Study on immunobiology in ectoparasites of public health interest: Rhipicephalus sanguineus

The recently defined range of Mediterranean Spotted Fever (MSF) in Sardinia coincides with that of the widely studied Rickettsia conorii vector, the brown dog tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus. This tick is major vector of disease in humans, domestic and wild animals. Characteristic features of the vector with respect to their seasonal activity, abundance as well as incidence of human-tick contact and how these factors influence the incidence of MSF were studied. This paper also looks at host, pathogen and tick vector interactions, re-examining some of the immunobiological parameters involved. However, the primary objective of this research is to develop a strategy that will allow better and safer tick control.