@article {785,
	title = {Lone star tick-infecting borreliae are most closely related to the agent of bovine borreliosis.},
	journal = {J Clin Microbiol},
	volume = {39},
	year = {2001},
	month = {2001 Feb},
	pages = {494-7},
	abstract = {Although Borrelia theileri, the agent of bovine borreliosis, was described at the turn of the century (in 1903), its relationship with borreliae causing Lyme disease or relapsing fever remains undescribed. We tested the previously published hypothesis that spirochetes infecting Lone Star ticks (Amblyomma americanum) may comprise B. theileri by analyzing the 16S ribosomal DNAs (rDNAs) and flagellin genes of these spirochetes. B. theileri, the Amblyomma agent, and B. miyamotoi formed a natural group or clade distinct from but most closely related to that of the relapsing fever spirochetes. B. theileri and the Amblyomma agent were 97 and 98\% similar at the nucleotide level within the analyzed portions of the 16S rDNA and the flagellin gene respectively, suggesting a recent divergence. The agent of bovine borreliosis might be explored as a surrogate antigen for the as-yet-uncultivatable Amblyomma agent in studies designed to explore the etiology of a Lyme disease-like infection associated with Lone Star ticks.},
	keywords = {Animals, Borrelia, Borrelia Infections, Cattle, Cattle Diseases, Flagellin, Humans, Lyme Disease, Phylogeny, Relapsing Fever, RNA, Bacterial, RNA, Ribosomal, 16S, Species Specificity, Tick-Borne Diseases, Ticks},
	issn = {0095-1137},
	doi = {10.1128/JCM.39.2.494-497.2001},
	author = {Rich, S M and Armstrong, P M and Smith, R D and Telford, S R}
}
@article {795,
	title = {Heterogeneity of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS-2) region within individual deer ticks.},
	journal = {Insect Mol Biol},
	volume = {6},
	year = {1997},
	month = {1997 May},
	pages = {123-9},
	abstract = {To determine whether nuclear rDNA sequences provide a useful means for assessing the structure of populations of Ixodes ticks, we compared variability among copies of an internal transcribed spacer (ITS-2) sequence within individual ticks to the variability between ticks. At least 4\% of the nucleotides comprising this sequence vary among the copies present within individual ticks. ITS-2 diversity in each of two ticks is nearly half as great as that reported between ticks from geographically disparate populations. Because individual ticks retain ancestral polymorphism, ITS-2 variation does not accurately reflect descent relationships among these ticks. Sequencing single copies of PCR-amplified ITS-2 therefore does not permit assessment of the phylogenetic relationships among the I. ricinus-like ticks in eastern North America. We recommend caution in future analyses, and emphasize the importance of procedures designed to ensure that the many paralogous copies of the rDNA cistron have been sufficiently homogenized by concerted evolutionary processes. Such precautionary measures will make certain that phylogenetic trees based on these gene sequences reflect the phyletic relatedness of the biological species.},
	keywords = {Animals, Base Sequence, Deer, DNA, DNA, Ribosomal, Genetic Heterogeneity, Ixodes, Molecular Sequence Data},
	issn = {0962-1075},
	author = {Rich, S M and Rosenthal, B M and Telford, S R and Spielman, A and Hartl, D L and Ayala, F J}
}
@article {797,
	title = {A new Borrelia infecting Lone Star ticks.},
	journal = {Lancet},
	volume = {347},
	year = {1996},
	month = {1996 Jan 6},
	pages = {67-8},
	keywords = {Animals, Base Sequence, Borrelia, Borrelia Infections, Deer, Disease Vectors, DNA Primers, Maryland, Molecular Sequence Data, Ticks},
	issn = {0140-6736},
	author = {Armstrong, P M and Rich, S M and Smith, R D and Hartl, D L and Spielman, A and Telford, S R}
}
@article {798,
	title = {Discriminating between Ixodes ticks by means of mitochondrial DNA sequences.},
	journal = {Mol Phylogenet Evol},
	volume = {4},
	year = {1995},
	month = {1995 Dec},
	pages = {361-5},
