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Texas tick carries mystery bacteria Posted 4-13-98 A new species of Rickettsia, the type of bacteria responsible for typhus and spotted fever, was found in a black-legged tick common in Eastern Texas, according to a new report. It is not known yet whether this new strain of Rickettsia bacteria will be pathogenic to humans, said Adrian Billings, lead author of the study. Nearly all ticks that carry Rickettsia carry nonpathogenic forms of the bacteria. In the rare instances when the bacteria is pathogenic, it can be deadly to humans if untreated, said Billings, a doctoral candidate in the department of pathology at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. Rocky Mountain spotted fever, for example, kills over a quarter of those stricken when untreated, he said. "It may be a long time before we know if this Rickettsia is pathogenic," Billings said. "We may have to wait for a human specimen, and even then it might be difficult to know—especially if it produces a lesser illness." The black-legged tick, Ixodes scapularis, is found all over Texas, but predominantly southeast of Dallas. It is also well-established in the Northeast and throughout the South, Billings said. Officials from the Texas Department of Health turned the tick over to researchers in a routine inspection for tickborne bacteria. Once the tick was discovered to be carrying the Rickettsia, researchers used genetic analysis to determine the pathogenicity of the bacteria. They learned then that the Rickettsia was unique. Billings said the public should take the usual precautions against ticks and should pay special attention to rashes and fever up to two weeks after possible exposure with a tick. Related Site |
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