagnostics frequently arise. Deep sequencing using devices from Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) provides a solution, as the long read lengths achievable provide species-level taxonomic identification of pathogens that previous short-read technologies could not accomplish. We developed a protocol using ONT' MinION sequencer to accurately detect and classify a wide spectrum of VBB from canine blood at a sensitivity comparable to that of regularly used diagnostics, such as qPCR. This protocol demonstrates great potential for use in biosurveillance and biosecurity operations for the detection of VBB in a range of vertebrate hosts, while the MinION sequencer's portability allows this method to be used easily in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas G. Huggins
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Vito Colella
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ushani Atapattu
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Anson V. Koehler
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Rebecca J. Traub
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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Kidd L. Emerging Spotted Fever Rickettsioses in the United States. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract 2022; 52:1305-1317. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cvsm.2022.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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Duncan KT, Sundstrom KD, Hunt D, Lineberry MW, Grant A, Little SE. Survey on the Presence of Equine Tick-Borne Rickettsial Infections in Southcentral United States. J Equine Vet Sci 2022; 118:104135. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2022.104135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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Juhasz NB, Wilson JM, Haney KN, Clark MH, Davenport AC, Breitschwerdt EB, Qurollo BA. Rickettsia typhi infection in a clinically-ill dog from Houston, Texas. Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports 2022; 35:100781. [PMID: 36184113 DOI: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2022.100781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
In 2020, Rickettsia typhi was diagnosed in a dog from Houston, Texas, USA based upon R. typhi IFA seroreactivity in both acute and convalescent sera, and PCR with DNA sequencing of 4 different gene regions, all of which were 100% identical to R. typhi. The dog was clinically ill with intermittent fever, lethargy, inappetence, and lymphadenopathy. Clinicopathological abnormalities included a mild nonregenerative anemia, neutrophilia, lymphopenia, thrombocytopenia, hypoalbuminemia, and elevated ALP. The dog rapidly recovered with doxycycline administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas B Juhasz
- North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, 1060 William Moore Dr., Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
| | - James M Wilson
- North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, 1060 William Moore Dr., Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
| | - Kaitlin N Haney
- North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, 1060 William Moore Dr., Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
| | - Melissa H Clark
- Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists, 8042 Katy Fwy, Houston, TX 77024, USA
| | - Amy C Davenport
- Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists, 8042 Katy Fwy, Houston, TX 77024, USA
| | - Edward B Breitschwerdt
- North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, 1060 William Moore Dr., Raleigh, NC 27607, USA
| | - Barbara A Qurollo
- North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, 1060 William Moore Dr., Raleigh, NC 27607, USA.
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Johnson CR, Ponnusamy L, Richards AL, Apperson CS. Analyses of Bloodmeal Hosts and Prevalence of Rickettsia parkeri in the Gulf Coast Tick Amblyomma maculatum (Acari: Ixodidae) From a Reconstructed Piedmont Prairie Ecosystem, North Carolina. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2022; 59:1382-1393. [PMID: 35489062 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjac033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Host feeding patterns and the prevalence of infection with Rickettsia parkeri were determined for the primary vector, Amblyomma maculatum Koch as well as sympatric tick species A. americanum (Linnaeus) and Dermacentor variabilis (Say) collected from a reconstructed prairie in the Piedmont region of North Carolina during 2011 and 2012. The occurrence of R. parkeri among A. maculatum adults and nymphs was 36.9% (45/122) and 33.3% (2/6), respectively. Rickettsia parkeri was detected in a single male A. americanum 2.3% (1/43). A PCR-reverse line blot hybridization assay of a 12S rDNA fragment amplified from remnant larval and nymphal bloodmeals of host-seeking ticks was used to identify bloodmeal hosts. Of the tick samples tested, bloodmeal host identification was successful for 29.3% (12/41) of adult A. americanum and 39.2% (20/51) of adult D. variabilis. For A. maculatum, bloodmeal host identification was successful for 50% (61/122) of adults collected from vegetation and 100% (4/4) of nymphs removed from cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus Say and Ord). The cotton rat was the most common bloodmeal host with 59.0% (36/61) identified for adult A. maculatum. No statistically significant association was observed, however, between bloodmeal host and pathogen prevalence for any tick species. While the cotton rat was an important bloodmeal host for A. maculatum nymphs, this vertebrate did not appear to be the primary source of R. parkeri infection for A. maculatum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Connie R Johnson
- Department of Entomology and Plath Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Loganathan Ponnusamy
- Department of Entomology and Plath Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
- Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695USA
| | - Allen L Richards
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
| | - Charles S Apperson
- Department of Entomology and Plath Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
- Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695USA
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Duncan KT, Elshahed MS, Sundstrom KD, Little SE, Youssef NH. Influence of tick sex and geographic region on the microbiome of Dermacentor variabilis collected from dogs and cats across the United States. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2022; 13:102002. [PMID: 35810549 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2022.102002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
