Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Clin Infect Dis 2020 Jun 15. Epub 2020 Jun 15.

Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI.

A kidney transplant patient without known tick exposure developed encephalitis three weeks after transplantation. During the transplant hospitalization, the patient had received a blood transfusion from an asymptomatic donor later discovered to have been infected with Powassan virus. This report describes a probable instance of transfusion-transmitted Powassan virus infection. Read More

J Obstet Gynaecol Can 2020 05;42(5):644-653

Halifax, NS.

Objective: Lyme disease is an emerging infection in Canada caused by the bacterium belonging to the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato species complex, which is transmitted via the bite of an infected blacklegged tick. Populations of blacklegged ticks continue to expand and are now established in different regions in Canada. It usually takes more than 24 hours of tick attachment to transfer B. Read More

Virol J 2020 05 5;17(1):63. Epub 2020 May 5.

Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.

Background: Tick-borne phenuivirus (TBPVs) comprise human and animal viruses that can cause a variety of clinical syndromes ranging from self-limiting febrile illness to fatal haemorrhagic fevers.

Objective: Detect Phlebovirus (Family Phenuiviridae) in ticks collected from domestic animals in Córdoba, Colombia.

Methods: We collected 2365 ticks from domestic animals in three municipalities of the Department of Cordoba, Colombia in 2016. Read More

Clin Chem 2020 Apr;66(4):537-548

Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.

Background: Tick-borne diseases are an important cause of human morbidity and mortality in the United States. The past several decades have witnessed an increase in both the number of recognized tick-borne pathogens and the number of tick-borne disease cases, whereas tick surveys have revealed substantial geographic expansions of tick populations throughout the country. Multiple laboratory testing options exist for diagnosis of tick-borne diseases, including serology, microscopy, and molecular-based methods. Read More

J Med Entomol 2020 May;57(3):715-727

Research Computing, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO.

Lyme disease is the most commonly reported vector-borne disease in the United States, and the number of cases reported each year continues to rise. The complex nature of the relationships between the pathogen (Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto), the tick vector (Ixodes scapularis Say), multiple vertebrate hosts, and numerous environmental factors creates challenges for understanding and predicting tick population and pathogen transmission dynamics. LYMESIM is a mechanistic model developed in the late 1990s to simulate the life-history of I. Read More

J Feline Med Surg 2020 Jan;22(1):41-48

Hospital Clínic Veterinari, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra (Barcelona), Spain.

Practical Relevance: There has been increasing identification of vector-borne pathogens in cats presented to veterinary clinics around the world for evaluation of fever and the associated secondary effects, such as signs of depression and loss of appetite.

Aim: The aim of this article is to summarize the clinically relevant information concerning fever in cats that is associated with pathogens vectored by ticks or sandflies, with an emphasis on presenting clinical abnormalities and optimal diagnostic, treatment and prevention strategies. Fever in cats associated with pathogens known or suspected to be vectored by fleas was discussed within Part 1 of this two-part article series. Read More

Top Companion Anim Med 2019 Dec 11;37:100358. Epub 2019 Sep 11.

Infectious Diseases R&D, IDEXX Laboratories, Inc., Westbrook ME, USA. Electronic address:

Vaccines against Borrelia burgdorferi are administered frequently to dogs in areas endemic for the infection. These vaccines produce an antibody response to spirochetal proteins that cross-react in many antibody tests, including immunofluorescence assay, Western blot, and whole cell ELISA used to document exposure to B. burgdorferi. Read More

J Proteome Res 2020 Feb 9;19(2):610-623. Epub 2020 Jan 9.

Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology , Colorado State University , Fort Collins , Colorado 80521 , United States.

Lyme disease is a tick-borne bacterial illness that occurs in areas of North America, Europe, and Asia. Early infection typically presents as generalized symptoms with an erythema migrans (EM) skin lesion. Dissemination of the pathogen can result in multiple EM skin lesions or in extracutaneous manifestations such as Lyme neuroborreliosis. Read More

Am J Trop Med Hyg 2020 02;102(2):359-365

Arboviral Disease Branch, Division of Vector Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado.

