Distribution, Host-Seeking Phenology, and Host and Habitat Associations of Haemaphysalis longicornis Ticks, Staten Island, New York, USA

Abstract Background Public green spaces are important for human health, but they may expose visitors to ticks and tick-borne pathogens. We sought to understand risk and drivers of tick-preventative behavior in three popular parks on Staten Island, NY, USA by integrating tick hazard and park visitors’ behaviors. Methods From 20 May to 19 August 2019, ticks were collected via drag cloth sampling in multiple parks, sites, and habitats to estimate tick density. Human behavior was assessed by observing usage (time spent and activity type) in each site and habitat. To evaluate risk of tick exposure, we compared park usage by demographics across sites and compared individual exposure time per site and habitat. To assess visitors’ tick prevention behaviors, a knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) survey was administered. Results Three tick species (Ixodes scapularis, Amblyomma americanum and Haemaphysalis longicornis) were collected. The density of nymphs was heterogenous across parks, with the greatest density in unmaintained herbaceous habitats and trails. The fewest people entered the highest tick risk park and within-park locations. The KAP survey revealed that most respondents (N= 190) could not identify a nymphal stage tick when shown examples of various arthropods. Interviewees identified parks as the main location for tick exposure, but most believed they themselves had minimal risk for tick encounter. Consequently, many visitors did not conduct tick checks. People were most likely to practice tick checks if they knew multiple prevention methods and perceived a high likelihood of tick encounter. Conclusions By integrating acarological indices and park visitor behaviors we found a mismatch between the areas with higher tick densities and areas more frequently used by park visitors. However, this exposure risk varied among demographic groups and the type of activities. Moreover, the use of preventative measures was associated with the perceived probability of tick encounter and knowledge of tick habitat, which would modify the ultimate risk of tick encounter and disease given exposure. Our research is a first step towards identifying visitor risk, attitudes, and practices that could be targeted by optimized messaging strategies for tick bite prevention among park visitors.

Download Full-text

New York City's Staten Island Docks

Scientific American ◽

10.1038/scientificamerican0522-328 ◽

1922 ◽

Vol 126 (5) ◽

pp. 328-329

Keyword(s):

New York ◽

Staten Island

Download Full-text

Seasonal Activity of Haemaphysalis longicornis (Acari: Ixodidae) in Southern New York State

Journal of Medical Entomology ◽

10.1093/jme/tjaa203 ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Nicholas P Piedmonte ◽

Vanessa C Vinci ◽

Thomas J Daniels ◽

Bryon P Backenson ◽

Richard C Falco

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

New York ◽

Activity Patterns ◽

New York State ◽

The United States ◽

Haemaphysalis Longicornis ◽

Seasonal Activity ◽

Eastern Asia ◽

Short Life ◽

Human Bite

Abstract The Asian longhorned tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis Neumann, is a species native to eastern Asia that has recently been discovered in the United States. In its native range, H. longicornis transmits pathogens that cause disease in humans and livestock. It is currently unknown whether H. longicornis will act as a vector in the United States. Understanding its seasonal activity patterns will be important in identifying which times of the year represent greatest potential risk to humans and livestock should this species become a threat to animal or public health. A study site was established in Yonkers, NY near the residence associated with the first reported human bite from H. longicornis in the United States. Ticks were collected once each week from July 2018 to November 2019. Haemaphysalis longicornis larvae were most active from August to November, nymphs from April to July, and adult females from June to September. This pattern of activity suggests that H. longicornis is capable of completing a generation within a single year and matches the patterns observed in its other ranges in the northern hemisphere. The data presented here contribute to a growing database for H. longicornis phenology in the northeastern United States. Potential implications of the short life cycle for the tick’s vectorial capacity are discussed.

Download Full-text

GREENMARKET NOVA-IORQUINO: ONDE O RURAL SE ENCONTRA COM A MEGALÓPOLE AMERICANA

Ethnoscientia - Brazilian Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnoecology ◽

10.22276/ethnoscientia.v3i0.156 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 3 ◽

Author(s):

Gutemberg Armando Diniz Guerra ◽

Maria De Nazaré Angelo MENEZES ◽

Daniel Garcia ◽

Lin Chau Ming

Keyword(s):

