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Eisen L, Saunders MEM, Kramer VL, Eisen RJ. History of the geographic distribution of the western blacklegged tick, Ixodes pacificus, in the United States. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2024; 15:102325. [PMID: 38387162 PMCID: PMC10960675 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2024.102325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Ixodes pacificus (the western blacklegged tick) occurs in the far western United States (US), where it commonly bites humans. This tick was not considered a species of medical concern until it was implicated in the 1980s as a vector of Lyme disease spirochetes. Later, it was discovered to also be the primary vector to humans in the far western US of agents causing anaplasmosis and hard tick relapsing fever. The core distribution of I. pacificus in the US includes California, western Oregon, and western Washington, with outlier populations reported in Utah and Arizona. In this review, we provide a history of the documented occurrence of I. pacificus in the US from the 1890s to present, and discuss associations of its geographic range with landscape, hosts, and climate. In contrast to Ixodes scapularis (the blacklegged tick) in the eastern US, there is no evidence for a dramatic change in the geographic distribution of I. pacificus over the last half-century. Field surveys in the 1930s and 1940s documented I. pacificus along the Pacific Coast from southern California to northern Washington, in the Sierra Nevada foothills, and in western Utah. County level collection records often included both immatures and adults of I. pacificus, recovered by drag sampling or from humans, domestic animals, and wildlife. The estimated geographic distribution presented for I. pacificus in 1945 by Bishopp and Trembley is similar to that presented in 2022 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There is no clear evidence of range expansion for I. pacificus, separate from tick records in new areas that could have resulted from newly initiated or intensified surveillance efforts. Moreover, there is no evidence from long-term studies that the density of questing I. pacificus ticks has increased over time in specific areas. It therefore is not surprising that the incidence of Lyme disease has remained stable in the Pacific Coast states from the early 1990s, when it became a notifiable condition, to present. We note that deforestation and deer depredation were less severe in the far western US during the 1800s and early 1900s compared to the eastern US. This likely contributed to I. pacificus maintaining stable, widespread populations across its geographic range in the far western US in the early 1900s, while I. scapularis during the same time period appears to have been restricted to a small number of geographically isolated refugia sites within its present range in the eastern US. The impact that a warming climate may have had on the geographic distribution and local abundance of I. pacificus in recent decades remains unclear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars Eisen
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 3156 Rampart Road, Fort Collins, CO 80521, United States.
| | - Megan E M Saunders
- Vector-Borne Disease Section, California Department of Public Health, 1616 Capitol Ave, Sacramento, CA 95814, United States
| | - Vicki L Kramer
- Vector-Borne Disease Section, California Department of Public Health, 1616 Capitol Ave, Sacramento, CA 95814, United States
| | - Rebecca J Eisen
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 3156 Rampart Road, Fort Collins, CO 80521, United States
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Deshpande G, Beetch JE, Heller JG, Naqvi OH, Kuhn KG. Assessing the Influence of Climate Change and Environmental Factors on the Top Tick-Borne Diseases in the United States: A Systematic Review. Microorganisms 2023; 12:50. [PMID: 38257877 PMCID: PMC10821204 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12010050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
In the United States (US), tick-borne diseases (TBDs) have more than doubled in the past fifteen years and are a major contributor to the overall burden of vector-borne diseases. The most common TBDs in the US-Lyme disease, rickettsioses (including Rocky Mountain spotted fever), and anaplasmosis-have gradually shifted in recent years, resulting in increased morbidity and mortality. In this systematic review, we examined climate change and other environmental factors that have influenced the epidemiology of these TBDs in the US while highlighting the opportunities for a One Health approach to mitigating their impact. We searched Medline Plus, PUBMED, and Google Scholar for studies focused on these three TBDs in the US from January 2018 to August 2023. Data selection and extraction were completed using Covidence, and the risk of bias was assessed with the ROBINS-I tool. The review included 84 papers covering multiple states across the US. We found that climate, seasonality and temporality, and land use are important environmental factors that impact the epidemiology and patterns of TBDs. The emerging trends, influenced by environmental factors, emphasize the need for region-specific research to aid in the prediction and prevention of TBDs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Katrin Gaardbo Kuhn
- Department of Biostatistics & Epidemiology, Hudson College of Public Health, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA; (G.D.); (J.E.B.); (J.G.H.); (O.H.N.)
