Ixodid tick species recovered from domestic dogs in Japan

The species of ixodid ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) recovered from domestic dogs in Japan between September to November 2000 and April to June 2001 were identified. A total of 4122 ticks, including 1624 larvae, 1200 nymphs, 1016 females and 282 males were removed from 1221 dogs during these periods. Haemaphysalis longicornis (Neumann) was the most frequently found (40.3% of dogs), followed by H. flava (Neumann) (16.1% of dogs), Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille) (4.8% of dogs) and Ixodes ovatus (Neumann) (4.1% of dogs). Small numbers of H. hystricis (Supino), H. campanulata (Warburton), H. japonica (Warburton), H. ias (Nakamura and Yajima), I. persulcatus (Schulze), I. nipponensis (Kitaoka and Saito) and Amblyomma testudinarium (Koch) were also recovered. In the spring sample, a total of 1408 ticks (78 larvae, 411 nymphs, 792 adult females and 127 adult males) were recovered from 570 dogs. The autumn sample included a larger proportion of larval stage and fewer adult ticks (1546 larvae, 789 nymphs, 224 adult females and 155 adult males). Haemaphysalis longicornis, H. flava and I. ovatus showed a wide geographical distribution from northern to southern Japan, whereas R. sanguineus were mainly distributed in the subtropical Okinawa prefecture with a few exceptions. Dogs in rural areas more frequently carried H. longicornis, H. flava and I. ovatus than dogs in urban or suburban areas, whereas R. sanguineus was more associated with the dogs in urban/suburban areas. Exposure to a garden was significantly associated with R. sanguineus and exposure to woodland was significantly associated with H. flava and I. ovatus. This is the first systematic survey of canine ticks in Japan.     

Seasonal Distribution of Ticks in Four Habitats near the Demilitarized Zone,Gyeonggi-do (Province), Republic of Korea

This study describes the seasonal distribution of larvae, nymph, and adult life stages for 3 species of ixodid ticks collected by tick drag and sweep methods from various habitats in the Republic of Korea (ROK). Grasses less than 0.5 m in height, including herbaceous and crawling vegetation, and deciduous, conifer, and mixed forests with abundant leaf/needle litter were surveyed at United States (US) and ROK operated military training sites and privately owned lands near the demilitarized zone from April-October, 2004 and 2005. Haemaphysalis longicornis Neumann adults and nymphs were more frequently collected from April-August, while those of Haemaphysalis flava Neumann and Ixodes nipponensis Kitaoka and Saito were collected more frequently from April-July and again during October. H. longicornis was the most frequently collected tick in grass habitats (98.9%), while H. flava was more frequently collected in deciduous (60.2%) and conifer (57.4%) forest habitats. While more H. flava (54.1%) were collected in mixed forest habitats than H. longicornis (35.2%), the differences were not significant. I. nipponensis was more frequently collected from conifer (mean 8.8) compared to deciduous (3.2) and mixed (2.4) forests.     

Severe tick infestation in a hare and potential risk for transmitting pathogens to humans

Severe tick infestation was found in a hare in a suburban area of Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China. We sampled ticks and identified them based on their morphologic characteristics. Three species, Ixodes sinensis, which is commonly found in China and can experimentally transmit Borrelia burgdorferi, Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides, and Haemaphysalis longicornis which can transmit Lyme disease were detected with an optical microscope and a stereomicroscope. Risk of spreading ticks from suburban to urban areas exists due to human transportation and travel between the infested and non-infested areas around Nanchang.     

