Rickettsia rickettsii Transmission by a Lone Star Tick, North Carolina

Abstract

Only indirect or circumstantial evidence has been published to support transmission of Rickettsia rickettsii by Amblyomma americanum (lone star) ticks in North America. This study provides molecular evidence that A. americanum ticks can function, although most likely infrequently, as vectors of Rocky Mountain spotted fever for humans.

Keywords

• ticks
• disease
• rickettsia
• rash
• thrombocytopenia
• bacteria