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H Hoogstraal

Publications and source records attributed to H Hoogstraal.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Influence of feeding and starvation on the persistence and transmission of Quaranfil virus by Argas (Persicargas) arboreus (Acari: Argasidae).

Viral antigen was detected in the cytoplasm and in associated membranes of salivary gland acinus cells by indirect immunofluorescence and immunoperoxidase staining. Viral ribonucleoproteins (indicated histochemically by presence of pyroninophilic granules) which had accumulated in the cytoplasm of salivary gland type B (granular) acini of unfed Argas (Persicargas) arboreus Kaiser, Hoogstraal & Kohls were no longer visible 24 h after feeding. Virus in tick salivary glands increased from 300 to 500 plaque-forming units during the brief feeding interval (approximately 1 h), but virus was not detectable by 72 h. Overall salivary gland, ovarian, and synganglion tissue levels of Quaranfil virus decreased in the 96 h after feeding, except for synganglion samples in which virus titers increased during 24 h after feeding. Starvation for 105 d resulted in a sevenfold increase in salivary gland viral content compared with those starved 45 d, whereas synganglion tissue titers for Quaranfil virus became undetectable, and ovarian tissue values were similar to those starved for 45 d. Feeding had a greater effect on viral persistence in tissues for ticks starved 60 additional d (comparing 45 with 105 d) in that no Quaranfil virus was detected in any tissue after 48 h (compared with 72 h). Feeding infected ticks (with short extrinsic incubation) on chicks resulted in a peak of host mortality on days 7 and 8, whereas long extrinsic incubation resulted in sporadic mortality over 20 d of monitoring.

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Seroprevalence of Rickettsia typhi and Rickettsia conorii infection among rodents and dogs in Egypt.

A serological survey of 1813 rodent and 549 dog sera, collected from 1979 to 1986 from animals in 16 Egyptian Governorates were tested for antibody to Rickettsia typhi and Rickettsia conorii by the indirect fluorescent antibody test. Only three of 82 (4%) sera from Rattus rattus collected near Aswan had antibody to R. conorii. The prevalence of R. typhi antibody in dog sera was only 0.4% (n = 549) while 25% (n = 547) of Rattus norvegicus and 11% (n = 1138) of R. rattus had measurable antibodies. Among the other rodents, antibody was demonstrated in only 2% (n = 45) of Arvicanthis spp., and 1% (n = 83) of Acomys spp. Collectively, rodents captured in the Nile Delta had a higher prevalence (mean 24% (n = 787] than those captured in the Nile Valley (mean 4% (n = 650]. Antibody to R. typhi was detected in rodents collected in all port cities: ismailiya, 13%; Port Said, 9%; Suez, 9%; Safaga, 16%; Quseir, 32% and Alexandria, 34%. These data showed evidence of R. typhi infection among rodents in widespread geographic localities of Egypt and suggested that infected rodents may be a source of human infections.

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Experimental studies on the replication and dissemination of Qalyub virus (Bunyaviridae: Nairovirus) in the putative tick vector, Ornithodoros (Pavlovskyella) erraticus.

A study was undertaken to determine if the argasid tick, Ornithodoros (Pavlovskyella) erraticus, can serve as a biological vector of Qalyub (QYB) virus. The suckling mice used as viremic vertebrate hosts were acceptable hosts for all feeding stages of this tick and developed relatively high titered viremias (4.4-6.5 log10PFU/ml) 24-120 hr post intracerebral inoculation. Larval, nymphal, and adult ticks became orally infected with QYB virus after ingesting 4.4-6.4 log10PFU/ml. The overall infection rate for all experiments was 67/205 and virus was recovered up to day 179 postfeeding. Incubation of known quantities of QYB virus with uninfected triturated tick tissues did not result in any appreciable virus inactivation. QYB viral antigen was detected by immunofluorescence primarily in the tick midgut posterior diverticula cells. First and second instar nymphs orally infected as larvae did not individually transmit QYB virus to suckling mice; however they successfully transmitted the virus when feeding in groups of 11-20 per mouse. Three out of fourteen of the orally-infected male and female ticks individually transmitted QYB virus orally to suckling mice. Organ titrations of ticks orally exposed to QYB virus demonstrated virus primarily in midgut tissues; dissemination to other organ systems was discovered in only 1 tick after 142 days extrinsic incubation. Vertical transmission of virus from infected female ticks to progeny was not demonstrated. Four of the 39 ticks in our colony were infected with a spirochete; presumably, Borrelia crocidurae. O. (P.) erraticus apparently satisfies the conditions that would implicate this species as a biological vector of QYB virus and is the only known arthropod from which this virus has been isolated in nature.

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Hyalomma (Hyalommina) arabica: nymphal and larval identity and spiny mouse hosts in Saudi Arabia (Acarina: Ixodoidea: Ixodidae).

Nymphal and larval Hyalomma (Hyalommina) arabica Pegram, Hoogstraal, and Wassef, 1982, described herein, closely resemble those of Hyalomma (Hyalommina) rhipicephaloides Neumann, differing chiefly in body size (both stages), nymphal basis capituli and scutal proportional dimensions, and distinctness of larval coxal spurs. Females of these species are also structurally similar but males differ in major critical characters. Nymphs and larvae of both species parasitize the spiny mouse (Acomys spp.), but immatures of the third African- Arabian species of this subgenus, Hyalomma (Hyalommina) punt Hoogstraal, Kaiser, and Pedersen, are unknown. Hyalomma (Hyalommina) arabica occurs in valleys and hills of western Saudi Arabia and western Yemen; H. (H.) rhipicephaloides in the Red Sea and Dead Sea areas; and H. (H.) punt in northeastern Somalia and eastern Ethiopia. The ibex (Capra ibex nubiana Cuvier) is probably the original host of adult H. (H.) arabica and H. (H.) rhipicephaloides; the related domestic goat is an important host of adults of the 3 species, which also parasitize domestic sheep. Gazelles are recorded hosts of adults of H. (H.) rhipicephaloides and H. (H.) punt and the latter is also recorded from goats, sheep, camels and cattle.

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Ornithodoros (Alectorobius) spheniscus n. sp. [Acarina: Ixodoidea: Argasidae: Ornithodoros (Alectorobius) capensis group], a tick parasite of the Humboldt penguin in Peru.

Ornithodoros (Alectorobius) spheniscus n. sp., described from wild-caught and laboratory-reared females, males, nymphs, and larvae parasitizing the Humboldt Penguin, Spheniscus humboldti Meyen, is the fifth species of the Ornithodoros (Alectorobius) capensis group to be recognized in the Neotropical Region. A related Peruvian species, Ornithodoros (Alectorobius) amblus Chamberlin, also parasitizes S. humboldti but is recorded from a wider range of marine birds breeding on the Pacific coast and offshore islands, where the birds congregate to feed on the rich fish fauna usually produced by the Humboldt current. Differential criteria are provided for the new species, O. (A.) amblus, and Ornithodoros (Alectorobius) yunkeri Keirans, Clifford, and Hoogstraal of the Galapagos. These 3 members of the O. (A.) capensis group parasitize marine birds associated with the Humboldt current in western South America and the Galapagos. Persons visiting Humboldt Penguin breeding sites in caves and on barren coastal ledges are eagerly attacked by nymphal and adult O. (A.) spheniscus and suffer afterward from pruritus and slowly-healing blisters. The O. (A.) spheniscus life cycle required 128 to 193 days in the laboratory and, as typical of bird-parasitizing members of the subgenus Alectorobius, the first nymphal instar did not feed.

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