Rango de distribución geográfica de garrapatas duras (Acari: Ixodidae) nativas que parasitan a los bovinos en áreas con ganadería extensiva de la provincia de Santa Fe, Argentina

BackgroundThe variation of tick abundance on ruminants had received little attention in West Africa before Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus started to invade this region in the early 2000s. Ten years later, R. microplus was suspected to have replaced the native ticks. In addition to testing this hypothesis, this study investigated the interactions between native and invasive ticks and the relative role of climatic and geographical variables in the variations of tick community composition (beta diversity) on cattle herds.MethodsA one-year-long survey was performed in Benin and Burkina Faso during which adult ticks were collected from 144 steers from 12 localities in four different areas once a month. Morphological features were used to assign the collected ticks to different species (A. variegatum, R. annulatus, R. decoloratus, R. microplus and R. geigyi). Beta diversity analyses and generalized linear models allowed characterizing the geographical variations in species assemblage and the effect of co-infestation patterns on the seasonal variations in the abundance and incidence rates of each taxon.ResultsAbout 68 % (22,491/32,148) of all the adult ticks collected in one year were R. microplus. The most heterogeneously distributed taxa were Hyalomma spp and R. microplus and the lowest specific diversity was found in Central Burkina Faso. Although climatic variables did not provide any additional information on the variation in species assemblages compared with the sampling geography, adult tick abundance tended to peak during the late (Boophilus subgenus) or early (other taxa) rainy season. In most taxon-per-locality analyses, the abundance and incidence rate of a given tick taxon significantly increased when the host was co-infested by other taxa. The comparison with previous estimates (when possible) did not support the hypothesis that R. microplus invasion led to a decrease in native tick species abundance.ConclusionsThe co-infestation patterns among native and invasive tick species are key factors for the determination of the community structure and the infestation dynamics of each tick taxon in West African cattle.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13071-016-1305-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

BackgroundThe tick population of Africa includes several important genera belonging to the family Ixodidae. Many of these ticks are vectors of protozoan and rickettsial pathogens including Theileria parva that causes East Coast fever, a debilitating cattle disease endemic to eastern, central and southern Africa. Effective surveillance of tick-borne pathogens depends on accurate identification and mapping of their tick vectors. A simple and reproducible technique for rapid and reliable differentiation of large numbers of closely related field-collected ticks, which are often difficult and tedious to discriminate purely by morphology, will be an essential component of this strategy. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) is increasingly becoming a useful tool in arthropod identification and has the potential to overcome the limitations of classical morphology-based species identification. In this study, we applied MALDI-TOF MS to a collection of laboratory and field ticks found in Eastern Africa. The objective was to determine the utility of this proteomic tool for reliable species identification of closely related afrotropical ticks.MethodsA total of 398 ixodid ticks from laboratory maintained colonies, extracted from the hides of animals or systematically collected from vegetation in Kenya, Sudan and Zimbabwe were analyzed in the present investigation. The cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) genes from 33 specimens were sequenced to confirm the tentatively assigned specimen taxa identity on the basis of morphological analyses. Subsequently, the legs of ticks were homogenized and analyzed by MALDI-TOF MS. A collection of reference mass spectra, based on the mass profiles of four individual ticks per species, was developed and deposited in the spectral database SARAMIS™. The ability of these superspectra (SSp.) to identify and reliably validate a set of ticks was demonstrated using the remaining individual 333 ticks.ResultsUltimately, ten different tick species within the genera Amblyomma, Hyalomma, Rhipicephalus and Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) based on molecular COI typing and morphology were included into the study analysis. The robustness of the 12 distinct SSp. developed here proved to be very high, with 319 out of 333 ticks used for validation identified correctly at species level. Moreover, these novel SSp. allowed for diagnostic specificity of 99.7 %. The failure of species identification for 14 ticks was directly linked to low quality mass spectra, most likely due to poor specimen quality that was received in the laboratory before sample preparation.ConclusionsOur results are consistent with earlier studies demonstrating the potential of MALDI-TOF MS as a reliable tool for differentiating ticks originating from the field, especially females that are difficult to identify after blood feeding. This work provides further evidence of the utility of MALDI-TOF MS to identify morphologically and genetically highly similar tick species and indicates the potential of this tool for large-scale monitoring of tick populations, species distributions and host preferences.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13071-016-1424-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Emerging tick-borne diseases of humans and animals have occurred frequently during the past 30 years. These disease outbreaks appear to result from changes in the distribution of tick and vertebrate hosts, and the introduction of humans and domestic animals into tick–pathogen–wildlife cycles. Use of molecular technologies now available for identification of pathogens in ticks can provide valuable information that allows for risk analysis of emerging tick-borne diseases. In this study, the prevalence of selected pathogens in ticks collected in six locations in central Spain from the major wild ungulate species, European wild boar (Sus scrofa) and Iberian red deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus), was determined by PCR. Tick species collected included Ixodes ricinus, Dermacentor marginatus, Rhipicephalus bursa and Hyalomma m. marginatum. Pathogens identified in ticks included piroplasmids, Anaplasma spp., Ehrlichia spp. and Rickettsia spp. Piroplasmids were identified in all tick species except I. ricinus. Ehrlichia spp. were detected in all tick species and collection locations, while Rickettsia spp., which proved to be R. slovaca and a recently identified Rickettsia sp. DnS28, were identified only in D. marginatus. A. marginale and A. phagocytophilum were detected in D. marginatus, R. bursa and Hy. m. marginatum. Concurrent infections of these pathogens were frequently observed in ticks. Notably, A. phagocytophilum, which is infective for a broad host range that includes humans and domestic and wild animals, was identified in ticks from all collection locations. The variety of ticks and tick-borne pathogens demonstrated in this study suggests a risk in central Spain for the emergence of tick-borne diseases in humans and domestic animals.

