Novel Focus of Sin Nombre Virus in Peromyscus eremicus Mice, Death Valley National Park, California, USA.

The deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) is the primary reservoir for Sin Nombre virus (SNV) in the western United States. Rodent surveillance for hantavirus in Death Valley National Park, California, USA, revealed cactus mice (P. eremicus) as a possible focal reservoir for SNV in this location.

Public health pesticide use in California: a comparative summary.

California pesticide use summary data and use reports from local vector control agencies were reviewed to document public health pesticide use patterns. During the 15-year period 1993-2007, public health pesticide use averaged 1.75 million lb (0.

Clinical, epidemiologic, and environmental surveillance for ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis in an endemic area of northern California.

Two forms of tick-borne leukocytotropic rickettsioses have been recognized in California since the mid-1990s: human monocytic ehrlichiosis (HME) caused by Ehrlichia chaffeensis and human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA) caused by Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Between 1997 and 1999, two cases of HME and four cases of HGA were diagnosed in residents of southern Humboldt County, California. Environmental followup at case-patients' residences revealed dense populations of Ixodes pacificus ticks, particularly in grassy roadside areas.

Isolation and characterization of Borrelia hermsii associated with two foci of tick-borne relapsing fever in California.

Relapsing fever, caused by the spirochete Borrelia hermsii and transmitted by the soft tick Ornithodoros hermsi, is endemic in many rural mountainous areas of California. Between 1996 and 1998, 12 cases of relapsing fever associated with two exposure sites in northern California were investigated. Follow-up at exposure sites included collection of soft ticks and serum specimens from sylvatic rodents.

Use of liquid deltamethrin in modified, host-targeted bait tubes for control of fleas on sciurid rodents in northern California.

The efficacy of liquid deltamethrin was evaluated for controlling fleas on golden-mantled ground squirrels, Spermophilus lateralis, and chipmunks, Tamias amoenus and T. senex. A host-targeted bait tube was modified to deliver insecticide to visiting rodents during a seven-week trial conducted in the Southern Cascade Mountains of northern California.