Spotted-Fever Group Rickettsia in Dermacentor variabilis, Maryland

Abstract

Three-hundred ninety-two adult Dermacentor variabilis were collected from six Maryland counties during the spring, summer, and fall of 2002. Infection prevalence for spotted fever group Rickettsia was 3.8%, as determined by polymerase chain reaction. Single strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP) analysis followed by sequencing indicated that all infections represented a single rickettsial taxon, Rickettsia montanensis.

Keywords

• SFG Rickettsia
• Dermacentor variabilis
• Rickettsia montanensis
• Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
• dispatch
• Maryland