Abstract
BackgroundInvasive arthropod vectors and the range expansions of native vectors can lead to public and veterinary health concerns, as these vectors may introduce novel pathogens or spread endemic pathogens to new locations. Recent tick invasions and range expansion in the USA has been attributed to climate and land use change, an increase in global travel, and importations of exotic animals.MethodsA 10-year surveillance study was conducted on Block Island, Rhode Island, from 2010 to 2020 including sampling ticks from small mammal and avian hosts.ResultsWe report the discovery and establishment of the red sheep tick (Haemaphysalis punctata) for the first time in the western hemisphere and in the US. This invasive species was first collected in 2010 on Block Island, was collected continuously throughout the study, and was collected from an avian host. We document the first report of the invasive Asian longhorned tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis) in the state of Rhode Island, first observed at our sites in 2018. Finally, we present data on the range expansion and establishment of two native tick species, the lone star tick and the rabbit tick, on Block Island.ConclusionThis study emphasized the importance of long-term surveillance to detect changes in tick host communities, including invasive and expanding native vectors of potential significance to humans and wildlife.Graphical abstract
Highlights
Invasive arthropod vectors and the range expansions of native vectors can lead to public and veteri‐ nary health concerns, as these vectors may introduce novel pathogens or spread endemic pathogens to new loca‐ tions
A recent invasive species in the USA is the Asian longhorned tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis, which was first documented from New Jersey in 2017; misidentified specimens were reported from West Virginia in 2010 and it has rapidly spread across 15 states in the eastern USA [6, 7]
The red sheep tick Two adult female H. punctata were first collected from northern Block Island locations in May 2010 (Fig. 1) and this species was observed in low abundance each year until 2020 (Table 1)
Summary
Invasive arthropod vectors and the range expansions of native vectors can lead to public and veteri‐ nary health concerns, as these vectors may introduce novel pathogens or spread endemic pathogens to new loca‐ tions. Recent tick invasions and range expansion in the USA has been attributed to climate and land use change, an increase in global travel, and importations of exotic animals. The potential for invasive tick species to transmit novel or native infectious diseases remains relatively unpredictable without laboratory and field experiments. In some regions of its invasive range in the USA, H. longicornis has been found to be PCR positive for various pathogens including introduced (e.g. Theileria orientalis) and native (e.g. Borrelia burgdorferi) species [9, 10]. While humans may not be a preferred host for H. longicornis [14], the incidence of this tick species feeding on humans in the USA is increasing [15]
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