As tick-borne diseases continue to increase across North America, current research strives to understand how the tick microbiome may affect pathogen acquisition, maintenance, and transmission. Prior high throughput amplicon-based microbial diversity surveys of the widespread tick Dermacentor variabilis have suggested that life stage, sex, and geographic region may influence the composition of the tick microbiome. Here, adult D. variabilis ticks (n = 145) were collected from dogs and cats from 32 states with specimens originating from all four regions of the United States (West, Midwest, South, and Northeast), and the tick microbiome was examined via V4-16S rRNA gene amplification and Illumina sequencing. A total of 481,246 bacterial sequences were obtained (median 2924 per sample, range 399-11,990). Fifty genera represented the majority (>80%) of the sequences detected, with the genera Allofrancisella and Francisella being the most abundant. Further, 97%, 23%, and 5.5% of the ticks contained sequences belonging to Francisella spp., Rickettsia spp., and Coxiella spp., respectively. No Ehrlichia spp. or Anaplasma spp. were identified. Co-occurrence analysis, by way of correlation coefficients, between the top 50 most abundant genera demonstrated five strong positive and no strong negative correlation relationships. Geographic region had a consistent effect on species richness with ticks from the Northeast having a significantly greater level of richness. Alpha diversity patterns were dependent on tick sex, with males exhibiting higher levels of diversity, and geographical region, with higher level of diversity observed in ticks obtained from the Northeast, but not on tick host. Community structure, or beta diversity, of tick microbiome was impacted by tick sex and geographic location, with microbiomes of ticks from the western US exhibiting a distinct community structure when compared to those from the other three regions (Northeast, South, and Midwest). In total, LEfSe (Linear discriminant analysis Effect Size) identified 18 specific genera driving these observed patterns of diversity and community structure. Collectively, these findings highlight the differences in bacterial diversity of D. variabilis across the US and supports the interpretation that tick sex and geographic region affects microbiome composition across a broad sampling distribution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn T Duncan
- Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Room 250 McElroy Hall, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA.
| | - Mostafa S Elshahed
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA
| | - Kellee D Sundstrom
- Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Room 250 McElroy Hall, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Susan E Little
- Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Room 250 McElroy Hall, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Noha H Youssef
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA
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Use of an exclusion assay to detect novel rickettsiae in field collected Amblyomma americanum. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2022; 13:101959. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2022.101959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Revised: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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10
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Duncan KT, Grant A, Johnson B, Sundstrom KD, Saleh MN, Little SE. Identification of Rickettsia spp. and Babesia conradae in Dermacentor spp. Collected from Dogs and Cats Across the United States. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2021; 21:911-920. [PMID: 34958266 PMCID: PMC8742288 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2021.0047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
In the United States, Dermacentor variabilis and Dermacentor andersoni are considered key vectors for Rickettsia rickettsii, the causative agent of Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Through regional surveillance, a wide diversity of Rickettsia spp. have been documented in D. variabilis, and Dermacentor spp. has been suggested as potential vectors for various other pathogens, including Babesia spp. and Ehrlichia canis. To better define the prevalence and diversity of pathogens in Dermacentor spp. across the United States, 848 ticks collected from dogs and cats in 44/50 states in 2018–2019 were tested by PCR for Rickettsia spp.-specific 17 kDa and ompA gene fragments; a subset of Dermacentor spp. was also tested with PCR, targeting fragments of the 18S and large subunit region rRNA genes of Babesia spp. and 16S rRNA genes of E. canis. Rickettsia spp. was identified in 12.5% (106/848) of ticks. Species detected include Rickettsia montanensis (n = 64 ticks), Rickettsia bellii (n = 15 ticks), Rickettsia rhipicephali (n = 13 ticks), Rickettsia peacockii (n = 8 ticks), Rickettsia amblyommatis (n = 3 ticks), Rickettsia cooleyi (n = 1 tick), and unclassified Rickettsia spp. (n = 2 ticks). Ticks with R. montanensis and R. bellii were submitted from every U.S. region; R. rhipicephali was predominantly detected in ticks from the southern half of the United States, and all R. peacockii-positive ticks were D. andersoni that originated from the Rocky Mountain states. Ehrlichia canis was not detected in any Dermacentor spp., and Babesia conradae was detected in two Dermacentor albipictus. Because most ticks had fed on dogs or cats before submission, these findings do not implicate a given Dermacentor sp. as a primary vector of these agents, but in regard to Rickettsia spp., the data do support other published work showing D. variabilis harbors a diversity of Rickettsia species with unknown implications for animal and human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn T Duncan
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Amber Grant
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Britny Johnson
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA.,Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Disease, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Kellee D Sundstrom
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Meriam N Saleh
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA.,Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | - Susan E Little
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA
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