Species Diversity and Seasonal Distribution of Hard Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) Infesting Mammalian Hosts in Various Districts of Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia

Abstract Hard ticks are among the most important blood sucking arthropods that transmit pathogens to humans and animals. This study was designed to determine prevalence, mapping, geographical distribution, and seasonal activity of hard tick species infesting the most common domestic and wild mammals in various districts of Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia, during the period January to December 2017. In total, 10,832 adult hard ticks were collected from the bodies of 8,435 animals belonging to 18 different mammalian species. The ticks were preserved in 70% alcohol and microscopy was used to identify species. Two genera, Hyalomma and Rhipicephalus, were identified, comprising 10 species of hard ticks, with Hyalomma comprising 68.3% and Rhipicephalus comprising 31.7% of species. The most common species on domestic mammalian hosts was Hyalomma dromedarii (Koch 1844) (39.9%) followed by Rhipicephalus turanicus (Pomerantsev, Matikashvili & Lotosky 1936) (34.9%), whereas on wild mammalian hosts Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille 1806) was by far the most prevalent species (83.0%). However, ticks were most abundant during May through July (36.0%) in the studied areas, and tick intensity and abundance differed among seasons. Our results provide information for human and animal health service managers, as well as governmental authorities, to gain a better understanding of hard ticks infesting mammalian hosts in Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia, which can help improve prevention and control of tick-borne diseases, especially during outbreaks.

Download Full-text

Ixodid Ticks (Acari, Ixodidae) in Urban Landscapes. A review

Vestnik Zoologii ◽

10.1515/vzoo-2016-0018 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 50 (2) ◽

pp. 155-162 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

I. А. Akimov ◽

I. V. Nebogatkin

Keyword(s):

Outdoor Recreation ◽

Urban Landscape ◽

Rhipicephalus Sanguineus ◽

Common Species ◽

Dermacentor Reticulatus ◽

Ixodid Ticks ◽

Urban Landscapes ◽

Hard Tick ◽

Haemaphysalis Longicornis ◽

Hard Ticks

Abstract This study presents the results of content analysis of published works on ixodid ticks in urban conditions in order to determine the species diversity, the vectors of research interests at various stages. Information about ticks in the cities up to the 1980s is incidental, to the point of exclusive, after this point there is targeted research in urban landscapes. There are 106 or 15 % of hard ticks of the world fauna registered in the urban territory, 26 species or 3.7 % being the most abundant. Of the urban hard tick species, 23 (88.5 %) can attack humans, and 12 species are the most adapted to the urban landscape: Ixodes ricinus, I. persulcatus, Dermacentor reticulatus, D. marginatus, I. pavlovskyi, I. scapularis (dammini), Amblyomma cajennense, Haemaphysalis longicornis, I. hexagonus, Hyalomma marginatum, Am. americanum, and Rhipicephalus sanguineus. It was determined that the most likely causes of the growing number of publications on ixodids urban landscapes are: global accelerating urbanization, the development of recreational areas, the development of green tourism, the growth of the prestige of outdoor recreation, the creation of new, especially of the landscape parks and a tendency to preserve the native landscape in the cities, a significant increase in the density of populations of common species of hard ticks adapted to living in urban environment. The vectors of further work in urban landscapes will be directed to exact planning of monitoring studies of ixodids and associated tick-borne infections.

Download Full-text

Ecological and life history traits are associated with Ross River virus infection among sylvatic mammals in Australia

10.1101/475814 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Michael G. Walsh

Keyword(s):

Life History ◽

Animal Health ◽

Mammalian Species ◽

Ross River Virus ◽

Gestation Length ◽

Interspecific Comparison ◽

Dietary Specialization ◽

Wild Mammals ◽

Causal Pathways ◽

History Of

AbstractBackgroundRoss River virus (RRV) is Australia’s most important arbovirus given its annual burden of disease and the relatively large number of Australians at risk for infection. This mosquito-borne arbovirus is also a zoonosis, making its epidemiology and infection ecology complex and cryptic. Our grasp of enzootic, epizootic, and zoonotic RRV transmission dynamics is imprecise largely due to a poor understanding of the role of wild mammalian hosts in the RRV system.MethodsThe current study applied a piecewise structural equation model (PSEM) toward an interspecific comparison of sylvatic Australian mammals to characterize the ecological and life history profile of species with a history of RRV infection relative to those species with no such history among all wild mammalian species surveyed for RRV infection. The effects of species traits were assessed through multiple causal pathways within the PSEM framework.ResultsSylvatic mammalian species with a history of RRV infection tended to express dietary specialization and smaller population density. These species were also characterized by a longer gestation length.ConclusionsThis study provides the first interspecific comparison of wild mammals for RRV infection and identifies some potential targets for future wildlife surveys into the infection ecology of this important arbovirus. An applied RRV macroecology may prove invaluable to the epidemiological modeling of RRV epidemics across diverse sylvatic landscapes, as well as to the development of human and animal health surveillance systems.

