Can ticks transmit Bartonella?
By Linda on Aug 2, 2011 in Infections
linda’s comment: Bartonella spp. are facultative intracellular vector-borne bacteria associated with several emerging diseases in humans and animals all over the world. Lyme disease is being carried by all kinds of animals, like mosquitoes, fleas, knats, flies, etc., etc., etc.
Excerpt:
Histochemical staining
showed the presence of bacteria in salivary glands and muscle tissues of
partially engorged adult ticks, which had molted from the infected nymphs.
These results confirm the vector competence of I. ricinus for B.
birtlesii and represent the first in vivo demonstration of a Bartonella
sp. transmission by ticks. Consequently, bartonelloses should be now
included in the differential diagnosis for patients exposed to tick bites.