New York ◽

New York City ◽

York City ◽

Staten Island ◽

Green Market

<p>O <em>Greenmarket Farmers</em>, como são chamados os mercados hortícolas em Nova Iorque, Estados Unidos da América, tem como uma de suas particularidades a de ser organizado por produtores rurais apoiados pelo <em>Council of Environment of the New York City </em>e cuja venda de produtos deve ser feita diretamente aos consumidores, sem intermediários. Exerce uma importante função, tanto para os agricultores quanto para o público consumidor. No presente estudo foi realizado levantamento contínuo no período de um ano (agosto de 2008 a junho de 2009) seguindo-se de visitas pontuais nos anos de 2010, 2011 e 2012 ao levantamento sistemático, um refinamento dos dados sobre as plantas hortícolas comercializadas e seus produtores no <em>Greenmarket Farmers</em>, que possuem 46 pontos de venda em Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx e Staten Island. Neste período foram observados aspectos de entrelaçamento entre produtores rurais e consumidores urbanos, além da diversidade vegetal. Foram levantadas 120 espécies de plantas comercializadas por 60 produtores, nos diversos pontos do Green Market. Foram listadas 38 famílias botânicas, inseridas em 84 gêneros. A família mais recorrente é Brassicaceae (18), seguida de Asteraceae (13), Lamiaceae (12) e Rosaceae (12). Aspecto que se revela nestas feiras é a face agrícola do estado de Nova Iorque, em geral representado por atividades de turismo e do centro financeiro do mais poderoso país do mundo, e uma das maiores concentrações populacionais do planeta. O apelo ecológico, o estímulo ao consumo de produtos locais e a concessão de cupons de beneficio cedidos às pessoas em dificuldade<a title="" href="file:///C:/Users/Eraldo/Documents/02%20-%20Vivencias%20e%20tecnicas%20de%20relaxamento/Green%20market.NYC%20%2010_Out_2018%20Daniel%20GG%20(1).doc#_ftn1">[1]</a>, em uma comunidade cosmopolita e multi-étnica, canalizam recursos públicos e apoiam este tipo de mercado, permitindo uma reflexão sobre as relações e interatividade entre rural e urbano, diluídas pelas características próprias aos países desenvolvidos, em especial em grandes cidades. Portanto, percebe-se com este trabalho que os “greenmarkets” são pontos não só de venda de grande diversidade de vegetais, mas também local para relacionamentos, trocas de experiências e ideologias.</p><div><br clear="all" /><hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" /><div><p><a title="" href="file:///C:/Users/Eraldo/Documents/02%20-%20Vivencias%20e%20tecnicas%20de%20relaxamento/Green%20market.NYC%20%2010_Out_2018%20Daniel%20GG%20(1).doc#_ftnref1">[1]</a> Os cupons podem ser usados em qualquer supermercado ou nos Greenmarkets.</p></div></div>

Download Full-text

Association of the invasive Haemaphysalis longicornis tick with vertebrate hosts, other native tick vectors, and tick-borne pathogens in New York City

10.1101/2020.07.01.182626 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Danielle M. Tufts ◽

Laura B. Goodman ◽

Meghan C. Benedict ◽

April D. Davis ◽

Meredith C. VanAcker ◽

...

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

New York ◽

Vector Potential ◽

The United States ◽

Dermacentor Variabilis ◽

Amblyomma Americanum ◽

Invasive Pest ◽

Haemaphysalis Longicornis ◽

Tick Vectors ◽

Host Associations

AbstractHaemaphysalis longicornis, the Asian longhorned tick, is an invasive ixodid tick that has rapidly spread across the northeastern and southeastern regions of the United States since first reported in 2017. The emergence of H. longicornis presents a potential threat for livestock, wildlife, and human health as the host associations and vector potential of this invasive pest in the United States are poorly understood. Previous field data from the United States has shown that H. longicornis was not associated with natural populations of small mammals or birds, but they show a preference for medium sized mammals in laboratory experiments. Therefore, medium and large sized mammals were sampled on Staten Island, New York to determine H. longicornis host associations and vector potential for a range of human and veterinary pathogens. A total of 97 hosts were sampled and five species of tick (Amblyomma americanum, Dermacentor variabilis, H. longicornis, Ixodes scapularis, Ixodes cookei) were found feeding concurrently on these hosts. Haemaphysalis longicornis was found in the highest proportions compared to other native tick species on raccoons (55.4%), Virginia opossums (28.9%), and white-tailed deer (11.5%). Tissue, blood, and engorged larvae were tested for 17 different pathogens using a nanoscale PCR platform. Infection with five pathogens (Borrelia burgdorferi, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Rickettsia spp., Mycoplasma haemocanis, and Bartonella spp.) was detected in host samples, but no pathogens were found in any larval samples. These results suggest that although large and medium sized mammals feed large numbers of H. longicornis ticks in the environment there is presently a low potential for H. longicornis to acquire pathogens from these wildlife hosts.HighlightsH. longicornis were sampled from seven genera of large and medium-sized mammalsRaccoons, opossums, and white-tailed deer fed a large proportion of H. longicornisH. longicornis did not acquire pathogens through co-feeding with native tick vectorsHost species were infected with a range of pathogens of human and veterinary concernHost-derived H. longicornis engorged larvae were not infected with any pathogens