Ticks Collected from Wild and Domestic Animals and Natural Habitats in the Republic of Korea

Ticks were collected from 35 animals from 5 provinces and 3 metropolitan cities during 2012. Ticks also were collected by tick drag from 4 sites in Gyeonggi-do (2) and Jeollabuk-do (2) Provinces. A total of 612 ticks belonging to 6 species and 3 genera were collected from mammals and a bird (n=573) and by tick drag (n=39). Haemaphyalis longicornis (n=434) was the most commonly collected tick, followed by H. flava (158), Ixodes nipponensis (11), Amblyomma testudinarium (7), H. japonica (1), and H. formosensis (1). H. longicornis and H. flava were collected from all animal hosts examined. For animal hosts (n>1), the highest Tick Index (TI) was observed for domestic dogs (29.6), followed by Siberian roe deer (17.4), water deer (14.4), and raccoon dogs (1.3). A total of 402 H. longicornis (adults 86, 21.4%; nymphs 160, 39.8%; larvae 156, 38.9%) were collected from wild and domestic animals. A total of 158 H. flava (n=158) were collected from wild and domestic animals and 1 ring-necked pheasant, with a higher proportion of adults (103, 65.2%), while nymphs and larvae only accounted for 12.7% (20) and 22.2% (35), respectively. Only 7 A. testudinarium were collected from the wild boar (6 adults) and Eurasian badger (1 nymph), while only 5 I. nipponensis were collected from the water deer (4 adults) and a raccoon dog (1 adult). One adult female H. formosensis was first collected from vegetation by tick drag from Mara Island, Seogwipo-si, Jeju-do Province.     

Prevalence of ixodid ticks on cattle in Mazandaran province, Iran

A survey was carried out to investigate the prevalence of hard tick species (Acari: Ixodidae) on cattle in Mazandaran province, Iran. A total of 953 ticks were collected from 86 infested cattle during activating seasons of ticks during 2004-2005. Nine species were identified: Boophilus annulatus (51.3%), Rhipicephalus bursa (16.8%), Haemaphysalis punctata (6.3%), Ixodes ricinus (6.8%), Hyalomma marginatum (12.5%), Hyalomma anatolicum excavatum (5.2%), Hyalomma asiaticum (0.6%), Hyalomma detritum (0.2 %), and Dermacentor spp. (0.1%). The results show that Boophilus annulatus, Rhipicephalus bursa, and Hyalomma species are dominant tick species in the surveyed area.     

Phylogenetic analysis of spotted fever group rickettsiae based on gltA, 17-kDa, and rOmpA genes amplified by nested PCR from ticks in Japan

In order to understand the natural situation of rickettsiae in the ticks in Japan, the rickettsial genes, gltA gene, rOmpA gene, and 17-kDa gene, were amplified from the ticks by nested PCR. The prevalences of rickettsial gltA genes among Haemaphysalis formosensis, H. longicornis, H. megaspinosa, Ixodes ovatus, H. flava, H. kitaokai, and I. persulcatus were 62, 57, 24, 24, 19, 13, and 10%, respectively; 26% (186/722) being the average. The gltA genes amplified from the ticks were classified into 9 genotypes (I to IX) by the difference in nucleotide sequences. Genotype I was detected from 7 species of ticks. Genotype II mainly was detected from H. longicornis and H. formosensis. Genotypes III and VII mainly were detected from H. flava and I. ovatus. The polarization in the distribution of genotypes among regions where the ticks were collected was not clear. Based on the phylogenetic analysis of the three genes presented here, genotypes I, III, and IV (detected from H. formosensis, H. hystricia, and I. ovatus ) are genetically close with each other, but rickettsiae of the same property still have not been isolated from ticks anywhere in the world. These genotypes should be considered as new species among SFG rickettsiae. Genotype II was identical with strain FUJ-98, genetically close to R. japonica which has been isolated from ticks in China. Genotype V was identical with R. felis and strain California 2 isolated from the cat flea. This is the first report on the detection of R. felis from ticks. Genotype VI detected from Ixodes sp. did not seem to belong to genus Rickettsia. Based on the previous antigenic data and the phylogenetic analysis presented here, Genotype VII should be considered a variant of R. helvetica and genotype VIII detected from I. ovatus and I. persulcatus were identical with R. helvetica. Genotype IX detected from I. nipponensis was genetically close to the strains IRS3, IRS4, and IrR/Munich isolated from I. ricinus in Slovakia and German.     

