Frequency and Distribution of Rickettsiae, Borreliae, and Ehrlichiae Detected in Human-Parasitizing Ticks, Texas, USA

Abstract

To describe the presence and distribution of tickborne bacteria and their vectors in Texas, USA, we screened ticks collected from humans during 2008–2014 for Rickettsia, Borrelia, and Ehrlichia spp. Thirteen tick species were identified, and 23% of ticks carried bacterial DNA from at least 1 of the 3 genera tested.

Keywords

• zoonoses
• tick
• tickborne
• vector
• vectorborne
• Rickettsia