Rickettsia parkeri Rickettsiosis, Arizona, USA

• Published in: Emerging infectious diseases Vol. 22; no. 5; pp. 780 - 785
• Main Authors: Herrick, Kristen L, Pena, Sandra A, Yaglom, Hayley D, Layton, Brent J, Moors, Amanda, Loftis, Amanda D, Condit, Marah E, Singleton, Joseph, Kato, Cecilia Y, Denison, Amy M, Ng, Dianna, Mertins, James W, Paddock, Christopher D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States U.S. National Center for Infectious Diseases 01.05.2016; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Subjects: Adult; Amblyomma maculatum; Amblyomma triste; Animals; Arizona - epidemiology; Distribution; eschar; Female; Genes, Bacterial; Humans; Infection control; Male; Middle Aged; Rickettsia - classification; Rickettsia - genetics; Rickettsia Infections - diagnosis; Rickettsia Infections - epidemiology; Rickettsia Infections - microbiology; Rickettsia Infections - transmission; Rickettsia parkeri; rickettsial; Rickettsial diseases; rickettsiosis; Rickettsiosis, Arizona, USA; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Tick Bites; Tick-Borne Diseases - diagnosis; Tick-Borne Diseases - microbiology; Tick-Borne Diseases - transmission; Ticks - microbiology; United States; vector-borne infections; Amblyomma triste; bacteria; ticks; rickettsiosis; eschar; Rickettsia parkeri; bacterial infection; rickettsial; Amblyomma maculatum; Arizona
• ISSN: 1080-6040; 1080-6059
• DOI: 10.3201/eid2205.151824

In the United States, all previously reported cases of Rickettsia parkeri rickettsiosis have been linked to transmission by the Gulf Coast tick (Amblyomma maculatum). Here we describe 1 confirmed and 1 probable case of R. parkeri rickettsiosis acquired in a mountainous region of southern Arizona, well beyond the recognized geographic range of A. maculatum ticks. The likely vector for these 2 infections was identified as the Amblyomma triste tick, a Neotropical species only recently recognized in the United States. Identification of R. parkeri rickettsiosis in southern Arizona demonstrates a need for local ecologic and epidemiologic assessments to better understand geographic distribution and define public health risk. Education and outreach aimed at persons recreating or working in this region of southern Arizona would improve awareness and promote prevention of tickborne rickettsioses.