Immunization effect of recombinant P27/30 protein expressed in Escherichia coli against the hard tick Haemaphysalis longicornis (Acari: Ixodidae) in rabbits

We investigated the induction of resistance to Haemaphysalis longicornis infestation in rabbits that had been immunized with recombinant H. longicornis P27/30 protein. The success of immunological control methods is dependent upon the use of potential key antigens as tick vaccine candidates. Previously, we cloned a gene encoding 27 kDa and 30 kDa proteins (P27/30) of H. longicornis, and identified P27/30 as a troponin I-like protein. In this study, rabbits that were immunized with recombinant P27/30 expressed in Escherichia coli showed the statistically significant longer feeding duration for larval and adult ticks (P<0.05), low engorgement rates in larval ticks (64.4%), and an apparent reduction in egg weights, which suggest that H. longicornis P27/30 protein is a potential candidate antigen for a tick vaccine. These results demonstrated that the recombinant P27/30 protein might be a useful vaccine candidate antigen for biological control of H. longicornis.     

Prevalence of Lyme disease Borrelia spp. in ticks from migratory birds on the Japanese mainland

Borrelia sp. prevalence in ticks on migratory birds was surveyed in central Japan. In autumn, a total of 1,733 birds representing 40 species were examined for ticks. A total of 361 ticks were obtained from 173 birds of 15 species, and these ticks were immature Haemaphysalis flava (94.4%), Haemaphysalis longicornis, Ixodes columnae, Ixodes persulcatus, Ixodes turdus, and an unidentified Ixodes species. Of these, 27 juveniles of H. flava on Turdus pallidus, Turdus cardis, or Emberiza spodocephala, 2 juveniles of I. persulcatus on T. pallidus, and 1 female H. flava molted from a T. pallidus-derived nymph were positive for the presence of Borrelia by Barbour-Stoenner-Kelly culture passages. In spring, a total of 16 ticks obtained from 102 birds of 21 species were negative for the spirochete. Isolates from 15 ticks were characterized by 5S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis; all isolates were identified as Borrelia garinii with pattern B/B' based on the previous patterning. According to the intergenic spacer sequences, 2 of 15 isolates, strains Fi14f and Fi24f, were highly similar to B. garinii strains 935T of Korea and ChY13p of Inner Mongolia, China, respectively. These findings indicate that Lyme disease-causing B. garinii may have been introduced to Japan by migratory birds from northeastern China via Korea. Additionally, a case of transstadial transmission of B. garinii from nymph to adult H. flava suggests that the infected H. flava may transmit Borrelia to large animals.     

No Detection of Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus from Ixodid Ticks Collected in Seoul

Larvae, nymphs, and adult stages of 3 species of ixodid ticks were collected by tick drag methods in Seoul during June-October 2013, and their infection status with severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) virus was examined using RT-PCR. During the period, 732 Haemaphysalis longicornis, 62 Haemaphysalis flava, and 2 Ixodes nipponensis specimens were collected. Among the specimens of H. longicornis, the number of female adults, male adults, nymphs, and larvae were 53, 11, 240, and 446, respectively. Ticks were grouped into 63 pools according to the collection site, species, and developmental stage, and assayed for SFTS virus. None of the pools of ticks were found to be positive for SFTS virus gene.     

Survey of the vectorial competence of ticks in an endemic area of spotted fever group rickettsioses in Fukui Prefecture, Japan

The prevalence of SFGR in ixodid ticks in the Mt. Arashima-dake area in the northern part of Fukui Prefecture was surveyed, because of strong suspicions that the first case identified in this Prefecture had become infected with R. helvetica in this region. The ticks identified consisted of three genera and six species; I.ovatus, I. persulcatus, I. monospinosus, H. flava, H. japonica and D. taiwanensis. Of all 222 ticks collected, only I. monospinosus ticks (8 of 32 examined) were positive for SFGR isolates, which were genetically identified as R. helvetica. Ticks (157 of all 222) positive for SFGR-DNA fragments consisted of I. monospinosus (14 of 32), I. persulcatus (11 of 55), I. ovatus (3 of 38), H. flava (5 of 21) and H. japonica (2 of 9). Of these, thirteen I. monospinosus, eight I. persulcatus, three I. ovatus, two H. flava and one H. japonica were identified by nucleotide sequences as positive for R. helvetica. DNA fragments from three H. flava and one H. japonica showed greater homology to R. japonica than to R. helvetica or R. asiatica. The present results indicate that it is most likely that the vector tick of R. helvetica infection in Fukui Prefecture is I. monospinosus.     