The genus is a diverse group of globally occurring viruses, including tick-, mosquito-, and sand fly-borne pathogens. Phleboviruses have historically been classified by serological methods. However, molecular methods alone have been used to identify emergent novel and related strains in recent years. Read More

Sci Rep 2019 11 14;9(1):16808. Epub 2019 Nov 14.

Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO, USA.

The tick-borne spirochete, Borrelia miyamotoi, is an emerging pathogen of public health significance. Current B. miyamotoi serodiagnostic testing depends on reactivity against GlpQ which is not highly sensitive on acute phase serum samples. Read More

Am J Clin Pathol 2020 01;153(1):139-145

Quest Diagnostics, Secaucus, NJ.

Objectives: We evaluated trends in non-Lyme disease tick-borne disease (NLTBI) testing at a national reference laboratory.

Methods: Testing data performed at Quest Diagnostics during 2010 to 2016 were analyzed nationally and at the state level.

Results: Testing and positivity for most NLTBIs increased dramatically from 2010 through 2016 based on testing from a large reference laboratory. Read More

Semin Neurol 2019 08 18;39(4):419-427. Epub 2019 Sep 18.

Neuro-Infectious Diseases Group, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Neurology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado.

There are many arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) capable of neuroinvasion, with West Nile virus being one of the most well known. In this review, we highlight five rarer emerging or reemerging arboviruses capable of neuroinvasion: Cache Valley, eastern equine encephalitis, Jamestown Canyon, Powassan, and Usutu viruses. Cache Valley and Jamestown Canyon viruses likely circulate throughout most of North America, while eastern equine encephalitis and Powassan viruses typically circulate in the eastern half. Read More

Zoonoses Public Health 2019 11 3;66(7):805-812. Epub 2019 Sep 3.

Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado.

Tickborne diseases (TBDs) such as Lyme disease (LD), babesiosis, ehrlichiosis and Rocky Mountain spotted fever cause substantial morbidity and even mortality in the USA. Data indicate that Hispanic populations may be at greater risk for occupational exposure to ticks and disseminated LD; however, information on knowledge and practices of Hispanic populations regarding TBDs is limited. We surveyed 153 Hispanic and 153 non-Hispanic residents of Maryland and Virginia to assess awareness of TBDs, prevention practices and risk of tick encounters. Read More

PLoS One 2019 16;14(7):e0219532. Epub 2019 Jul 16.

Surveillance Design and Analysis Unit, Center for Epidemiology and Animal Health, Veterinary Services, Strategy and Policy, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America.

Introduction: Oral fluid sampling and testing offers a convenient, unobtrusive mechanism for evaluating the health status of swine, especially grower and finisher swine. This assessment evaluates the potential testing of oral fluid samples with real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) to detect African swine fever, classical swine fever, or foot-and-mouth disease for surveillance during a disease outbreak and early detection in a disease-free setting.

Methods: We used a series of logical arguments, informed assumptions, and a range of parameter values from literature and industry practices to examine the cost and value of information provided by oral fluid sampling and rRT-PCR testing for the swine foreign animal disease surveillance objectives outlined above. Read More

Zoonoses Public Health 2019 11 1;66(7):871-873. Epub 2019 Jul 1.

Animal Population Health Institute, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Denver, CO, USA.

Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) is a deadly viral zoonotic disease, which is endemic in Pakistan. We report a case study analysis of three cases of CCHF which occurred in Chakwal, Pakistan in 2016. The disease was suspected in three patients exhibiting clinical symptoms suggestive of CCHF; two of the three patients died. Read More

Cell Rep 2019 06;27(11):3269-3283.e6

Innate Immunity and Pathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Virology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories (RML), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Hamilton, MT 59840, USA. Electronic address:

Tripartite motif-containing protein 5α (TRIM5α) is a cellular antiviral restriction factor that prevents early events in retrovirus replication. The activity of TRIM5α is thought to be limited to retroviruses as a result of highly specific interactions with capsid lattices. In contrast to this current understanding, we show that both human and rhesus macaque TRIM5α suppress replication of specific flaviviruses. Read More

Zoonoses Public Health 2019 09 31;66(6):579-586. Epub 2019 May 31.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado.

Tick-borne relapsing fever (TBRF) is a potentially serious spirochetal infection caused by certain species of Borrelia and acquired through the bite of Ornithodoros ticks. In 2017, Austin Public Health, Austin, TX, identified five cases of febrile illness among employees who worked in caves. A cross-sectional serosurvey and interview were conducted for 44 employees at eight organizations that conduct cave-related work. Read More

Transpl Infect Dis 2019 Aug 6;21(4):e13098. Epub 2019 May 6.

Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri.

Tick-borne infections represent a significant health risk each year in the United States. Immunocompromised patients are typically at risk of more severe disease manifestations than their immunocompetent counterparts. Here we report a case of a newly emerging phlebovirus, Heartland virus, in a heart transplant recipient. Read More

J Virol 2019 07 14;93(13). Epub 2019 Jun 14.

ICMR-National Institute of Virology, Pune, India

In 2011, ticks were collected from livestock following an outbreak of Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) in Gujarat state, India. CCHF-negative tick pools were passaged for virus isolation, and two virus isolates were obtained, designated Karyana virus (KARYV) and Kundal virus (KUNDV), respectively. Traditional reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) identification of known viruses was unsuccessful, but a next-generation sequencing (NGS) approach identified KARYV and KUNDV as viruses in the family, and genera, respectively. Read More

Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2019 09 3;19(9):652-657. Epub 2019 Apr 3.

Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Disease, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.

, a common human-biting tick found throughout the eastern half and along the west coast of the United States, is a vector of multiple bacterial pathogens. Historically, has been considered a primary vector of , the causative agent of Rocky Mountain spotted fever. A total of 883 adult , collected between 2012 and 2017 from various locations in 12 states across the United States, were screened for rickettsial DNA. Read More

Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2019 09 2;19(9):694-702. Epub 2019 Apr 2.

Laboratory of Zoonotic Pathogens, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Hamilton, Montana.

The Rocky Mountain wood tick, , has long been known to transmit human pathogens. Within the Bitterroot Valley, Ravalli County, Montana, these agents include , , and Colorado tick fever virus (CTFV). Found in the western United States where wood ticks occur, CTFV causes a biphasic, febrile illness in humans and persists in enzootic cycles involving the ticks and small mammals. Read More

MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2019 Mar 29;68(12):289-290. Epub 2019 Mar 29.

Viruses 2019 03 2;11(3). Epub 2019 Mar 2.

Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.

While serological and virological evidence documents the exposure of bats to medically-important arboviruses, their role as reservoirs or amplifying hosts is less well-characterized. We describe a novel orbivirus () isolated from an Egyptian fruit bat () trapped in 2013 in Uganda and named Bukakata orbivirus. This is the fifth orbivirus isolated from a bat, however genetic information had previously only been available for one bat-associated orbivirus. Read More

Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2019 07 19;19(7):512-524. Epub 2019 Feb 19.

1 Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas.

African swine fever virus (ASFV) continues to threaten global animal health and agricultural biosecurity. Mitigating the establishment of ASFV in the United States (U.S. Read More

Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2019 07 4;19(7):506-511. Epub 2019 Feb 4.

2 Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas.

African swine fever virus (ASFV) causes a high-consequence foreign animal disease that has emerged along international trade routes. Owing to high lethality and resulting trade sanctions, establishment of this disease in the United States would have devastating economic consequences. ASFV can be transmitted by soft ticks in the genus or directly between swine, including domestic, feral, and wild swine. Read More

Cell Rep 2018 12;25(12):3382-3392.e3

Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Pathology & Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; The Andrew M. and Jane M. Bursky Center for Human Immunology and Immunotherapy Programs, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA. Electronic address:

Powassan virus (POWV) is an emerging tick-transmitted flavivirus that circulates in North America and Russia. Up to 5% of deer ticks now test positive for POWV in certain regions of the northern United States. Although POWV infections cause life-threatening encephalitis, there is no vaccine or countermeasure available for prevention or treatment. Read More

JAMA 2018 12;320(23):2461-2473

Division of Cardiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora.