Download Full-text

Peptide OPTX-1 From Ornithodoros papillipes Tick Inhibits the pS273R Protease of African Swine Fever Virus

Frontiers in Microbiology ◽

10.3389/fmicb.2021.778309 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Jingjing Wang ◽

Mengyao Ji ◽

Bingqian Yuan ◽

Anna Luo ◽

Zhenyuan Jiang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Structural Information ◽

African Swine Fever Virus ◽

African Swine Fever ◽

Fever Virus ◽

Coagulation System ◽

Hard Tick ◽

Hard Ticks ◽

Blood Sucking ◽

Peptide Toxin ◽

Underlying Mechanisms

African swine fever virus (ASFV) is a large double-stranded DNA virus and causes high mortality in swine. ASFV can be transmitted by biological vectors, including soft ticks in genus Ornithodoros but not hard ticks. However, the underlying mechanisms evolved in the vectorial capacity of soft ticks are not well-understood. Here, we found that a defensin-like peptide toxin OPTX-1 identified from Ornithodoros papillipes inhibits the enzyme activity of the ASFV pS273R protease with a Ki=0.821±0.526μM and shows inhibitory activity on the replication of ASFV. The analogs of OPTX-1 from hard ticks show more inhibitory efficient on pS273R protease. Considering that ticks are blood-sucking animals, we tested the effects of OPTX-1 and its analogs on the coagulation system. At last, top 3D structures represented surface analyses of the binding sites of pS273R with different inhibitors that were obtained by molecular docking based on known structural information. In summary, our study provides evidence that different inhibitory efficiencies between soft tick-derived OPTX-1 and hard tick-derived defensin-like peptides may determine the vector and reservoir competence of ticks.

Download Full-text

Passive Animal Surveillance to Identify Ticks in Wisconsin, 2011–2017

Insects ◽

10.3390/insects10090289 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (9) ◽

pp. 289 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Xia Lee ◽

Darby S. Murphy ◽

Diep Hoang Johnson ◽

Susan M. Paskewitz

Keyword(s):

Ixodes Scapularis ◽

Animal Health ◽

Bird Species ◽

Rhipicephalus Sanguineus ◽

Common Species ◽

Domestic Animal ◽

Dermacentor Variabilis ◽

Amblyomma Americanum ◽

Surveillance Program ◽

Surveillance Programs

The introduction of new tick species poses a risk to human and animal health. Systematic active surveillance programs are expensive and uncommon. We evaluated a passive animal surveillance program as a monitoring tool to document the geographic distribution and host associations of ticks in Wisconsin. Passive surveillance partners included veterinary medical clinics, domestic animal shelters, and wildlife rehabilitation centers from 35 of the 72 Wisconsin counties. A total of 10,136 tick specimens were collected from 2325 animals from July 2011 to November 2017 and included Dermacentor variabilis Say (29.7% of all ticks), Ixodes texanus Banks (25.5%), Ixodes scapularis Say (19.5%), Haemaphysalis leporispalustris Packard (13.8%), Ixodes cookei Packard (4.4%), and Dermacentor albipictus Packard (1.7%). Less common species (<1% of collection) included Ixodes dentatus Marx, Ixodes sculptus Neumann, Ixodes marxi Banks, Amblyomma americanum Linnaeus, and Rhipicephalus sanguineus Latreille. Of the 2325 animals that were examined, most were domestic dogs (53%), eastern cottontail rabbits (16%), domestic cats (15%), and North American raccoons (11%). An additional 21 mammal and 11 bird species were examined at least once during the six years of the study. New county records are summarized for each species. Public health, academic, and veterinary and animal care partners formed a community of practice enabling effective statewide tick surveillance.

Download Full-text

Neurobiology of arthropod parasites

Parasitology ◽

10.1017/s0031182000073297 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 102 (S1) ◽

pp. S59-S69 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

I. D. Harrow ◽

K. A. F. Gration ◽

N. A. Evans

Keyword(s):

Economic Losses ◽

Hard Tick ◽

Domesticated Animals ◽

Hard Ticks ◽

Blood Sucking ◽

Global Cost ◽

Wide Range

Many medically important diseases of man are caused by blood-sucking arthropods which serve as vectors for a wide range of viral, bacterial, protozoal and nematode infections (Table 1). Furthermore, serious economic losses are caused by the numerous arthropod parasites which infect domesticated animals (for examples, see Table 2). Among these the ixodid hard ticks are particularly important and it has been estimated that the global cost of hard tick infections is $7000 million per annum (F.A.O., 1984). Not surprisingly, there have been strenuous efforts to control infections caused by arthropods.