Integumentary structures of the larvae of Amblyomma longirostre (Koch, 1844), A. parvum Aragão, 1908, A. rotundatum Koch, 1844 and from three populations of A. cajennense (Fabricius, 1787) were studied using light microscopy. A new nomenclature for the localisation of the integumentary structures is proposed. Three types of integumentary structures were identified in the larval idiosoma of the four Amblyomma species: lyrifissures, small glands and large wax glands. These structures were observed isolated or associated over the entire idiosoma, except in the scutum, which lacked lyrifisures and large wax glands. Large wax glands were the most stable within and between the tick species, followed by lyrifissures and small glands. Small glands, although relatively stable, showed the highest number of numerical variations within and between the tick species. Even though there were intra-population variations in the topographical and numerical pattern of some integumentary structures of A. cajennense larvae, there was a definitive pattern for most of the specimens, as showed by the similar modal and mean numbers of integumentary structures per tick side. The patterns of lyrifissures, small glands and large wax glands showed little differences when compared between the four Amblyomma species; however, a few differences were well evident. These differences were sufficient to differentiate larvae of the four species. Thus, we expect that the study of integumentary structures on the larvae of other Amblyomma species will be useful in future taxonomic keys for the identification of Amblyomma larvae from the Neotropical region.

Increased occurrence of tick-borne diseases requires the surveillance of tick species associated with humans and the animals they contact. Tick species were collected from canines and deer throughout Arkansas by veterinarians during December 2006 to October 2007, while personnel with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission collected ticks from hunter-killed deer throughout the 2007 hunting season (Oct-Dec). Five tick species were collected: Ixodes scapularis Say (51%), Amblyomma americanum (L.) (22%), Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille) (12%), A. maculatum (Koch) (7%), Dermacentor variabilis (Say) (6%), and unidentified Amblyomma species (2%). Tick collections from canines were A. americanum (45%), whereas 89% of ticks collected from deer were I. scapularis. These 2 tick species also were found simultaneously infesting the same canine and deer hosts. Our data identify 5 tick species and update the current distribution of each species that may be involved in the Arkansas tick-borne disease cycle.

