Abstract
Ticks have complex life cycles which involve blood-feeding stages found on wild and domestic animals, with humans as accidental hosts. At each blood-feeding stage, ticks can transmit and/or acquire pathogens from their hosts. Therefore, the circulation of tick-borne pathogens (TBPs), especially the zoonotic ones, should be studied in a multi-layered manner, including all components of the chain of infections, following the ‘One Health’ tenets. The implementation of such an approach requires coordination among major stakeholders (such as veterinarians, physicians, acarologists, and researchers) for the identification of exposure and infection risks and application of effective prevention measures. In this review, we summarize our current knowledge on the epidemiology of tick-borne diseases in Central America and the Caribbean and the challenges associated with the implementation of ‘One Health’ surveillance and control programs in the region.
Highlights
The global prevalence of ticks and tick-borne diseases (TBDs) has increased in human and animal populations, possibly due to changes in human behavior, demographics, climate, and land utilization, resulting in the emergence and re-emergence of infectious and zoonotic diseases [1,2]
Ticks and wildlife are the key reservoirs of tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) which cause a wide spectrum of TBDs, including anaplasmosis, babesiosis, borreliosis, ehrlichiosis, and rickettsioses in both humans and animals
Several ticks and TBPs are present in the Central America and the Caribbean (CAC), posing a risk to human and animal health
Summary
The global prevalence of ticks and tick-borne diseases (TBDs) has increased in human and animal populations, possibly due to changes in human behavior (e.g., increased outdoor activities), demographics, climate, and land utilization, resulting in the emergence and re-emergence of infectious and zoonotic diseases [1,2]. A. ovale R. sanguineus s.l. Pan a An: Antigua, Be: Belize, Col: Colombia (Caribbean coast), CR: Costa Rica, Cu: Cuba, ES: El Salvador, Gp: Guadeloupe, Gua: Guatemala, H: Haiti, Hon: Honduras, Ma: Martinique, Mex: Mexico (Yucatán), Mo: Montserrat, Ne: Nevis, Nic: Nicaragua, Pan: Panamá, PR: Puerto Rico, SK: St. Kitts: SK, SL: St. Lucia, SM: St. Martin, USVI: U.S Virgin Islands. Reports of ehrlichiosis in Venezuela [134], Costa Rica [135], and Panama [112] could be attributed to zoonosis transmission from dogs to humans via infected R. sanguineus s.l. babesiosis should be considered as a zoonoses risk in the CAC due to the serological findings of Babesia spp. in veterinary personnel, farmers, and soldiers from rural areas of Venezuela, and a severe case of babesiosis in an Austrian tourist who visited Nicaragua [136,137]
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