Status of Haemaphysalis tick infestation in domestic ruminants in Iran

The geographical distribution and ecological preferences of Haemaphysalis in domestic animals in Iran were studied 4 times a year from April 2003 to March 2005. A total of 1,622 ixodid tick specimens were collected from 3 different zones. Among them, 108 (6.7%) Haemaphysalis ticks, consisting of 6 species, were identified; H. punctata (3.4%), H. parva (0.5%), H. sulcata (0.6%), H. choldokovskyi (1.7%), H. concinna (0.06%) and Haemaphysalis sp. (0.6%). H. punctata was the most abundant species, whereas H. concinna was the rarest species collected in humid and sub-humid zones on cattle, sheep and goats. H. choldokovskyi was principally collected from sheep and goats grazed in cold mountainous areas. The infested areas consisted of Caspian Sea (Guilan, Mazandaran, Golestan, and central provinces), mountainous (Azarbaiejan, Ardebil, Kohgilouyeh, and Kordestan) and semi-dessert (Khorasan, Semnan, Kerman, Sistan, and Baluchestan) zones. The Caspian Sea zone (23.6%) was the most highly infested region. The results show that various species of Haemaphysalis ticks infest domestic ruminants in Iran and each tick species show characteristic geographical distributions.     

Distribution and molecular detection of Theileria and Babesia in questing ticks from northern Spain

Abstract.  A total of 562 questing adult ixodid ticks, collected during 2003−05 in 10 recreational mountain areas in northern Spain, were analysed for piroplasm infection. Reverse line blot (RLB) analysis using a panel of probes for 23 piroplasm species identified 16 different piroplasms, with an overall prevalence of 9.3%. Most were Theileria spp.-positive (7.7%), 3.0% were positive for Babesia spp. and 1.4% of ticks harboured both genera. Ixodes ricinus (Linnaeus, 1758), the most abundant tick in the vegetation, ranked third with regard to piroplasm infection prevalence (11.4%) after Rhipicephalus bursa (Canestrini & Fanzago, 1878) (16.0%) and Haemaphysalis punctata (Canestrini & Fanzago, 1878) (13.5%). Infection was detected in 6.2% of Dermacentor reticulatus (Fabricius, 1794) and in 1.1% of Haemaphysalis inermis (Birula, 1895), but was absent from Haemaphysalis concinna (Koch, 1844). Ixodes ricinus carried more piroplasm species (13), followed by H. punctata (10), D. reticulatus (8), R. bursa (3) and H. inermis (1). Although most of the positive ticks harboured a single infection (76.9%), mixed infections with two or three different piroplasm species were also detected (23.1%). The various tick−pathogen associations found are discussed and prevalences of infection in ticks are compared with previous results on piroplasms infecting animals in the same region.     

黑龙江省东宁县山区蜱类的生态调查

我国东北地区有的蜱种已证实是传播森林脑炎、北亚蜱传斑疹伤寒的媒介。近年来,国内文献又报导了从东北牡丹江林区发现了莱姆病(Lyme Disease)病人,病人都有被婢咬史,并从全沟硬蜱(Ixodes persulcatus)的中     

Cross-sectional survey of ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) in sheep from an area of the southern Italian Apennines