The importance of ticks as vectors of animal diseases of great economic significance has long been acknowledged. The role of ticks in veterinary medicine and the use of DDT in their control is discussed fully in Chapter VIII (Knipling). More recently, the role that ticks play in the transmission of human disease has been increasingly recognized. Among the diseases vectored by these arthropods are Rocky Mountain spotted fever and related rickettsioses, ‘Q’ fever, Bullis fever, tick-borne relapsing fever, Colorado tick fever, Russian spring-summer encephalitis, louping ill, tularemia, and perhaps, on infrequent occasions, western equine encephalomyelitis and plague (Craig and Faust [119]). A list of the species of ticks which have been found naturally infected with the agents of these diseases is formidable. The virus of Rocky Mountain spotted fever is vectored by 5 species of Dermacentor ticks, 4 species of Amblyomma, 2 species of Haemaphysalis, and 1 species each of Rhipicephalus, Ixodes, and Hyalomma. About a dozen species of Ornithodoros have been found responsible for the transmission of tick-borne relapsing fever. ‘Q’ fever can result from the bite of species of Dermacentor, Amblyomma, Ornithodoros, Rhipicephalus, Ixodes, Haemaphysalis, Hyalomma, and Otobius ticks. Dermacentor andersoni and perhaps D. variabilis harbor the agents of Colorado tick fever and, along with certain other Dermacentor species, those of tularemia. The lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum, transmits Bullis fever.

The long-distance, seasonal migrations of birds make them an effective ecological bridge for the movement of ticks. The introduction of exotic tick species to new geographical regions can lead to the emergence of novel tick-borne pathogens or the re-emergence of previously eradicated ones. This study assessed the prevalence of exotic tick species parasitizing resident, short-distance, and long-distance songbirds during spring and autumn at stopover sites in the northern Gulf of Mexico using the mitochondrial 12S rDNA gene. Birds were captured for tick collection from six different sites from late August to early November in both 2018 and 2019. The highest number of ticks were collected in the 2019 season. Most ticks were collected off the Yellow-breasted Chat (Icteria virens) and Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas), and 54% of the total ticks collected were from Grand Chenier, LA. A high throughput 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing approach was followed to characterize the microbial communities and identify pathogenic microbes in all tick samples. Tick microbial communities, diversity, and community structure were determined using quantitative insight into microbial ecology (QIIME). The sparse correlations for compositional data (SparCC) approach was then used to construct microbial network maps and infer microbial correlations. A total of 421 individual ticks in the genera Amblyomma, Haemaphysalis, and Ixodes were recorded from 28 songbird species, of which Amblyomma and Amblyomma longirostre was the most abundant tick genus and species, respectively. Microbial profiles showed that Proteobacteria was the most abundant phylum. The most abundant bacteria include the pathogenic Rickettsia and endosymbiont Francisella, Candidatus Midichloria, and Spiroplasma. BLAST analysis and phylogenetic reconstruction of the Rickettsia sequences revealed the highest similarities to pathogenic spotted and non-spotted fever groups, including R. buchneri, R. conorii, R. prowazekii, R. bellii, R. australis, R. parkeri, R. monacensis, and R. monteiroi. Permutation multivariate analysis of variance revealed that the relative abundance of Francisella and Rickettsia drives microbial patterns across the tick genera. We also observed a higher percentage of positive correlations in microbe-microbe interactions among members of the microbial communities. Network analysis suggested a negative correlation between a) Francisella and Rickettsia and, b) Francisella and Cutibacterium. Lastly, mapping the distributions of bird species parasitized during spring migrations highlighted geographic hotspots where migratory songbirds could disperse ticks and their pathogens at stopover sites or upon arrival to their breeding grounds, the latter showing means dispersal distances from 421–5003 kilometers. These findings strongly highlight the potential role of migratory birds in the epidemiology of tick-borne pathogens.

Author(s): Merrill, Mary M.; Lord, Cynthia C.; Turner, E. Lynn; Boughton, Raoul K.; Hernandez, Felipe A.; Wisely, Samantha M. | Abstract: Feral swine in the United States are known to harbor both native and exotic Ixodid ticks. The expanding range, broad habitat use, high population potential, and large movements of feral swine may increase the distribution and density of certain tick species and tick-borne pathogens that can infect humans, livestock, and wildlife. This preliminary study was conducted to determine which tick species are present on feral swine as well as other mammals sympatric with feral swine in south-central Florida. We trapped large-, medium-, and small-bodied mammals at two study sites, Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park and MacArthur Agro-ecology Research Center, from February to May of 2014. We examined mammals for ticks and conducted drags for host-seeking ticks. We trapped five mammal species (feral swine, Florida mouse, marsh rice rat, Virginia opossum, and northern raccoon). From these animals we identified four native tick species (Amblyomma americanum, A. maculatum, Dermacentor variabilis, and Ixodes scapularis) and one exotic to the United States (A. auricularium). We also obtained carcasses of nine-banded armadillos in Brevard County, on which we found A. auricularium. This is the first report of I. scapularis in Okeechobee County and A. auricularium in Brevard and Highlands Counties. All four native tick species are known disease vectors. These data reiterate that many mammals that share habitat with livestock and commonly contact humans are hosts to many ticks of medical and veterinary importance. Coupled with the population, distribution potential, and movement of feral swine, the diversity of ticks found in this study highlights the need for further research on the ability of feral swine to host and distribute ticks and tick-borne pathogens among wildlife, livestock, and humans.

