Amblyomma americanum is a vector for which pathogen among the following?

Amblyomma americanum is a vector for which pathogen among the following?

• A. Francisella tularensis
• B. Southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI)
• C. Heartland virus
• D. Borrelia burgdorferi

Answer: (C)

Amblyomma americanum, the lone star tick, is a confirmed vector of Heartland virus, a phlebovirus identified in humans and linked to infections transmitted by this tick species. This makes Heartland virus the best match among the options since it specifically corresponds to the lone star tick. The other pathogens are associated with different ticks or have no clearly established agent linked to this tick: Borrelia burgdorferi is carried by Ixodes ticks (not the lone star tick), Francisella tularensis is more commonly tied to other tick species such as Dermacentor, and Southern tick-associated rash illness is a syndrome related to lone star ticks but the exact causative pathogen isn’t definitively established.

Amblyomma americanum, the lone star tick, is a confirmed vector of Heartland virus, a phlebovirus identified in humans and linked to infections transmitted by this tick species. This makes Heartland virus the best match among the options since it specifically corresponds to the lone star tick. The other pathogens are associated with different ticks or have no clearly established agent linked to this tick: Borrelia burgdorferi is carried by Ixodes ticks (not the lone star tick), Francisella tularensis is more commonly tied to other tick species such as Dermacentor, and Southern tick-associated rash illness is a syndrome related to lone star ticks but the exact causative pathogen isn’t definitively established.