Transstadial Transmission and Transovarial Transmission of Ornithodoros coriaceus and Its Connection to Epizootic Bovine Abortion
Loading...
Authors
Josephson, Johanna
Issue Date
2013
Type
Thesis
Language
en_US
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
Epizootic Bovine Abortion (EBA), also known as Foothill abortion, is a
disease of beef cattle in the western U.S. that can result in late term abortion and
significant economic losses (McKercher et al., 1963). Ornithodoros coriaceus is the
only known vector that transmits the bacteria pathogen (typically referred to as the
etiologic agent of EBA, aoEBA) to cattle hosts. The bacteria are a yet unnamed,
intracellular organism, genetically most closely related to soil dwelling organisms
(King et al., 2005). If an infected tick feeds on a susceptible pregnant cow, the
bacterial pathogen can be transmitted to the fetus, where it slowly develops within
the fetal calf lymphatic system (Hall et al., 2002). The pregnant cow often develops
an asymptomatic infection and does not appear clinically ill while infection in the
developing fetus usually results in abortion. In order to determine if Ornithodoros
coriaceus can act as a biological vector of aoEBA (as compared to simply serving as a
mechanical source of the pathogen), it was tested whether transstadial or
transovarial transmission could be detected in experimentally infected ticks. Ticks
were collected from an area where the prevalence of the disease was well
documented; experimentally infected, fed, and allowed to reproduce. Then through
DNA extraction and QPCR ticks were tested for the prevalence of aoEBA. It does not
appear that the ticks have a transstadial or transovarial transmission.
Description
Citation
Publisher
License
In Copyright(All Rights Reserved)