	abstract = {Ticks of the genus Ixodes have recently assumed prominence because they frequently serve as vectors of important zoonoses, including Lyme disease and babesiosis. The morphological characteristics that have been used in their identification often are ambiguous and are useful solely at a particular stage of development. Here we report the DNA sequence of the mitochondrially encoded 16S rRNA gene of nine different Ixodes ticks and an outgroup from another genus, Dermacentor. The sequences readily discriminate between these ticks. Samples of I. dammini from the northeastern and upper midwestern United States differ from southeastern I. scapularis at about 2\% of the nucleotides. This difference is about half that separating other members of the I. ricinus group of species, but exceeds typical levels of intraspecific variation. Two major clades exist within the I. ricinus complex. One includes I. cookei, I. hexagonus, and I. angustus. The other includes I. persulcatus, I. pacificus, I. muris, I. ricinus, I. scapularis, and I. dammini. We conclude that mtDNA sequences are useful for unravelling the systematics of these important vectors of human disease.},
	keywords = {Animals, Arachnid Vectors, Base Sequence, Dermacentor, DNA Primers, DNA, Mitochondrial, Genes, Humans, Ixodes, Molecular Sequence Data, Phylogeny, Polymerase Chain Reaction, RNA, Ribosomal, 16S, Species Specificity},
	issn = {1055-7903},
	doi = {10.1006/mpev.1995.1033},
	author = {Caporale, D A and Rich, S M and Spielman, A and Telford, S R and Kocher, T D}
}
@article {799,
	title = {Distribution of the Ixodes ricinus-like ticks of eastern North America.},
	journal = {Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A},
	volume = {92},
	year = {1995},
	month = {1995 Jul 3},
	pages = {6284-8},
	abstract = {We analyzed the geographic distribution of the Ixodes ricinus-like ticks in eastern North America by comparing the mitochondrial 16S rDNA sequences of specimens sampled directly from the field during the 1990s. Two distinct lineages are evident. The southern clade includes ticks from the southeastern and middle-eastern regions of the United States. The range of the northern clade, which appears to have been restricted to the northeastern region until the mid-1900s, now extends throughout the northeastern and middle-eastern regions. These phyletic units correspond to northern and southern taxa that have previously been assigned specific status as Ixodes dammini and Ixodes scapularis, respectively. The expanding range of I. dammini appears to drive the present outbreaks of zoonotic disease in eastern North America that include Lyme disease and human babesiosis.},
	keywords = {Animals, Base Sequence, Demography, DNA Primers, DNA, Mitochondrial, DNA, Ribosomal, Geography, Mitochondria, Molecular Sequence Data, Phylogeny, Polymerase Chain Reaction, Population, RNA, Ribosomal, 16S, Ticks, United States},
	issn = {0027-8424},
	author = {Rich, S M and Caporale, D A and Telford, S R and Kocher, T D and Hartl, D L and Spielman, A}
}
@article {800,
	title = {Norway rats as reservoir hosts for Lyme disease spirochetes on Monhegan Island, Maine.},
	journal = {J Infect Dis},
	volume = {168},
	year = {1993},
	month = {1993 Sep},
	pages = {687-91},
	abstract = {To determine whether the agent of Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi, may be maintained in the absence of its usual white-footed mouse reservoir host, Ixodes dammini ticks from an island where mice are absent were examined. Prevalence of spirochetal infection was described for ticks removed from mammals, birds, and vegetation on Monhegan Island, Maine. Forty percent of adult I. dammini removed from vegetation were infected. Norway rats were heavily infested with ticks, and > 60\% of such ticks contained spirochetes. Other hosts were less frequently infested by ticks, and few such ticks were infected by spirochetes. The prevalence of antibody to B. burgdorferi was 23\% in dogs and cats; 4\% of island residents had Lyme disease. Thus, rats maintain Lyme disease spirochetes on Monhegan Island, and there may be transmission of this agent by I. dammini to island residents and their pets.},
	keywords = {Animals, Animals, Domestic, Antibodies, Bacterial, Borrelia burgdorferi Group, Cats, Disease Reservoirs, Disease Vectors, Dogs, Geography, Humans, Incidence, Lyme Disease, Maine, Rats, Ticks},
	issn = {0022-1899},
	author = {Smith, R P and Rand, P W and Lacombe, E H and Telford, S R and Rich, S M and Piesman, J and Spielman, A}
}