Download Full-text

The polymorphism at the microRNA-155 binding site in AGTR1 gene is not significantly associated with rheumatic heart disease in Saudi Arabia population

MicroRNA ◽

10.2174/2211536609666200108093657 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 09 ◽

Author(s):

S. Justin Carlus ◽

Fiona Hannah Carlus ◽

Mazen Khalid Al-Harbi ◽

Abdulhadi H Al-Mazroea ◽

Khalid M Al- Harbi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Saudi Arabia ◽

Heart Disease ◽

Rheumatic Heart Disease ◽

Clinical Features ◽

Left Ventricular ◽

Genotype Distribution ◽

Allelic Discrimination ◽

Children And Young Adults ◽

And Control ◽

Rheumatic Heart

Background: Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) remains a major cause of cardiovascular diseases and the most devastating effects are on children and young adults. RHD is caused due to the interaction between microbial, environmental, immunologic, and genetic factors. The renin-angiotensin aldosterone system (RAAS) has been strongly implicated as the susceptibility pathway in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. Objective: The present study investigated the modulating effect of Angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AGTR1) 1166A>C polymorphism on the RHD and its clinical features in Saudi Arabia. Methods: AGTR1 1166A>C polymorphism was genotyped in 96 echocardiographically confirmed RHD patients and 142 ethnically matched controls by TaqMan allelic discrimination method. Results: Genotype distribution of the AGTR1 1166A>C polymorphism was not significantly different between RHD and control groups. Further, AGTR1 1166A>C genotypes are not associated with the clinical features of RHD. These data support that there was no evidence for an association between AGTR1 1166A>C polymorphism and RHD in Saudi Arabia. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first study that has investigated the possible association between AGTR1 1166A>C polymorphism and susceptibility to RHD and its clinical features. Even though AGTR1 gene is 1166A>C (rs5186) was reported to be associated with hypertension, left ventricular hypertrophy and coronary heart disease. Present study did not find any association between AGTR1 1166A>C polymorphism and RHD in Saudi Arabia. Further studies are needed to confirm our findings.

Download Full-text

Challenges to Infection Control Team during COVID-19 Pandemic in a Quaternary Medical Center in Saudi Arabia

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology ◽

10.1017/ice.2021.72 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-20

Author(s):

Hala A Amer ◽

Ibrahim A Alowidah ◽

Chasteffi Bugtai ◽

Barbara M. Soule ◽

Ziad A Memish

Keyword(s):

Saudi Arabia ◽

Infection Control ◽

Prevention And Control ◽

Infection Prevention ◽

Task Force ◽

Care Center ◽

Capital City ◽

Infection Prevention And Control ◽

Team Approach ◽

And Control

Abstract Background: King Saud Medical City (KSMC) is a quaternary care center based in the center of the capital city, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and is one of the key Ministry of Health (MoH) facilities dedicated to the care of COVID-19 patients in the central region. Methods: A comprehensive surge plan was promptly launched in mid-March 2020 to address the pandemic and then expanded in a phase-wise approach. Supporting the capacity of the infection prevention and control department (IPCD) was one of the main pillars of KSMC surge plan. Task force Infection Control teams have been formulated to tackle the different aspects of pandemic containment processes. The challenges and measures undertaken by the IPC team have been described. Conclusion: Realizing the more prominent role of infection prevention and control staff as frontline responders to public health emergencies like COVID-19, a solid infection prevention and control system at the healthcare setting supported by qualified and sufficient manpower, a well-developed multidisciplinary team approach, electronic infrastructure and efficient supply utilization is required for effective crisis management.