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de la Fuente J, Estrada-Peña A, Rafael M, Almazán C, Bermúdez S, Abdelbaset AE, Kasaija PD, Kabi F, Akande FA, Ajagbe DO, Bamgbose T, Ghosh S, Palavesam A, Hamid PH, Oskam CL, Egan SL, Duarte-Barbosa A, Hekimoğlu O, Szabó MPJ, Labruna MB, Dahal A. Perception of Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases Worldwide. Pathogens 2023; 12:1258. [PMID: 37887774 PMCID: PMC10610181 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12101258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
In this comprehensive review study, we addressed the challenge posed by ticks and tick-borne diseases (TBDs) with growing incidence affecting human and animal health worldwide. Data and perspectives were collected from different countries and regions worldwide, including America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Oceania. The results updated the current situation with ticks and TBD and how it is perceived by society with information bias and gaps. The study reinforces the importance of multidisciplinary and international collaborations to advance in the surveillance, communication and proposed future directions to address these challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- José de la Fuente
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos, IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo 12, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain;
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Agustín Estrada-Peña
- Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zaragoza, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain
- Research Group in Emerging Zoonoses, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2, Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Marta Rafael
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos, IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo 12, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain;
| | - Consuelo Almazán
- Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autonóma de Querétaro, Avenida de las Ciencias S/N Juriquilla, Querétaro 76230, Mexico;
| | - Sergio Bermúdez
- Medical Entomology Research Department, Gorgas Memorial Institute for Health Research, Panama City 0816-02593, Panama;
| | - Abdelbaset E. Abdelbaset
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Graduate School of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita-18, Nishi-9, Sapporo 060-0818, Hokkaido, Japan;
| | - Paul D. Kasaija
- National Livestock Resources Research Institute (NaLIRRI/NARO), Kampala P.O. Box 5704, Uganda; (P.D.K.); (F.K.)
| | - Fredrick Kabi
- National Livestock Resources Research Institute (NaLIRRI/NARO), Kampala P.O. Box 5704, Uganda; (P.D.K.); (F.K.)
| | - Foluke Adedayo Akande
- Department of Veterinary Parasitology and Entomology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta 111101, Ogun State, Nigeria;
| | - Dorcas Oluwakemi Ajagbe
- Department of Pure and Applied Zoology, College of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta 111101, Ogun State, Nigeria;
| | - Timothy Bamgbose
- Department of Biological Sciences, Microbiology Unit, Faculty of Science, Kings University, Ode-Omu City 221102, Osun State, Nigeria;
| | - Srikant Ghosh
- Entomology Laboratory, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly 243122, Uttar Pradesh, India;
- IVRI-Eastern Regional Station, 37, Belgachia Road, Kolkata 700037, West Bengal, India
| | - Azhahianambi Palavesam
- Translational Research Platform for Veterinary Biologicals, Centre for Animal Health Studies, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chennai 600051, Tamil Nadu, India;
| | - Penny H. Hamid
- Department of Animal Science, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta 57126, Indonesia;
| | - Charlotte L. Oskam
- School of Medical, Molecular and Forensic Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, WA 6150, Australia; (C.L.O.); (S.L.E.)
- Centre for One Health and Biosecurity, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Perth, WA 6150, Australia;
| | - Siobhon L. Egan
- School of Medical, Molecular and Forensic Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, WA 6150, Australia; (C.L.O.); (S.L.E.)
