Identification of Rhipicephalus microplus genes that modulate the infection rate of the rickettsia Anaplasma marginale.

ABSTRACT: Arthropod vectors transmit a diversity of animal and human pathogens, ranging from RNA viruses to protozoal parasites. Chemotherapeutic control of pathogens has classically focused either on insecticides that kill the vector itself or antimicrobials for infected patients. The limitation of the former is that it targets both infected and uninfected vectors and selects for resistant populations while the latter requires prompt and accurate diagnosis. An alternative strategy is to target vector molecules that permit the pathogen to establish itself, replicate, and/or develop within the vector. Using the rickettsial pathogen Anaplasma marginale and its tropical tick vector, Rhipicephalus microplus, as a model, we tested whether silencing specific gene targets would affect tick infection rates

SUBMITTER: Mercado-Curiel RF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3946687 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature