Status Of Ticks Research Articles

INCIDENCE, SPECIES AND ATTACHMENT SITES OF IXODIDAE TICKS IN CATTLE, SHEEP AND GOATS IN ALGERIA

A four-month survey was carried out to study the incidence and intensity of Ixodidae on cattle, goats, and sheep brought to the slaughterhouse in the municipality of Tadjenanet, in north-eastern Algeria. Of the 448 animals examined, 67 (14.95 %) were infected by one or more ticks. Two hundred sixty-two ticks were collected, and nine species grouped under two genera were inventoried: Rhipicephalus spp. (79.77%) and Hyalomma spp. (20.23%). The tick species collected included Hyalomma anatolicum, Hyalomma excavatum, Hyalomma impeltatum, Hyalomma lusitanicum, Hyalomma marginatum, Hyalomma scupence, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus, Rhipicephalus bursa, and Rhipicephalus sanguineus. This is the first time that Hyalomma impeltatum have been reported in the Mila region. The most abundant species was Rhipicephalus bursa (40.84%). The present study provides primary data on the status of ticks in domestic ruminants in the province of Mila

Molecular Investigation of the Status of Ticks on Infected Cattle for Coxiella burnetii in India.

In Indian subcontinent, the epidemiological studies on the status of ticks in the transmission of Coxiella burnetii have not been explored comprehensively. The objective of the present study was to investigate the status of ticks for C. burnetii among coxiellosis positive cattle. The present study was carried out in three locations of the northern states of India. A total of 1648 tick samples were collected from the tick infested cattle (n = 146) that were tested positive for coxiellosis by indirect serum-ELISA assay and/or the trans-PCR assay. The tick samples were screened using the trans-PCR assay targeting species-specific IS1111 transposase gene of C. burnetii. The sequencing of PCR products was planned to differentiate C. burnetii and Coxiella-like bacteria (CLB). The collected ticks were identified as Rhipicephalus microplus (n = 1049), Hyalomma anatolicum (n = 416), and Hyalomma spp. (n = 183). On molecular investigation, none of the collected tick samples were found to be positive for the IS1111gene. The findings of the present study ruled out the involvement of ticks in circulation of the pathogen within the cattle population that were screened. However, extensive epidemiological studies are needed to conclusively rule out or establish the role of ticks as a competent vector for C. burnetii transmission in cattle and other hosts.

Current status of ticks and tick-host relationship in domestic and wild animals from Pantanal wetlands in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

ABSTRACT This is a commented list of tick’s species collected on various wild and domestic animals, including the reports on scientific literature for the studied region. Most of animals were small or medium mammals. Carnivores were the main taxa group examined. Although, the pampas deer ( Ozotocerus bezoarticus) and giant anteater ( Mymercophaga tridactyla) also has a good representation on study. Among domestic animals, dogs, horses and cattle were examined. Summing up, 18 tick species were listed for the region. Sixteen were hard ticks (Ixodidae) and two soft ticks (Argasidae). Amblyomma sculptum was the most common and abundant hard tick. Ornithodoros rostratus (Argasidae) was very abundant, being the more important Argasidae tick on the study region. The following species were colleted or reported on scientific literature: Argas miniatus Koch, 1844; Ornithodoros rostratus Aragão, 1911; Dermacentor nitens Newmann, 1897; Rhipicephalus ( Boophilus) microplus Canestrini, 1887; Amblyomma tigrinum Koch, 1844; A. dissimile Koch, 1844; A. ovale Koch, 1844; A. pauvum Aragão, 1908; A. sculptum Berlese, 1888; A. calcaratum Neumann, 1899; A. coelebs Neumann, 1899; A. dubittatum Newmann, 1899; A. scalpturatum Newmann, 1906; A. naponense Packard, 1869; A. nodosum Newmann, 1899; A. pseudoconcolor Aragão, 1908; A. rotundatum Koch, 1844; A. triste Koch, 1844.