- Centre for One Health and Biosecurity, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Perth, WA 6150, Australia;
| | - Amanda Duarte-Barbosa
- Centre for One Health and Biosecurity, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Perth, WA 6150, Australia;
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Murdoch University, Perth, WA 6150, Australia
| | - Olcay Hekimoğlu
- Division of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Hacettepe University, Beytepe, Ankara 06800, Turkey;
| | - Matias P. J. Szabó
- Laboratório de Ixodologia, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Av. Pará, 1720/Campus Umuarama-Bloco 2T, Uberlândia 38400-902, Brazil;
| | - Marcelo B. Labruna
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, Sao Paulo 05508-220, Brazil;
| | - Ananta Dahal
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Animal Science, Veterinary Science and Fisheries, Agriculture and Forestry University, Chitwan 44200, Nepal;
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Hahn MB, Hojgaard A, Disler G, George W, Droghini A, Schlaht R, Durden LA, Coburn S, Gerlach R, Eisen RJ. Ticks and tick-borne microbes identified through passive and active surveillance in Alaska. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2023; 60:1099-1107. [PMID: 37348952 PMCID: PMC10496432 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjad078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
Rapid environmental change in Alaska and other regions of the Arctic and sub-Arctic has raised concerns about increasing human exposure to ticks and the pathogens they carry. We tested a sample of ticks collected through a combination of passive and active surveillance from humans, domestic animals, and wildlife hosts in Alaska for a panel of the most common tick-borne pathogens in the contiguous United States to characterize the diversity of microbes present in this region. We tested 189 pooled tick samples collected in 2019-2020 for Borrelia spp., Anaplasma spp., Ehrlichia spp., and Babesia spp. using a multiplex PCR amplicon sequencing assay. We found established populations of Ixodes angustus Neumann (Acari: Ixodidae), Ixodes uriae White (Acari: Ixodidae), and Haemaphysalis leporispalustris Packard (Acari: Ixodidae) in Alaska, with I. angustus found on a variety of hosts including domestic companion animals (dogs and cats), small wild mammals, and humans. Ixodes angustus were active from April through October with peaks in adult and nymphal activity observed in summer months (mainly July). Although no known human pathogens were detected, Babesia microti-like parasites and candidatus Ehrlichia khabarensis were identified in ticks and small mammals. The only human pathogen detected (B. burgdorferi s.s.) was found in a tick associated with a dog that had recently traveled to New York, where Lyme disease is endemic. This study highlights the value of a combined passive and active tick surveillance system to detect introduced tick species and pathogens and to assess which tick species and microbes are locally established.
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Affiliation(s)
- Micah B Hahn
- Institute for Circumpolar Health Studies, University of Alaska Anchorage, 3211 Providence Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508, USA
| | - Andrias Hojgaard
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases National Center for Emerging Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 3156 Rampart Road, Fort Collins, CO, 80521, USA
| | - Gale Disler
- Institute for Circumpolar Health Studies, University of Alaska Anchorage, 3211 Providence Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508, USA
| | - William George
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage, 3211 Providence Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508, USA
| | - Amanda Droghini
- Alaska Center for Conservation Science, University of Alaska Anchorage, 3211 Providence Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508, USA
| | - Renate Schlaht
- UAF/CSU 2 + 2 Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Program, Colorado State University, 1601 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO 80523-160, USA
| | - Lance A Durden
- Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University, 4324 Old Register Road, Statesboro, GA 30458, USA
| | - Sarah Coburn
- Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Office of the State Veterinarian, 5251 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99507, USA
| | - Robert Gerlach
- Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Office of the State Veterinarian, 5251 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99507, USA
| | - Rebecca J Eisen
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases National Center for Emerging Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 3156 Rampart Road, Fort Collins, CO, 80521, USA
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Eisen L. Tick species infesting humans in the United States. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2022; 13:102025. [PMID: 35973261 PMCID: PMC10862467 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2022.102025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The data for human tick encounters in the United States (US) presented in this paper were compiled with the goals of: (i) presenting quantitative data across the full range of native or recently established human biting ixodid (hard) and argasid (soft) tick species with regards to their frequency of infesting humans, based on published records of ticks collected while biting humans or crawling on clothing or skin; and (ii) providing a guide to publications on human tick encounters. Summary data are presented in table format, and the detailed data these summaries were based on are included in a set of Supplementary Tables. To date, totals of 36 ixodid species (234,722 specimens) and 13 argasid species (230 specimens) have been recorded in the published literature to infest humans in the US. Nationally, the top five ixodid species recorded from humans were the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis (n=158,008 specimens); the lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum (n=36,004); the American dog tick, Dermacentor variabilis (n=26,624); the western blacklegged tick, Ixodes pacificus (n=4,158); and the Rocky Mountain wood tick, Dermacentor andersoni (n=3,518). Additional species with more than 250 ticks recorded from humans included Ixodes cookei (n=2,494); the Pacific Coast tick, Dermacentor occidentalis (n=809); the brown dog tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (n=714); the winter tick, Dermacentor albipictus (n=465); and the Gulf Coast tick, Amblyomma maculatum (n=335). The spinose ear tick, Otobius megnini (n=69), and the pajaroello tick, Ornithodoros coriaceus (n=55) were the argasid species most commonly recorded from humans. Additional information presented for each of the 49 tick species include a breakdown of life stages recorded from humans, broad geographical distribution in the US, host preference, and associated human pathogens or medical conditions. The paper also provides a history of publications on human tick encounters in the US, with tables outlining publications containing quantitative data on human tick encounters as well as other notable publications on human-tick interactions. Data limitations are discussed. Researchers and public health professionals in possession of unpublished human tick encounter data are strongly encouraged to publish this information in peer-reviewed scientific journals. In future papers, it would be beneficial if data consistently were broken down by tick species and life stage as well as host species and ticks found biting versus crawling on clothing or skin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars Eisen
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 3156 Rampart Road, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA.
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Diniz PPV, Moura de Aguiar D. Ehrlichiosis and Anaplasmosis. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract 2022; 52:1225-1266. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cvsm.2022.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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Socarras KM, Haslund-Gourley BS, Cramer NA, Comunale MA, Marconi RT, Ehrlich GD. Large-Scale Sequencing of Borreliaceae for the Construction of Pan-Genomic-Based Diagnostics. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:1604. [PMID: 36140772 PMCID: PMC9498496 DOI: 10.3390/genes13091604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 09/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The acceleration of climate change has been associated with an alarming increase in the prevalence and geographic range of tick-borne diseases (TBD), many of which have severe and long-lasting effects-particularly when treatment is delayed principally due to inadequate diagnostics and lack of physician suspicion. Moreover, there is a paucity of treatment options for many TBDs that are complicated by diagnostic limitations for correctly identifying the offending pathogens. This review will focus on the biology, disease pathology, and detection methodologies used for the Borreliaceae family which includes the Lyme disease agent Borreliella burgdorferi. Previous work revealed that Borreliaceae genomes differ from most bacteria in that they are composed of large numbers of replicons, both linear and circular, with the main chromosome being the linear with telomeric-like termini. While these findings are novel, additional gene-specific analyses of each class of these multiple replicons are needed to better understand their respective roles in metabolism and pathogenesis of these enigmatic spirochetes. Historically, such studies were challenging due to a dearth of both analytic tools and a sufficient number of high-fidelity genomes among the various taxa within this family as a whole to provide for discriminative and functional genomic studies. Recent advances in long-read whole-genome sequencing, comparative genomics, and machine-learning have provided the tools to better understand the fundamental biology and phylogeny of these genomically-complex pathogens while also providing the data for the development of improved diagnostics and therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kayla M. Socarras
- Center for Advanced Microbial Processing, Institute for Molecular Medicine and Infectious Disease, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19102, USA
- Center for Genomic Sciences, Institute for Molecular Medicine and Infectious Disease, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19102, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19102, USA
| | - Benjamin S. Haslund-Gourley
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19102, USA
| | - Nicholas A. Cramer
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, 1112 East Clay Street, Room 101 Health Sciences Research Building, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
- Department of Oral and Craniofacial Molecular Biology, Philips Institute for Oral Health Research, School of Dentistry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Mary Ann Comunale
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19102, USA
| | - Richard T. Marconi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, 1112 East Clay Street, Room 101 Health Sciences Research Building, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
- Department of Oral and Craniofacial Molecular Biology, Philips Institute for Oral Health Research, School of Dentistry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Garth D. Ehrlich
- Center for Advanced Microbial Processing, Institute for Molecular Medicine and Infectious Disease, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19102, USA
- Center for Genomic Sciences, Institute for Molecular Medicine and Infectious Disease, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19102, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19102, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, 1112 East Clay Street, Room 101 Health Sciences Research Building, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
- Center for Surgical Infections and Biofilms, Institute for Molecular Medicine and Infectious Disease, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19102, USA
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Disler G, Schlaht R, Hahn MB. Perspectives on and prevalence of ticks and tick-borne diseases in Alaskan veterinary clinics. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2022; 261:1-8. [PMID: 35921400 PMCID: PMC10424748 DOI: 10.2460/javma.22.04.0162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Objective To assess knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of veterinary personnel and pet owners regarding ticks and tick-borne diseases in Alaska and to conduct a serosurvey for tick-borne disease pathogens among domestic animals visiting veterinary clinics for preventative care. Sample Across 8 veterinary clinics, we sampled 31 veterinary personnel, 81 pet owners, 102 client-owned dogs, and 1 client-owned cat. Procedures Information on KAP among veterinary staff and pet owners was collected via self-administered questionnaires. Tick and tick-borne disease prevalence were assessed via tick checks and benchtop ELISA antibody tests detecting Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Anaplasma platys, Erlichia canis, Erlichia ewingii, and Borrelia burgdorferi. Results The veterinary personnel KAP survey showed a low average knowledge score (53.5%) but a moderate attitude score (71.7%). In contrast, owner average knowledge score was higher (67.5%) and attitude score was comparatively low (50.6%). Both veterinary personnel and owners had low average practice scores (64.5% and 56.3%, respectively). One dog was positive for anaplasmosis (unknown species) antibody, and 1 dog was positive for B burgdorferi antibody. No ticks were found during the study. Clinical Relevance This study was the first of its kind in the state and indicated a low prevalence of ticks and tick-borne diseases in the domestic pet population and highlighted significant knowledge gaps that could be targeted by public health efforts. Our results suggest the value of a One Health approach and of the veterinary-client relationship to address ticks and tick-borne diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gale Disler