Download Full-text

The 200 Year Bridge - The New Goethals Bridge as a Roadmap

IABSE Congress, New York, New York 2019: The Evolving Metropolis ◽

10.2749/newyork.2019.0202 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Thomas Spoth ◽

Seth Condell

Keyword(s):

New York ◽

New Jersey ◽

Service Life ◽

Light Rail ◽

Staten Island ◽

Modal Flexibility ◽

Steel Framing ◽

Protection Strategies ◽

Truss Bridge ◽

To Receive

<p>The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has completed the replacement of the congested and functionally obsolete Goethals Bridge, a circa 1928 steel cantilever truss bridge, with a dual-span modern cable-stayed bridge connecting Elizabeth, New Jersey and Staten Island, NY. Designed as a 150 year service life structure, the newly opened crossing paves the way towards achieving the possibility of a 200 year bridge, both in material durability, structural redundancy / resilience, and modal flexibility.</p><p>The new crossing features three eastbound and three westbound lanes plus a 3 m wide shared use path (SUP) for bicycles and pedestrians. To accommodate future expansion, the superstructure of the cable stayed spans is designed to receive steel framing to support a variety of possible transit options including light rail, while the substructure need not be strengthened for this future load. With a 274 m main span, the new crossing provides a significant maritime navigational improvement over the original 205 m steel truss span.</p><p>Herein we focus on the strategic application of corrosion protection strategies to achieve the long service life in a competitive bid environment, structural benefit of the design as relates to resiliency, modal flexibility, and operational redundancy to withstand extreme events.</p>

Download Full-text

“It was a jet. It was a jet. It was a jet.”

10.7591/cornell/9781501759123.003.0001 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 3-21

Author(s):

Jessica DuLong

Keyword(s):

New York ◽

The United States ◽

Staten Island ◽

Creative Problem ◽

1960S And 1970S ◽

The 1960S ◽

Maritime Infrastructure ◽

Maritime Community ◽

The U.S

This chapter provides a background of the waterborne evacuation that happened after the events of 9/11. New York harbor was, and is, a busy place — the third largest container port in the United States and a vital connection between New York City and the rest of the world. Manhattan is an island, and the realities of island real estate are what ushered the port's industries off Manhattan's shores and over to Brooklyn, Staten Island, and New Jersey in the 1960s and 1970s. By late 2001, maritime infrastructure had been replaced with ornamental fencing. On September 11, 2001, as the cascade of catastrophe unfolded, people found their fates altered by the absence of that infrastructure and discovered themselves dependent upon the creative problem solving of New York harbor's maritime community — waterfront workers who had been thrust beyond their usual occupations and into the role of first responders. Long before the U.S. Coast Guard's call for “all available boats” crackled out over marine radios, scores of ferries, tugs, dinner boats, sailing yachts, and other vessels had begun converging along Manhattan's shores. Hundreds of mariners shared their skills and equipment to conduct a massive, unplanned rescue. Within hours, nearly half a million people had been delivered from Manhattan by boat.

Download Full-text

Medical Society's Blueprint for a Successful Community Response to Emergency Preparedness

Prehospital and Disaster Medicine ◽

10.1017/s1049023x00006579 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 24 (1) ◽

pp. 73-75 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

John Maese

Keyword(s):

New York ◽

Emergency Preparedness ◽

Disaster Preparedness ◽

Common Good ◽

Community Response ◽

Medical Society ◽

Physician Leadership ◽

Staten Island ◽

Community Needs ◽

Hospital Systems

AbstractIt is clear from disaster evaluations that communities must be prepared to act independently before government agencies can cope with the early ramifications of disasters. In response to devastation to the borough of Staten Island, New York in the wake of 11 September 2001, the Richmond County Medical Society established a structure to incorporate community needs and institutions to work together for the common good. A program that brings together two hospital systems, nursing homes, emergency medical services, and the Office of Emergency Management physician leadership in a meaningful way now is in place. This approach has improved the disaster preparedness of Staten Island and demonstrated how the Medical Society can provide leadership in disaster preparedness and serve as a conduit for communication amongst entities that normally do not communicate.

Download Full-text