Ehrlichia-like 16S rDNA sequence from wild white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

• Published in: The Journal of parasitology 1996-02, Vol.82 (1), p.52-58
• Main Authors: Dawson, J.E. (US Department of Health and Human Services, Atlanta, GA.), Warner, C.K, Baker, V, Ewing, S.A, Stallknecht, D.E, Davidson, W.R, Kocan, A.A, Lockhart, J.M, Olson, J.G
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: ADN; AMBLYOMMA AMERICANUM; Animals; Antibodies; Antibodies, Bacterial - blood; Bacterial diseases; Base Sequence; Biological and medical sciences; Blood; Deer; Deer - microbiology; Disease Reservoirs; DISEASE VECTORS; DNA; DNA, Ribosomal - analysis; EHRLICHIA; Ehrlichia chaffeensis; Ehrlichia chaffeensis - classification; Ehrlichia chaffeensis - genetics; Ehrlichia chaffeensis - immunology; Ehrlichiosis; Ehrlichiosis - microbiology; Ehrlichiosis - transmission; Ehrlichiosis - veterinary; Gels; genbank/u27101; genbank/u27102; genbank/u27103; genbank/u27104; Genetics-Evolution; GEORGIA (EUA); GEORGIA (USA); GEORGIE (EU); Human bacterial diseases; Humans; Infections; Infectious diseases; Ixodidae; Medical sciences; Miscellaneous; Molecular Sequence Data; NUCLEOTIDE SEQUENCE; ODOCOILEUS VIRGINIANUS; OKLAHOMA; Phylogeny; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Restriction Mapping; Ribosomal DNA; RIBOSOMAS; RIBOSOME; RIBOSOMES; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - genetics; SECUENCIA NUCLEOTIDICA; SEQUENCE NUCLEOTIDIQUE; VECTEUR DE MALADIE; VECTORES; VECTORS
• ISSN: 0022-3395; 1937-2345
• DOI: 10.2307/3284115

The reservoir hosts of Ehrlichia chaffeensis, etiologic agent of human ehrlichiosis are unknown. Initially, whitetailed deer (WTD) were serologically implicated as possible reservoirs of E. chaffeensis. Subsequent studies showed that WTD were susceptible to infection with E. chaffeensis and that deer-to-deer transmission by a tick vector, Amblyomma americanum, is possible under experimental conditions. To determine if wild WTD were infected with E. chaffeensis, whole blood was collected from 10 deer from Oklahoma and Georgia. All 10 deer had antibodies reactive to E. chaffeensis. Whereas E. chaffeensis was not isolated, restriction enzyme mapping and sequencing of the 16S RDNA gene revealed that a unique Ehrlichia-like agent was present. All 10 deer appeared to be infected with the same agent. We suspect that A. americanum is the vector of this new agent based upon the previously published temporal association between the appearance of E. chaffeensis seropositive WTD and A. americanum. However, the taxonomic and antigenic relationships, geographic distribution, epidemiology, and zoonotic potential of this agent are yet to be determined.