- Institute for Circumpolar Health Studies, University of Alaska, Anchorage, AK
| | | | - Micah B. Hahn
- Institute for Circumpolar Health Studies, University of Alaska, Anchorage, AK
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Georgiades P, Ezhova E, Räty M, Orlov D, Kulmala M, Lelieveld J, Malkhazova S, Erguler K, Petäjä T. The impact of climatic factors on tick-related hospital visits and borreliosis incidence rates in European Russia. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0269846. [PMID: 35857740 PMCID: PMC9299338 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0269846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Tick-borne diseases are among the challenges associated with warming climate. Many studies predict, and already note, expansion of ticks’ habitats to the north, bringing previously non-endemic diseases, such as borreliosis and encephalitis, to the new areas. In addition, higher temperatures accelerate phases of ticks’ development in areas where ticks have established populations. Earlier works have shown that meteorological parameters, such as temperature and humidity influence ticks’ survival and define their areas of habitat. Here, we study the link between climatic parameters and tick-related hospital visits as well as borreliosis incidence rates focusing on European Russia. We have used yearly incidence rates of borreliosis spanning a period of 20 years (1997-2016) and weekly tick-related hospital visits spanning two years (2018-2019). We identify regions in Russia characterized by similar dynamics of incidence rates and dominating tick species. For each cluster, we find a set of climatic parameters that are significantly correlated with the incidence rates, though a linear regression approach using exclusively climatic parameters to incidence prediction was less than 50% effective. On a weekly timescale, we find correlations of different climatic parameters with hospital visits. Finally, we trained two long short-term memory neural network models to project the tick-related hospital visits until the end of the century, under the RCP8.5 climate scenario, and present our findings in the evolution of the tick season length for different regions in Russia. Our results show that the regions with an expected increase in both tick season length and borreliosis incidence rates are located in the southern forested areas of European Russia. Oppositely, our projections suggest no prolongation of the tick season length in the northern areas with already established tick population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pantelis Georgiades
- Environmental Predictions Department, Climate and Atmosphere Research Centre, The Cyprus Institute, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Ekaterina Ezhova
- Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research (INAR), Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Meri Räty
- Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research (INAR), Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Dmitry Orlov
- Department of Biogeography, Faculty of Geography, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Markku Kulmala
- Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research (INAR), Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jos Lelieveld
- Environmental Predictions Department, Climate and Atmosphere Research Centre, The Cyprus Institute, Nicosia, Cyprus
- Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Mainz, Germany
| | - Svetlana Malkhazova
- Department of Biogeography, Faculty of Geography, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Kamil Erguler
- Environmental Predictions Department, Climate and Atmosphere Research Centre, The Cyprus Institute, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Tuukka Petäjä
- Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research (INAR), Faculty of Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- * E-mail:
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Witmer FDW, Nawrocki TW, Hahn M. Modeling Geographic Uncertainty in Current and Future Habitat for Potential Populations of Ixodes pacificus (Acari: Ixodidae) in Alaska. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2022; 59:976-986. [PMID: 35134194 PMCID: PMC9113094 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjac001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Ixodes pacificus Cooley & Kohls is the primary vector of Lyme disease spirochetes to humans in the western United States. Although not native to Alaska, this tick species has recently been found on domestic animals in the state. Ixodes pacificus has a known native range within the western contiguous United States and southwest Canada; therefore, it is not clear if introduced individuals can successfully survive and reproduce in the high-latitude climate of Alaska. To identify areas of suitable habitat within Alaska for I. pacificus, we used model parameters from two existing sets of ensemble habitat distribution models calibrated in the contiguous United States. To match the model input covariates, we calculated climatic and land cover covariates for the present (1980-2014) and future (2070-2100) climatologies in Alaska. The present-day habitat suitability maps suggest that the climate and land cover in Southeast Alaska and portions of Southcentral Alaska could support the establishment of I. pacificus populations. Future forecasts suggest an increase in suitable habitat with considerable uncertainty for many areas of the state. Repeated introductions of this non-native tick to Alaska increase the likelihood that resident populations could become established.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank D W Witmer
