This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Kawahara, M.
Right arrow Articles by Hirai, K.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Kawahara, M.
Right arrow Articles by Hirai, K.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, April 1999, p. 1123-1129, Vol. 37, No. 4
0095-1137/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Comparison of Ehrlichia muris Strains Isolated from Wild Mice and Ticks and Serologic Survey of Humans and Animals with E. muris as Antigen

Makoto Kawahara,1 Tadahiko Ito,2 Chiharu Suto,3 Shinichiro Shibata,1 Yasuko Rikihisa,4,* Kazuhisa Hata,5 and Katsuya Hirai6

Nagoya City Public Health Research Institute, Nagoya 467-8615,1 Tokyo Metropolitan Public Health Research Laboratory Public Health, Tokyo 169-0073,2 Department of Medical Zoology, Nagoya University School of Medicine, Nagoya 466-8550,3 Hachioji Public Health Center, Tokyo 192-0083,5 and Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture, Gifu University, Gifu 501-1193,6 Japan, and Department of Veterinary Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210-10924

Received 24 August 1998/Returned for modification 21 October 1998/Accepted 7 January 1999

In metropolitan Tokyo, the Ehrlichia muris seropositivity rate of 24 wild mice was 63% in Hinohara Village, but in the surrounding areas, it was 0 to 5%. This finding suggests that the reservoir of E. muris is focal. Among the 15 seropositive mice, ehrlichiae were isolated from 9 Apodemus speciosus mice and 1 A. argenteus mouse, respectively. Five ehrlichial isolates were obtained from 10 ticks (Haemaphysalis flava) collected in Asuke Town, Aichi Prefecture, where the E. muris type strain had been isolated. These new isolates were compared with the E. muris type strain. The mouse virulence and ultrastructure of the new isolates were similar to those of the type strain, and all of them were cross-reactive with each other, as well as with the type strain, by indirect immunofluorescent-antibody test. The levels of similarity of the base sequences of the 16S rRNA gene of one of the A. speciosus isolates and one of the tick isolates to that of the E. muris type strain were 99.79 and 99.93%, respectively. We suggest that all of these isolates are E. muris; that E. muris is not limited to Eothenomys kageus but infects other species of mice; and that E. muris is present at locations other than Aichi Prefecture. It appears that H. flava is a potential vector of E. muris. Twenty (1%) of 1803 humans from metropolitan Tokyo were found to be seropositive for E. muris antibodies. A serological survey revealed that exposure to E. muris or organisms antigenically cross-reactive to E. muris occurred among dogs, wild mice, monkeys, bears, deer, and wild boars in Gifu Prefecture, nearby prefectures, and Nagoya City, central Japan. However, human beings and Rattus norvegicus rats in this area were seronegative. These results indicate broader geographic distribution of and human and animal species exposure to E. muris or related Ehrlichia spp. in Japan.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Veterinary Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, 1925 Coffey Rd., Columbus, OH 43210-1092. Phone: (614) 292-9677. Fax: (614) 292-6473. E-mail: rikihisa.1{at}osu.edu.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, April 1999, p. 1123-1129, Vol. 37, No. 4