A cross-sectional survey of ticks was conducted on 197 ovine farms with animals pasturing in an area (3971 km2) of the southern Italian Apennines. The farms were selected to be uniformly distributed throughout the study area using Geographical Information System (GIS). Ticks were collected from 309 (31.4%) out of the 985 sheep sampled, belonging to 92 (46.7%) out of the 197 farms included in the study. The following tick species were found (farm prevalence): Dermacentor marginatus (37.6%), Haemaphysalis punctata (29.4%), H. sulcata (2.5%), H. parva (2.0%). H. inermis (0.5%), Ixodes gibbosus (2.0%), I. ricinus (0.5%), Rhipicephalus sanguineus group (1.0%), and R. bursa (0.5%). A point distribution map (PDM) was drawn by GIS in order to display the distribution of each tick genus in the study area. The general trends of the PDM show that Dermacentor marginatus and Haemaphysalis spp. were widely and homogeneously spread throughout the study area, whereas Rhipicephalus spp. and Ixodes spp. were present only in a few concentrated zones of the study area in accordance to their biological and ecological characteristics.     

昆虫病原线虫斯氏线虫和异小杆线虫对长角血蜱雌蜱的致病力

用昆虫病原线虫小卷蛾斯氏线虫（Sc BJ）、夜蛾斯氏线虫（Sf Otio）、拟双角斯氏线虫（Sc D43）、格氏斯氏线虫（Sg NC32）和嗜菌异小杆线虫（Hb E-6-7）对长角血蜱雌蜱进行感染试验,所用线虫剂量为4 000 Ijs/dish。结果表明,5种线虫均对长角血蜱雌蜱有致死效应。Hb E-6-7和Sc BJ两种线虫对雌蜱各发育期致病力最强,导致雌蜱的累积死亡率和半致死时间分别为饥饿雌蜱82.5%,9.0天和75.0%,8.8天;吸血雌蜱90.0%,8.0天和82.5%,8.0天;饱血雌蜱93.3%,7.3天和86.7%,7.3天。Sc D43对饱血雌蜱有较高的致死效应,为80.0%,但半致死时间较长,为11.7天。Sf Otio和Sg NC32对长角血蜱雌蜱的致死效应较低。饱血雌蜱较饥饿雌蜱和吸血雌蜱更易被线虫感染。     

Haemaphysalis longicornis: molecular characterization of a homologue of the macrophage migration inhibitory factor from the partially fed ticks

The macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) has been identified from some vertebrates and invertebrates. MIF is related to inflammation, tumor growth, and angiogenesis in vertebrates. Here, we report the molecular characterization of a homologue of MIF from partially fed Haemaphysalis longicornis. The sequence analysis of the H. longicornis MIF (HlMIF) indicated that its deduced amino acid sequence has an identity of 77% with the MIF of the tick Amblyomma americanum. Western blot analysis using the anti-His-HlMIF antibody showed that HlMIF was up-regulated during blood feeding. Immunohistochemistry showed that the endogenous HlMIF in partially fed ticks was localized to the midgut and epidermal cells. Moreover, the functional assay revealed that the GST-HlMIF inhibited the migration of human monocytes. In conclusion, we consider that HlMIF may facilitate blood feeding by inhibiting host macrophage migration to the feeding lesion or may participate in the proliferation and differentiation of cells in the tick body.     

Prevalence of Anaplasma and Bartonella spp. in Ticks Collected from Korean Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis argyropus)

Deer serve as reservoirs of tick-borne pathogens that impact on medical and veterinary health worldwide. In the Republic of Korea, the population of Korean water deer (KWD, Hydropotes inermis argyropus) has greatly increased from 1982 to 2011, in part, as a result of reforestation programs established following the Korean War when much of the land was barren of trees. Eighty seven Haemaphysalis flava, 228 Haemaphysalis longicornis, 8 Ixodes nipponensis, and 40 Ixodes persulcatus (21 larvae, 114 nymphs, and 228 adults) were collected from 27 out of 70 KWD. A total of 89/363 ticks (266 pools, 24.5% minimum infection rate) and 5 (1.4%) fed ticks were positive for Anaplasma phagocytophilum using nested PCR targeting the 16S rRNA and groEL genes, respectively. The 16S rRNA gene fragment sequences of 88/89 (98.9%) of positive samples for A. phagocytophilum corresponded to previously described gene sequences from KWD spleen tissues. The 16S rRNA gene fragment sequences of 20/363 (5.5%) of the ticks were positive for A. bovis and were identical to previously reported sequences. Using the ITS specific nested PCR, 11/363 (3.0%) of the ticks were positive for Bartonella spp. This is the first report of Anaplasma and Bartonella spp. detected in ticks collected from KWD, suggesting that ticks are vectors of Anaplasma and Bartonella spp. between reservoir hosts in natural surroundings.     

