Survey of Ixodes pacificus Ticks in California Reveals a Diversity of Microorganisms and a Novel and Widespread Anaplasmataceae Species.

Ixodes pacificus ticks can harbor a wide range of human and animal pathogens. To survey the prevalence of tick-borne known and putative pathogens, we tested 982 individual adult and nymphal I. pacificus ticks collected throughout California between 2007 and 2009 using a broad-range PCR and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (PCR/ESI-MS) assay designed to detect a wide range of tick-borne microorganisms.

Genotypic variation and mixtures of Lyme Borrelia in Ixodes ticks from North America and Europe.

Background: Lyme disease, caused by various species of Borrelia, is transmitted by Ixodes ticks in North America and Europe. Studies have shown the genotype of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.

Extraction of total nucleic acids from ticks for the detection of bacterial and viral pathogens.

Ticks harbor numerous bacterial, protozoal, and viral pathogens that can cause serious infections in humans and domestic animals. Active surveillance of the tick vector can provide insight into the frequency and distribution of important pathogens in the environment. Nucleic-acid based detection of tick-borne bacterial, protozoan, and viral pathogens requires the extraction of both DNA and RNA (total nucleic acids) from ticks.

Distinct clonal repertoire of brain CD8+ cells in simian immunodeficiency virus infection.

Objective: Infection with simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), like HIV, can lead to central nervous system (CNS) abnormalities. One of the alterations observed in the brain is the accumulation of highly activated CD8 lymphocytes that, while fighting the infection, may cause tissue damage. In order to determine whether these CD8 cells in the brain comprise a distinct clonal population the expression of T-cell receptor (TCR) genes of two SIV-infected monkeys with CNS abnormalities were analyzed, comparing brain to periphery.