Antibacterial Activity of Eggs and Egg Wax Covering of Selected Ixodid (Acari: Ixodidae) Ticks

Abstract

Abstract Antimicrobial activity of eggs and the wax covering of eggs has been observed in several tick (Acari) species, but any antimicrobial activity associated with ixodid (Acari: Ixodidae) tick eggs is unknown. The antimicrobial activity associated with eggs, wax extracts from eggs, and eggs from which wax was removed of the ixodids Haemaphysalis longicornis Neumann (parthenogenetic and bisexual populations), Haemaphysalis doenitzi Warburton et Nuttal, Dermacentor silvarum Olenev, and Hyalomma asiaticum Schulze and Schlottke was assessed using an in vitro agar diffusion assay. Eggs of D. silvarum and Hy. asiaticum placed on the agar culture inhibited the growth of gram-negative bacteria but had no activity against gram-positive bacteria. Eggs of H. longicornis (parthenogenesis and bisexual population) and H. doenitzi inhibited the growth of gram-positive bacteria, but not gram-negative bacteria. All eggs from which the wax had been extracted had no activity against either gram-positive or gram-negative...