Download Full-text

Agro-Environmental Determinants of Leptospirosis: A Retrospective Spatiotemporal Analysis (2004−2014) in Mahasarakham Province (Thailand)

Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease ◽

10.3390/tropicalmed6030115 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 6 (3) ◽

pp. 115

Author(s):

Jaruwan Viroj ◽

Julien Claude ◽

Claire Lajaunie ◽

Julien Cappelle ◽

Anamika Kritiyakan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Animal Health ◽

Spatiotemporal Analysis ◽

Health Concern ◽

Intersectoral Collaboration ◽

The Public ◽

Additive Modeling ◽

The One ◽

And Control ◽

Northeastern Thailand

Leptospirosis has been recognized as a major public health concern in Thailand following dramatic outbreaks. We analyzed human leptospirosis incidence between 2004 and 2014 in Mahasarakham province, Northeastern Thailand, in order to identify the agronomical and environmental factors likely to explain incidence at the level of 133 sub-districts and 1,982 villages of the province. We performed general additive modeling (GAM) in order to take the spatial-temporal epidemiological dynamics into account. The results of GAM analyses showed that the average slope, population size, pig density, cow density and flood cover were significantly associated with leptospirosis occurrence in a district. Our results stress the importance of livestock favoring leptospirosis transmission to humans and suggest that prevention and control of leptospirosis need strong intersectoral collaboration between the public health, the livestock department and local communities. More specifically, such collaboration should integrate leptospirosis surveillance in both public and animal health for a better control of diseases in livestock while promoting public health prevention as encouraged by the One Health approach.

Download Full-text

Molecular Evidence of Hemolivia mauritanica, Ehrlichia spp. and the Endosymbiont Candidatus Midichloria Mitochondrii in Hyalomma aegyptium Infesting Testudo graeca Tortoises from Doha, Qatar

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani11010030 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 30

Author(s):

Patrícia F. Barradas ◽

Clara Lima ◽

Luís Cardoso ◽

Irina Amorim ◽

Fátima Gärtner ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Animal Health ◽

Clinical Manifestations ◽

Febrile Illness ◽

Molecular Evidence ◽

Large Animal ◽

Hard Tick ◽

Testudo Graeca ◽

Worldwide Distribution ◽

Organ System Failure ◽

Midichloria Mitochondrii

Tick-borne agents constitute a growing concern for human and animal health worldwide. Hyalomma aegyptium is a hard tick with a three-host life cycle, whose main hosts for adults are Palearctic tortoises of genus Testudo. Nevertheless, immature ticks can feed on a variety of hosts, representing an important eco-epidemiological issue regarding H. aegyptium pathogens circulation. Hyalomma aegyptium ticks are vectors and/or reservoirs of various pathogenic agents, such as Ehrlichia, Anaplasma, Babesia and Hepatozoon/Hemolivia. Ehrlichia and Anaplasma are emergent tick-borne bacteria with a worldwide distribution and zoonotic potential, responsible for diseases that cause clinical manifestations that grade from acute febrile illness to a fulminant disease characterized by multi-organ system failure, depending on the species. Babesia and Hepatozoon/Hemolivia are tick-borne parasites with increasing importance in multiple species. Testudo graeca tortoises acquired in a large animal market in Doha, Qatar, were screened for a panel of tick-borne pathogens by conventional PCR followed by bidirectional sequencing. The most prevalent agent identified in ticks was Hemolivia mauritanica (28.6%), followed by Candidatus Midichloria mitochondrii (9.5%) and Ehrlichia spp. (4.7%). All samples were negative for Babesia spp. and Hepatozoon spp. Overall, 43% of the examined adult ticks were infected with at least one agent. Only 4.7% of the ticks appeared to be simultaneously infected with two agents, i.e., Ehrlichia spp. and H. mauritanica. This is the first detection of H. mauritanica, Ehrlichia spp. and Candidatus M. mitochondrii in H. aegyptium ticks collected from pet spur-thighed tortoises, in Qatar, a fact which adds to the geographical extension of these agents. The international trade of Testudo tortoises carrying ticks infected with pathogens of veterinary and medical importance deserves strict control, in order to reduce potential exotic diseases.

Download Full-text

Food for thought: food systems, livestock futures and animal health

Animal Health Research Reviews ◽

10.1017/s146625231300008x ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 14 (2) ◽

pp. 159-162

Author(s):

Angela Wilkinson

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Food Systems ◽

Animal Health ◽

Global Food Security ◽

Futures Research ◽

Power And Control ◽

Key Issues ◽

Fundamental Misunderstanding ◽

And Control ◽

Global Food

AbstractGlobal food security, livestock production and animal health are inextricably bound. However, our focus on the future tends to disaggregate food and health into largely separate domains. Indeed, much foresight work is either food systems or health-based with little overlap in terms of predictions or narratives. Work on animal health is no exception. Part of the problem is the fundamental misunderstanding of the role, nature and impact of the modern futures tool kit. Here, I outline three key issues in futures research ranging from methodological confusion over the application of scenarios to the failure to effectively integrate multiple methodologies to the gap between the need for more evidence and power and control over futures processes. At its core, however, a better understanding of the narrative and worldview framing much of the futures work in animal health is required to enhance the value and impact of such exercises.

Download Full-text