The present study reports field data of ticks infesting wild carnivores captured from July 1998 to September 2004 in Brazil. Additional data were obtained from one tick collection and from previous published data of ticks on carnivores in Brazil. During field work, a total of 3437 ticks were collected from 89 Cerdocyon thous (crab-eating fox), 58 Chrysocyon brachyurus (maned wolf), 30 Puma concolor (puma), 26 Panthera onca (jaguar), 12 Procyon cancrivorus (crab-eating raccoon), 4 Speothos venaticus (bush dog), 6 Pseudalopex vetulus (hoary fox), 6 Nasua nasua (coati), 6 Leopardus pardalis (ocelot), 2 Leopardus tigrinus (oncilla), 1 Leopardus wiedii (margay), 1 Herpailurus yagouaroundi (jaguarundi), 1 Oncifelis colocolo (pampas cat), 1 Eira barbara (tayara), 1 Galictis vittata (grison), 1 Lontra longicaudis (neotropical otter), and 1 Potus flavus (kinkajou). Data obtained from the Acari Collection IBSP included a total of 381 tick specimens collected on 13 C. thous, 8 C. brachyurus, 3 P. concolor, 10 P. onca, 3 P. cancrivorus, 4 N. nasua, 1 L. pardalis, 1 L. wiedii, 4 H. yagouaroundi, 1 Galictis cuja (lesser grison), and 1 L. longicaudis. The only tick-infested carnivore species previously reported in Brazil, for which we do not present any field data are Pseudalopex gymnocercus (pampas fox), Conepatus chinga (Molina's hog-nosed skunk), and Conepatus semistriatus (striped hog-nosed skunk). We report the first tick records in Brazil on two Felidae species (O. colocolo, H. yagouaroundi), two Canidae species (P. vetulus, S. venaticus), one Procyonidae species (P. flavus) and one Mustelidae (E. barbara). Tick infestation remains unreported for 5 of the 26 Carnivora species native in Brazil: Oncifelis geoffroyi (Geoffroy's cat), Atelocynus microtis (short-eared dog), Pteronura brasiliensis (giant otter), Mustela africana (Amazon weasel), and Bassaricyon gabbii (olingo). Our field data comprise 16 tick species represented by the genera Amblyomma (12 species), Ixodes (1 species), Dermacentor (1 species), Rhipicephalus (1 species), and Boophilus (1 species). Additional 5 tick species (3 Amblyomma species and 1 species from each of the genera Ixodes and Ornithodoros) were reported in the literature. The most common ticks on Carnivora hosts were Amblyomma ovale (found on 14 host species), Amblyomma cajennense (10 species), Amblyomma aureolatum (10 species), Amblyomma tigrinum (7 species), Amblyomma parvum (7 species), and Boophilus microplus (7 species).

Detection of Rickettsia amblyommii in ticks collected from Missouri, USA

Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae, Argasidae) from humans, domestic and wild animals in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil, with notes on rickettsial infection

The zoonosis Q fever is caused by the obligate intracellular bacterium Coxiella burnetii. Besides the main transmission route via inhalation of contaminated aerosols, ticks are discussed as vectors since the first isolation of the pathogen from a Dermacentor andersonii tick. The rare detection of C. burnetii in ticks and the difficult differentiation of C. burnetii from Coxiella-like endosymbionts (CLEs) are questioning the relevance of ticks in the epidemiology of Q fever. In this review, literature databases were systematically searched for recent prevalence studies concerning C. burnetii in ticks in Europe and experimental studies evaluating the vector competence of tick species. A total of 72 prevalence studies were included and evaluated regarding DNA detection methods and collection methods, country, and tested tick species. Specimens of more than 25 different tick species were collected in 23 European countries. Overall, an average prevalence of 4.8% was determined. However, in half of the studies, no Coxiella-DNA was detected. In Southern European countries, a significantly higher prevalence was observed, possibly related to the abundance of different tick species here, namely Hyalomma spp. and Rhipicephalus spp. In comparison, a similar proportion of studies used ticks sampled by flagging and dragging or tick collection from animals, under 30% of the total tick samples derived from the latter. There was no significant difference in the various target genes used for the molecular test. In most of the studies, no distinction was made between C. burnetii and CLEs. The application of specific detection methods and the confirmation of positive results are crucial to determine the role of ticks in Q fever transmission. Only two studies were available, which assessed the vector competence of ticks for C. burnetii in the last 20 years, demonstrating the need for further research.