The Iranian Hyalomma (Acari: Ixodidae) with a key to the identification of male species

The taxonomic status of ticks in the genus Hyalomma , as prominent vectors of domestic animal and human pathogen agents as well as hematophagous parasites of all terrestrial animals has a problematic history due to variability. The present paper is based on our observations on the Iranian Hyalomma species during 2009 to 2013. In this study, for nine Hyalomma species including H. aegyptium , H. anatolicum , H. asiaticum , H. detritum , H. dromedarii , H. excavatum , H. marginatum , H. rufipes and H. schulzei , morphologic characteristics and some notes on their variability, biology and distribution are presented. In this paper, diagnoses, host information, distribution data, illustrations of adult males and a taxonomic key to the native Hyalomma species of Iran are provided to facilitate their identification.

A preliminary survey on the ticks carrying Ehrlichia and Anaplasma in the Southern marginal zone of Gurbantunggut Desert

To understand the status of ticks carrying Ehrlichia and Anaplasma in the southern marginal zone of Gurbantunggut Desert, we collected and classified ticks from livestock in 11 locations of three different habitats in the southern marginal zone of Gurbantunggut Desert. Ticks were screened by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and their 5' hypervariable regions of 16S rRNA genes were amplified by semi-nested PCR. The PCR products were sequenced and compared to DNA sequences in GenBank to identify the Anaplasmataceae species carried by the ticks. The collected 708 ticks (classified 236 specimens) were identified as 8 species of 4 genera. Among these specimens, 25 (10.59%) were positive for Ehrlichia and Anaplasma. Ehrlichia chaffeensis, Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma marginale and Anaplasma ovis were found in Hyalomma asiaticum,Rhipi cephalus sanguineus, Hyalomma detritum and Haemaphysalis longicornis, respectively by sequence comparison. This study confirmed at molecular level that E. chaffeensis, A. marginale, A. ovis and E. canis are present in ticks carrying Ehrlichia andAnaplasma in the southern marginal zone of Gurbantunggut Desert. Key words: Ehrlichia, Anaplasma, tick-borne, southern marginal zone of Gurbantunggut Desert.

Cattle and the Natural History ofRickettsia parkeriin Mississippi

Cattle have been recognized as hosts for Amblyomma maculatum, the Gulf Coast tick, for over 100 years. For nearly as long, A. maculatum have been known to harbor the spotted fever group Rickettsia (SFGR), now known as Rickettsia parkeri. However, human infection with R. parkeri was not documented until 2004. Results presented herein describe a laboratory and a field study evaluating cattle and the natural history of A. maculatum and R. parkeri in Mississippi. In the laboratory study, seroconversion to R. parkeri antigen occurred in calves exposed to R. parkeri by injection or by feeding R. parkeri-infected A. maculatum, and two out of six animals were transiently rickettsemic. All calves remained clinically normal during the study, except for gotch ear-like lesions in all tick-infested calves, regardless of infection status of ticks, suggesting that R. parkeri is not involved in the condition. In the field study, A. maculatum (n=34) removed from Mississippi sale barn cattle (n=183) and the cattle hosts were tested for R. parkeri. Cattle were not rickettsemic by polymerase chain reaction, but 49.7% demonstrated low titers to R. parkeri antigen when tested by indirect fluorescent antibody for SFGR. Of ticks removed from cattle, 11.8% were hemolymph positive and 8.7% were indirect fluorescent antibody positive. Approximately 22% (5/23) and 4% (1/23) of harvested tick extracts were positive for R. parkeri by polymerase chain reaction of the 17 kDa antigen gene and ompA gene, respectively. An amplicon for the ompA gene from one tick was successfully sequenced and showed 100% similarity with the homologous sequence of R. parkeri. Thus, cattle may harbor R. parkeri-infected A. maculatum and produce antibodies to SFGR. Cattle may play a role in the natural history of R. parkeri infection by expanding populations of A. maculatum and transporting R. parkeri-infected ticks to various locations, rather than as a reservoir for R. parkeri.

The status of ticks and tick-borne diseases under pastoral farming system in Uganda

The status of ticks and tick-borne diseases under pastoral farming system in Uganda