Filarial Nematode Infection in Ixodes scapularis Ticks Collected from Southern Connecticut
Pabbati Namrata, Jamie M. Miller, Madari Shilpa, Patlolla Raghavender Reddy, Cheryl Bandoski, Michael J. Rossi and Eva Sapi
Veterinary Sciences, 2014, 1(1), 5-15.
Abstract
It was recently demonstrated that the lone star tick Amblyomma americanum could harbor filarial nematodes within the genus Acanthocheilonema. In this study, Ixodes scapularis (deer) ticks collected from Southern Connecticut were evaluated for their potential to harbor filarial nematodes.
Non-engorged nymphal and adult stage Ixodes scapularis ticks were collected in Southern Connecticut using the standard drag method. In situ hybridization with filarial nematode specific
sequences demonstrated the presence of filarial nematodes in Ixodes ticks.
Filarial nematode specific DNA sequences were amplified and confirmed by direct sequencing in Ixodes nymphal and adult ticks using either general filarial nematode or Onchocercidae family specific PCR primers. Phylogenetic analysis of the 12S rDNA gene sequence indicated that the filarial nematode infecting Ixodes scapularis ticks is most closely related to the species found in Amblyoma americanum ticks and belongs to the genus of Acanthocheilonema.
Our data also demonstrated that infection rate of these filarial nematode in Ixodes ticks is relatively high (about 22% and 30% in nymphal and adult Ixodes ticks, respectively). In summary, the results from our studies demonstrated that filarial nematode infection was found in Ixodes ticks similar to what has been found in Amblyomma americanum ticks.
Hello. I am so glad to find your article on Filarial Nematode Infection. I believe I have this, from a tick bite 7 years ago. I did get Bells Palsy as well. When I am in a hot steam sauna (115 degrees fahrenheit for 15 minutes, I come out and sit for a bit by the pool and these things that look just like a human hair come out, a few here and there. Some are straight and some are in a semi-circle. They are light color mostly almost trasparent and occasionally black. I am a woman I have no hair at all on my arms or legs, yet I see them on my legs as well. Usually I may get 5 or 6 at a time come out after being in the hot sauna. It also makes my hair stick out (on my head) I have normally straight short hair. There are a lot of men with short short hair cuts, and kids with a lot of “cowlicks” sticking out these days, as well the women seem to be bleaching their hair. I also at times find one on my I pad that was clean to begin with, it seems they come out of my fingers on occasion, these are usually semi circle. They don’t move unless you slide your finger on across them lightly as if to stretch them out and then they move side to side. I am not crazy! I can take a video tape of their movement if you like. Also a few months ago I woke up and there was one about 12 inches long on my chest it was darker color ( i have no hair there), so I put it in a plastic supplement bottle sealed and left it. Well I still have it and I got brave enough to look in there the other day, it is still there, but it also seemed to have a little tiny bug in there with it that was dead. It was not there initially. I believe we have a serious contagious epidemic happening. Kids are having dental problems, need glasses, having coughing spells and breathing troubles and huge growth spurts and premature development from my observations. Also if you plaster vaseline on an itchy area for example, and or maybe just on your hands massage it in and leave it on for about a half hour, then examine the area with a magnifying glass and I be you will see one of these “hair things”. But for sure the steam room at 115 degrees for 15 minutes brings something out. Keep in mind this only shows on someone with no hair on their arms or legs otherwise they just blend in. I have been researching this for 7 years and only the other day happened to stumble on an article by a pathologist stating that filarial worms love hair follicles or skin follicles their favorite place to be. I always knew it was some type of a worm, but it took me a long time to figure out what it was. I may not be a scientist but I know what I see. Let me know if you have any questions, I could try to send you a video of these things moving but its hard to do I tried today. I put them in a white sink and then I can make them move but they are hard to see on the video. I will try to get a better one. They seem to fall on the floor from my hair, when I brush it or blow dry my hair. I was thinking maybe it’s the larvae in your hair from them that people are inhaling in the air or something as to why its spreading around. Some may be my actual hair but others are not, especially the semicircle things, but also sometimes they are longer and straight. So I do my test on them to see if they move. They seem to like to curl in a circle if they are shorter especially. I hope you listen to what I am saying because I am telling you the absolute truth and we need help desperately. I think the only thing that can remedy this contagious plague is a vaccine. I have been fighting it as best I can with various herbals, wormwood, salt etc. and keeping it at bay but I think its winning the battle.