Journal of Medical Entomology (2011) 48, 485-488

Patrick J. Kelly, Helene Lucas, Charles Yowell, L. Beati, J. Dame, J. Urdaz-Rodriguez and S. Mahan (2011)
Ehrlichia ruminantium in Amblyomma variegatum and domestic ruminants in the Caribbean
Journal of Medical Entomology 48 (2), 485-488
Abstract: The highly sensitive nested pCS20 polymerase chain reaction assay for Ehrlichia ruminantium was negative on 506 Amblyomma variegatum from Caribbean islands where clinical heartwater has not been reported, mainly the United States Virgin Islands (18), Dominica (170), Montserrat (5), Nevis (34), St. Kitts (262), and St. Lucia (17). Positive results were obtained with positive controls (Crystal Springs strain) and A. variegatum from countries in Africa where infections are endemic, mainly Tanzania (1/37) and Burkino Faso (2/29). Positive major antigenic protein-1 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for E. ruminantium were obtained on convenience samples of sera from apparently healthy cattle, sheep, and goats on Dominica (0/95, 0%; 3/135, 2%; 2/57, 4%), Grenada (0/4, 0%; 1/98, 1%; 1/86, 1%), Montserrat (0/12, 0%; 0/28, 2%; 5/139, 4%), Nevis (0/45, 0%; 0/157, 0%; 0/90, 0%), Puerto Rico (0/422, 0%; 0, 0%), St. Kitts (3/86, 4%; 1/25, 0%; 0/26, 0%), and St. Lucia (0/184, 0%; 0/15, 0%; 0, 0%), respectively. The pCS20 polymerase chain reaction results indicate E. ruminantium is not present on islands where clinical heartwater does not occur. The occasional positive major antigenic protein-1B enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay results appear, then, to be false-positive reactions, and serology appears to be of limited use in testing for E. ruminantium in the Caribbean, as is the case in Africa.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Lorenza Beati

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Amblyomma variegatum		Puerto Rico
	Amblyomma variegatum		Dominica
	Amblyomma variegatum		Grenada
	Amblyomma variegatum		Montserrat
	Amblyomma variegatum		Saint Kitts and Nevis
	Amblyomma variegatum		Saint Lucia
	Amblyomma variegatum		United States Virgin Isl.