Importance: Among adults with chronic illness, 30% to 50% of medications are not taken as prescribed. In the United States, it is estimated that medication nonadherence is associated with 125 000 deaths, 10% of hospitalizations, and $100 billion in health care services annually.

Observations: PubMed was searched from January 1, 2000, to September 6, 2018, for English-language randomized clinical trials of interventions to improve medication adherence. Read More

Zoonoses Public Health 2019 06 16;66(4):417-421. Epub 2018 Dec 16.

Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado.

Dogs have been implicated in the zoonotic transmission of numerous pathogens. Whereas cats are known to transmit Francisella tularensis to humans via bite and other routes, the role of dogs in facilitating infection is much less understood. We reviewed tularaemia case investigation records collected through national surveillance during 2006-2016 to summarize those with dog involvement, characterize the nature of dog-related exposure and describe associated clinical characteristics. Read More

Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2019 05 1;19(5):316-322. Epub 2018 Dec 1.

4 Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado.

Tularemia is a zoonotic infection caused by the highly infectious bacterium . Persons having outdoor professions are more likely than others to be exposed to through increased contact with arthropods, infected animals, and contaminated aerosols. After a tularemia epizootic during July and August 2015 at Devils Tower National Monument and an associated tularemia infection in a park employee, we assessed seroprevalence of antibodies, risk factors for seropositivity, and use of protective measures among park employees. Read More

Top Companion Anim Med 2018 Dec 20;33(4):147-149. Epub 2018 Aug 20.

Center for Companion Animal Studies at Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.

Persistent infection of Anaplasma phagocytophilum (AP) after treatment and immunosuppression has not been studied in dogs infected with AP after Ixodes scapularis infestation. This descriptive pilot study evaluated 6 laboratory-reared beagles that were persistently positive for AP antibodies after infestation with wild-caught I. scapularis. Read More

Am J Trop Med Hyg 2019 02;100(2):242-245

Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado.

Reported cases of vector-borne diseases in the United States have more than tripled since 2004, characterized by steadily increasing incidence of tick-borne diseases and sporadic outbreaks of domestic and invasive mosquito-borne diseases. An effective public health response to these trends relies on public health surveillance and laboratory systems, proven prevention and mitigation measures, scalable capacity to implement these measures, sensitive and specific diagnostics, and effective therapeutics. However, significant obstacles hinder successful implementation of these public health strategies. Read More

PLoS One 2018 12;13(11):e0207067. Epub 2018 Nov 12.

National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada.

Lyme disease (LD), caused by bacteria of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato species complex, is the most common vector-borne disease in North America and Europe. A systematic review (SR) was conducted to summarize the global literature on adverse birth outcomes associated with gestational LD in humans. The SR followed an a priori protocol of pretested screening, risk of bias, and data extraction forms. Read More

J Virol 2019 02 17;93(3). Epub 2019 Jan 17.

Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity, Charles Perkins Centre, School of Life and Environmental Sciences and Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia

Understanding the microbiome of ticks in Australia is of considerable interest given the ongoing debate over whether Lyme disease and its causative agent, the bacterium , are present in Australia. The diversity of bacteria infecting Australian ticks has been studied using both culture- and metagenomics-based techniques. However, little is known about the virome of Australian ticks, including whether this includes viruses with the potential to infect mammals. Read More

Clin Infect Dis 2019 03;68(6):1052-1057

Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston.

Borrelia burgdorferi was discovered to be the cause of Lyme disease in 1983, leading to seroassays. The 1994 serodiagnostic testing guidelines predated a full understanding of key B. burgdorferi antigens and have a number of shortcomings. Read More

PLoS One 2018 27;13(9):e0204609. Epub 2018 Sep 27.

Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, United States of America.

Promoting health equity is a fundamental public health objective, yet health disparities remain largely overlooked in studies of vectorborne diseases, especially those transmitted by ticks. We sought to identify health disparities associated with Lyme disease and human monocytic ehrlichiosis, two of the most pervasive tickborne diseases within the United States. We used general linear mixed models to measure associations between county-level disease incidence and six variables representing racial/ethnic and socioeconomic characteristics of counties (percent white non-Hispanic; percent with a bachelors degree or higher; percent living below the poverty line; percent unemployed; percent of housing units vacant; per capita number of property crimes). Read More

Zoonoses Public Health 2019 02 21;66(1):174-178. Epub 2018 Sep 21.

Emerging Infections Program, Maryland Department of Health, Baltimore, Maryland.

In Maryland, Lyme disease (LD) is the most widely reported tickborne disease. All laboratories and healthcare providers are required to report LD cases to the local health department. Given the large volume of LD reports, the nuances of diagnosing and reporting LD, and the effort required for investigations by local health department staff, surveillance for LD is burdensome and subject to underreporting. Read More

Top Companion Anim Med 2018 Jun 20;33(2):40-44. Epub 2018 Jun 20.

Center for Companion Animal Studies, Department of Clinical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA. Electronic address:

The objectives of this study were to use data from client-owned cats in an Ixodes scapularis endemic area to evaluate for clinical associations with diagnostic test results for Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Borrelia burgdorferi and to provide information from a group of cats with possible borreliosis as the cause of clinical manifestations of disease. All cases were evaluated at one clinic, medical records were evaluated, and sera from all cats were tested using one of two commercially available assays labeled for the use with dog sera (SNAP 4Dx or SNAP 4Dx Plus; IDEXX Laboratories, Westbrook, ME). Of the 159 cats evaluated, 42 cats (26. Read More

Clin Med Res 2018 12 30;16(3-4):66-68. Epub 2018 Aug 30.

Integrated Research and Development Laboratory, Marshfield Clinic Research Institute, Marshfield, WI, USA

Lyme disease and infectious mononucleosis are common illnesses that share similar clinical presentations. Significant cross-reactivity is known to occur between Lyme and EBV serologic assays complicating the diagnosis. To date, no prior cases of concurrent acute Lyme and EBV infections have been reported. Read More

J Med Entomol 2019 01;56(1):199-214

Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO.

Permethrin-treated clothing is available as consumer products to prevent bites by tick and insect pests. We used bioassays to examine the impact of wearing and washing/drying of permethrin-treated shirts, pants, and socks, and wearing of treated shoes, on their contact irritancy and toxicity for nymphal Ixodes scapularis Say (Acari: Ixodidae) ticks, the primary vectors in the eastern United States of the causative agents of Lyme disease, human anaplasmosis, and human babesiosis. Pristine permethrin-treated clothing displayed strong contact irritancy and toxicity toward I. Read More

Pediatr Emerg Med Pract 2018 Sep 1;15(9):1-24. Epub 2018 Sep 1.

Clinical Assistant Professor, Ronald O. Perelman Department of Emergency Medicine, Clinical Site Chief, Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Bellevue Hospital Center, New York, NY.

Tick-borne illnesses are increasing in prevalence and geographic reach. Because the presentation of these illnesses is sometimes nonspecific, they can often be misdiagnosed, especially in the early stages of illness. A detailed history with questions involving recent activities and travel and a thorough physical examination will help narrow the diagnosis. Read More

Prim Care 2018 Sep 9;45(3):379-391. Epub 2018 Jul 9.

Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, 4500 San Pablo Road S, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA.

Close interaction with nature can lead to tick-borne illnesses, which are seen most frequently in primary care clinics when patients present symptoms. Considerable morbidity can result from untreated infections. Fortunately, these illnesses are often easily managed when diagnosed early. Read More

Sci Rep 2018 08 15;8(1):12204. Epub 2018 Aug 15.

Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, CO, United States of America.

Metabolites detectible in human biofluids are attractive biomarkers for the diagnosis of early Lyme disease (ELD), a vector-borne infectious disease. Urine represents an easily obtained clinical sample that can be applied for diagnostic purposes. However, few studies have explored urine for biomarkers of ELD. Read More

Viruses 2018 07 22;10(7). Epub 2018 Jul 22.

Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.

ticks harbor a variety of microorganisms, including eukaryotes, bacteria and viruses. Some of these can be transmitted to and cause disease in humans and other vertebrates. Others are not pathogenic, but may impact the ability of the tick to harbor and transmit pathogens. Read More

PLoS One 2018 12;13(7):e0199644. Epub 2018 Jul 12.

Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States of America.

Tick-borne pathogens are increasing their range and incidence in North America as a consequence of numerous factors including improvements in diagnostics and diagnosis, range expansion of primary vectors, changes in human behavior, and an increasing understanding of the diversity of species of pathogens that cause human disease. Public health agencies have access to human incidence data on notifiable diseases e.g. Read More

J Innate Immun 2018 3;10(4):291-305. Epub 2018 Jul 3.

Immunity to Pulmonary Pathogens Section, Laboratory of Bacteriology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, NIAID, NIH, Hamilton, Montana, USA.

Virulent Francisella tularensis subsp. tularensis (Ftt) is a dynamic, intracellular, bacterial pathogen. Its ability to evade and rapidly suppress host inflammatory responses is considered a key element for its profound virulence. Read More

Am J Trop Med Hyg 2018 08 31;99(2):458-465. Epub 2018 May 31.

Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.

Powassan virus (POWV) is a tick-borne zoonosis maintained in natural enzootic cycles between ixodid ticks and wild mammals. Reported human cases have increased in recent years; these infections can be fatal or lead to long-term neurologic sequelae. However, both the geographic distribution and the role of common, potential mammalian hosts in POWV transmission are poorly understood, creating challenges to public health surveillance. Read More

Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2018 07 21;18(7):371-381. Epub 2018 May 21.

1 Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , Fort Collins, Colorado.

The Flavivirus genus comprises a diverse group of viruses that utilize a wide range of vertebrate hosts and arthropod vectors. The genus includes viruses that are transmitted solely by mosquitoes or vertebrate hosts as well as viruses that alternate transmission between mosquitoes or ticks and vertebrates. Nevertheless, the viral genetic determinants that dictate these unique flaviviral host and vector specificities have been poorly characterized. Read More

PLoS One 2018 10;13(5):e0197413. Epub 2018 May 10.

Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America.

Borrelia burgdorferi, the agent of Lyme borreliosis, can elude hosts' innate and adaptive immunity as part of the course of infection. The ability of B. burgdorferi to invade or be internalized by host cells in vitro has been proposed as a mechanism for the pathogen to evade immune responses or antimicrobials. Read More

J Clin Microbiol 2018 08 26;56(8). Epub 2018 Jul 26.

Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA

Standard two-tiered testing (STTT) is the recommended algorithm for laboratory diagnosis of Lyme disease (LD). Several limitations are associated with STTT that include low sensitivity in the early stages of disease, as well as technical complexity and subjectivity associated with second-tier immunoblotting; therefore, modified two-tiered testing (MTTT) algorithms that utilize two sequential first-tier tests and eliminate immunoblotting have been evaluated. Recently, a novel MTTT that uses a VlsE chemiluminescence immunoassay followed by a C6 enzyme immunoassay has been proposed. Read More

Sci Rep 2018 05 3;8(1):7009. Epub 2018 May 3.

Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, 37-121 Center for Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California - Los Angeles, 10833 Le Conte Avenue, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1688, USA.

Bacillus anthracis, Yersinia pestis, and Francisella tularensis are the causative agents of Tier 1 Select Agents anthrax, plague, and tularemia, respectively. Currently, there are no licensed vaccines against plague and tularemia and the licensed anthrax vaccine is suboptimal. Here we report F. Read More