Prevalence of Rickettsia parkeri in Amblyomma maculatum Populations of Southeastern Virginia
Description/Abstract/Artist Statement
Amblyomma maculatum has undergone notable expansion northward from its historical region in the Gulf of Mexico, establishing populations along the East Coast into the Carolinas, Virginia, Maryland, New England, and Midwestern states. Amblyomma maculatum is an aggressive human-biting tick and the primary vector for the bacterium Rickettsia parkeri. R. parkeri is the causative agent of Rickettsia parkeri rickettsiosis in humans, a disease similar to but milder than Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. In 1965, several A. maculatum ticks were found in Virginia, but established populations had yet to emerge. By 2010, established populations of A. maculatum were documented across Southeastern Virginia, showing higher R. parkeri prevalence (>50%) compared to the historic region (R.parkeri on the expansion front raises public health concerns and questions about prevalence patterns between historic and newly established A. maculatum populations. This study analyzes Rickettsia parkeri prevalence among Amblyomma maculatum populations in Southeastern Virginia between 2018 and 2023 to determine if prevalence values remain elevated. Amblyomma maculatum DNA extracts were tested using qPCR for Rickettsia spp. DNA, then specifically for Rickettsia parkeri if the first test showed positive results. Our data will determine if prevalence values changed over time as the ticks became established in the region, which allows for potential connections between higher pathogen persistence and the beginning stages of population expansion.
Faculty Advisor/Mentor
David T Gauthier, Wayne Hynes, Holly Gaff
Faculty Advisor/Mentor Department
College of Sciences
College Affiliation
College of Sciences
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Disciplines
Entomology | Other Ecology and Evolutionary Biology | Other Genetics and Genomics | Population Biology
Session Title
College of Sciences 3
Location
Learning Commons @Perry Library, Room 1310
Start Date
3-30-2024 10:45 AM
End Date
3-30-2024 11:45 AM
Prevalence of Rickettsia parkeri in Amblyomma maculatum Populations of Southeastern Virginia
Learning Commons @Perry Library, Room 1310
Amblyomma maculatum has undergone notable expansion northward from its historical region in the Gulf of Mexico, establishing populations along the East Coast into the Carolinas, Virginia, Maryland, New England, and Midwestern states. Amblyomma maculatum is an aggressive human-biting tick and the primary vector for the bacterium Rickettsia parkeri. R. parkeri is the causative agent of Rickettsia parkeri rickettsiosis in humans, a disease similar to but milder than Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. In 1965, several A. maculatum ticks were found in Virginia, but established populations had yet to emerge. By 2010, established populations of A. maculatum were documented across Southeastern Virginia, showing higher R. parkeri prevalence (>50%) compared to the historic region (R.parkeri on the expansion front raises public health concerns and questions about prevalence patterns between historic and newly established A. maculatum populations. This study analyzes Rickettsia parkeri prevalence among Amblyomma maculatum populations in Southeastern Virginia between 2018 and 2023 to determine if prevalence values remain elevated. Amblyomma maculatum DNA extracts were tested using qPCR for Rickettsia spp. DNA, then specifically for Rickettsia parkeri if the first test showed positive results. Our data will determine if prevalence values changed over time as the ticks became established in the region, which allows for potential connections between higher pathogen persistence and the beginning stages of population expansion.