0095-1137/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Kim, C.-M., Yi, Y.-H., Yu, D.-H., Lee, M.-J., Cho, M.-R., Desai, A. R., Shringi, S., Klein, T. A., Kim, H.-C., Song, J.-W., Baek, L.-J., Chong, S.-T., O'Guinn, M. L., Lee, J. S., Lee, I.-Y., Park, J.-H., Foley, J., Chae, J.-S. (2006). Tick-Borne Rickettsial Pathogens in Ticks and Small Mammals in Korea. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 72: 5766-5776 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Kawahara, M., Rikihisa, Y., Lin, Q., Isogai, E., Tahara, K., Itagaki, A., Hiramitsu, Y., Tajima, T. (2006). Novel Genetic Variants of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Anaplasma bovis, Anaplasma centrale, and a Novel Ehrlichia sp. in Wild Deer and Ticks on Two Major Islands in Japan. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 72: 1102-1109 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Kawahara, M., Rikihisa, Y., Isogai, E., Takahashi, M., Misumi, H., Suto, C., Shibata, S., Zhang, C., Tsuji, M. (2004). Ultrastructure and phylogenetic analysis of 'Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis' in the family Anaplasmataceae, isolated from wild rats and found in Ixodes ovatus ticks. Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 54: 1837-1843 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Olano, J. P., Wen, G., Feng, H.-M., McBride, J. W., Walker, D. H. (2004). Histologic, Serologic, and Molecular Analysis of Persistent Ehrlichiosis in a Murine Model. Am. J. Pathol. 165: 997-1006 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Inokuma, H., Beppu, T., Okuda, M., Shimada, Y., Sakata, Y. (2004). Detection of Ehrlichial DNA in Haemaphysalis Ticks Recovered from Dogs in Japan That Is Closely Related to a Novel Ehrlichia sp. Found in Cattle Ticks from Tibet, Thailand, and Africa. J. Clin. Microbiol. 42: 1353-1355 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Feng, H.-M., Walker, D. H. (2004). Mechanisms of Immunity to Ehrlichia muris: a Model of Monocytotropic Ehrlichiosis. Infect. Immun. 72: 966-971 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Ismail, N., Soong, L., McBride, J. W., Valbuena, G., Olano, J. P., Feng, H.-M., Walker, D. H. (2004). Overproduction of TNF-{alpha} by CD8+ Type 1 Cells and Down-Regulation of IFN-{gamma} Production by CD4+ Th1 Cells Contribute to Toxic Shock-Like Syndrome in an Animal Model of Fatal Monocytotropic Ehrlichiosis. J. Immunol. 172: 1786-1800 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • RICHARDS, A. L., RATIWAYANTO, S., RAHARDJO, E., KELLY, D. J., DASCH, G. A., FRYAUFF, D. J., BANGS, M. J. (2003). SEROLOGIC EVIDENCE OF INFECTION WITH EHRLICHIAE AND SPOTTED FEVER GROUP RICKETTSIAE AMONG RESIDENTS OF GAG ISLAND, INDONESIA. Am J Trop Med Hyg 68: 480-484 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Wen, B., Jian, R., Zhang, Y., Chen, R. (2002). Simultaneous Detection of Anaplasma marginale and a New Ehrlichia Species Closely Related to Ehrlichia chaffeensis by Sequence Analyses of 16S Ribosomal DNA in Boophilus microplus Ticks from Tibet. J. Clin. Microbiol. 40: 3286-3290 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Tsuji, M., Wei, Q., Zamoto, A., Morita, C., Arai, S., Shiota, T., Fujimagari, M., Itagaki, A., Fujita, H., Ishihara, C. (2001). Human Babesiosis in Japan: Epizootiologic Survey of Rodent Reservoir and Isolation of New Type of Babesia microti-Like Parasite. J. Clin. Microbiol. 39: 4316-4322 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Inokuma, H., Raoult, D., Brouqui, P. (2000). Detection of Ehrlichia platys DNA in Brown Dog Ticks (Rhipicephalus sanguineus) in Okinawa Island, Japan. J. Clin. Microbiol. 38: 4219-4221 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Sumner, J. W., Storch, G. A., Buller, R. S., Liddell, A. M., Stockham, S. L., Rikihisa, Y., Messenger, S., Paddock, C. D. (2000). PCR Amplification and Phylogenetic Analysis of groESL Operon Sequences from Ehrlichia ewingii and Ehrlichia muris. J. Clin. Microbiol. 38: 2746-2749 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Shibata, S.-i., Kawahara, M., Rikihisa, Y., Fujita, H., Watanabe, Y., Suto, C., Ito, T. (2000). New Ehrlichia Species Closely Related to Ehrlichia chaffeensis Isolated from Ixodes ovatus Ticks in Japan. J. Clin. Microbiol. 38: 1331-1338 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»