An 18-mo study was conducted in Bulloch County, Georgia, to determine tick species composition, seasonal activity of individual tick species, and host-tick associations. The following 7 methods of tick collection were included: (1) live trapping of potential host animals, (2) checking wild game, (3) drag sampling, (4) carbon dioxide attraction, (5) checking livestock, road kills, nests, and burrows, (6) samples submitted from veterinarians, and (7) ticks collected by local residents and submitted for identification. Twelve tick species (Ixodidae) were identified. Blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis Say, and American dog tick, Dermacentor variabilis (Say), had the widest host ranges and were the most numerous. White-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus (Zimmermann), supported 5 tick species, the greatest number on any host. Of 55 animal species examined, 16 mammal, 5 bird, and 3 reptile species were parasitized by ticks. Opossums, Didelphis virginiana Kerr, and cotton mice, Peromyscus gossypinus (LeConte), were the most commonly examined wild animals.

: BackgroundHard ticks are blood-sucking ectoparasites infesting all types of domestic ruminants throughout the world and serve as vectors in the dissemination of a wide variety of pathogens. Sheep and goat farming is a vital economic source for resource-poor farming communities in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province of Pakistan. Aim: The aim of present study is to study the epidemiological profile of ticks in various agro-climatic zones of KPK. Materials and Methods: A total of 1500 (882 sheep and 618 goats) of all age groups and sexes were examined for the presence of ticks belonging to six districts in four agro-climatic zones of KPK province, Pakistan. Non-probability sampling was undertaken based on animal hosts’ selection, collection of hard ticks, and epidemiological parameters. Ticks collected from sheep and goats were identified phenotypically using standard keys. Results: The results revealed that Rhipicephalus microplus (36.2%) was the predominant tick species followed by Hyalomma anatolicum (25.2%), Hyalomma trancatum (18.1%), Hyalomma aegyptium (11.3%), Hyalomma asiaticum (6.9%), and Haemephysalis bispinosa (2.4%). Different epidemiological parameters showed that weather, humidity, and host age negatively affect (p < 0.05) tick load while temperatures (Minimum and Maximum), sunshine (hrs), and precipitation positively affected (p < 0.05) tick load. Host sex only showed a positive association with tick load (p > 0.05). The highest value of tick diversity index (H) 0.36748 was noted for Hyalomma anatolicum as this tick species was commonly distributed in three agro-climatic zones except in the Suleiman Piedmont zone, while Haemaphysalis bispinosa has the lowest diversity index (0.0334) as it was only found in the Central Valley Plains zone of KPK. The Shannon diversity index of tick diversity was highest at Barikot while the lowest index value was at Kabal (2.407). Similarly, a higher Simpson’s diversity index was at Barikot (0.9554) and the lowest hard index was noted at Takht bai (2.874). The dominance index showed that the tick species were more dominant at Takht bai (0.1251), while the lowest dominance was at Barikot (0.04465). Conclusions: It has been concluded that tick diversity and distribution, abundance, reproduction, development, and survival depend on prevailing climatic conditions. The present study would not only help to identify the tick species but also facilitate in devising effective control measures to minimize the transmission pathogens in sheep and goats being reared in the various agro-climatic zones of KPK province, Pakistan.

The U.S. National Tick Collection (USNTC) is unparalleled by other tick collections. It includes more than a million tick specimens in over 121,000 individual accessioned collections. Most of the world's approximately 850 described tick species and more than 300 types are included in the collection. These attributes dwarf other tick collections, and it is believed that the USNTC is larger than all other world tick collections combined. As a resource for identification purposes, systematics research, and the investigation of tickrelated problems of humans and animals, this tick collection is unrivaled and is a national treasure. If it were to be lost, it would be impossible to replace.