Two human cases of tick bite caused by Ixodes nipponensis

We report two human cases of tick bite. A 63-year-old male had a pruritic pea-sized brownish nodule on the left popliteal area. Another 41-year-old male had an asymptomatic bean-sized black nodule in the pubic area. The ticks were identified as Ixodes nipponensis, which are the 18th and the 19th cases in Korea.     

The hard-tick fauna of mainland Portugal (Acari: Ixodidae): an update on geographical distribution and known associations with hosts and pathogens

This work is an updated revision of the available information on Portuguese ixodid tick species. It includes data on tick biology, ecology, taxonomy and host/pathogen-associations. The current list of Portuguese ixodid ticks comprises twenty species: Dermacentor marginatus (Sulzer, 1776), Dermacentor reticulatus (Fabricius, 1794), Haemaphysalis hispanica Gil Collado, 1938, Haemaphysalis inermis Birula, 1895, Haemaphysalis punctata Canestrini & Fanzago, 1878, Hyalomma lusitanicum Koch, 1844, Hyalomma marginatum Koch, 1844, Ixodes acuminatus Neumann, 1901, Ixodes bivari Dias, 1990, Ixodes canisuga Johnston, 1849, Ixodes frontalis (Panzer, 1798), Ixodes hexagonus Leach, 1815, Ixodes ricinus (Linnaeus, 1758), Ixodes simplex Neumann, 1906, Ixodes ventalloi Gil Collado, 1936, Ixodes vespertilionis Koch, 1844, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus (Say, 1821), Rhipicephalus bursa Canestrini & Fanzago, 1878, Rhipicephalus pusillus Gil Collado, 1938, and Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille, 1806).     

An updated list of the ticks of Ghana and an assessment of the distribution of the ticks of Ghanaian wild mammals in different vegetation zones

Twenty one species of ticks belonging to five genera of the family Ixodidae (Order Acari, sub-order Ixodida) - Amblyomma, Haemaphysalis, Hyalomma, Ixodes and Rhipicephalus (including the sub-genus Rhipicephalus (Boophilus)) - were collected from 1260 mammals, representing 29 species, 14 families and 6 orders, in four vegetation zones in Ghana during the period 1971-1978. Four other species were collected from humans in 1977. In all, eight species appeared to be new records for Ghana: Amblyomma tholloni Neumann; Dermacentor circumguttatus Neumann; Haemaphysalis houyi Nuttall & Warburton; Ixodes loveridgei Arthur; Ixodes oldi Nuttall; Ixodes vanidicus Schultze; Rhipicephalus complanatus Neumann; Rhipicephalus cuspidatus Neumann. The updated list of tick species in Ghana given here includes 41 species of ixodid ticks and four species of argasid ticks. Most species have been found in neighbouring regions of West Africa but 56 of the 121 different combinations of ixodid tick species and host species found in the collection described here have not apparently been reported before. The new combinations recorded here bring the total number of different combinations of ixodid tick species and mammalian host species now reported in Ghana to 151. The tick species found on wild mammals in Ghana mostly differed from those reported from domestic stock by other authors. The data showed that different tick species occurred in different vegetation zones and that most species displayed a pronounced preference for certain groups of related host species. Some tick species were found in the savanna feeding mainly on large bovids and/or suids; others were found in forests feeding mainly on small bovids, large rodents or small carnivores.