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK, USA
| | - Timm W Nawrocki
- Alaska Center for Conservation Science, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK, USA
| | - Micah Hahn
- Institute for Circumpolar Health Studies, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK, USA
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Cull B. Monitoring Trends in Distribution and Seasonality of Medically Important Ticks in North America Using Online Crowdsourced Records from iNaturalist. INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13050404. [PMID: 35621740 PMCID: PMC9145093 DOI: 10.3390/insects13050404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Simple Summary An increasing number of cases of tick-borne diseases are being reported across North America and in new areas. This has been linked to the spread of ticks, primarily the blacklegged tick Ixodes scapularis and the lone star tick Amblyomma americanum, into new geographical regions. Tick surveillance systems have played an important role in monitoring the changing distributions of these ticks and have benefitted greatly from including data collected by members of the public through citizen or community science projects. Enlisting the help of community scientists is an economical way to collect large amounts of data over a wide geographical area, and participants can also benefit by receiving information relevant to their tick encounter, for example regarding tick-borne disease symptoms. This study examined tick observations from the online image-based biological recording platform iNaturalist to evaluate its use as an extra tool to collect information on expanding tick distributions. The distribution and seasonality of iNaturalist tick observations were found to accurately represent those of the studied species and identified potential new areas of tick expansion. Free-to-access iNaturalist data is a highly cost-effective method to support existing tick surveillance strategies to aid preparedness and response in emerging areas of tick establishment. Abstract Recent increases in the incidence and geographic range of tick-borne diseases in North America are linked to the range expansion of medically important tick species, including Ixodes scapularis, Amblyomma americanum, and Amblyomma maculatum. Passive tick surveillance programs have been highly successful in collecting information on tick distribution, seasonality, host-biting activity, and pathogen infection prevalence. These have demonstrated the power of citizen or community science participation to collect country-wide, epidemiologically relevant data in a resource-efficient manner. This study examined tick observations from the online image-based biological recording platform iNaturalist to evaluate its use as an effective tool for monitoring the distributions of A. americanum, A. maculatum, I. scapularis, and Dermacentor in the United States and Canada. The distribution and seasonality of iNaturalist tick observations were found to accurately represent those of the studied species. County-level iNaturalist tick occurrence data showed good agreement with other data sources in documented areas of I. scapularis and A. americanum establishment, and highlighted numerous previously unreported counties with iNaturalist observations of these species. This study supports the use of iNaturalist data as a highly cost-effective passive tick surveillance method that can complement existing surveillance strategies to update tick distributions and identify new areas of tick establishment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Cull
- Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
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Morshed MG, Lee MK, Boyd E, Mak S, Fraser E, Nguyen J, Dykstra EA, Otterstatter M, Henry B, Galanis E. Passive Tick Surveillance and Detection of Borrelia Species in Ticks from British Columbia, Canada: 2002-2018. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2021; 21:490-497. [PMID: 33826423 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2020.2743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Lyme disease, caused by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) complex, is the most common vector-borne disease in North America. This disease has a much lower incidence in western compared with eastern North America. Passive tick surveillance data submitted over 17 years from 2002 to 2018 were analyzed to determine the occurrence of tick species and the prevalence of Borrelia spp. in ticks in British Columbia (BC), Canada. The BC Centre for Disease Control Public Health Laboratory received tick submissions from physicians, veterinarians, and BC residents. Ticks were identified to species, and all ticks, except Dermacentor andersoni, were tested using generic B. burgdorferi s.l. primer sets and species-specific PCR primer sets for B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.). Tick submission data were analyzed to assess temporal and geographical trends, tick life stages, and tick species. Poisson regression was used to assess temporal trends in annual tick submissions. A total of 15,464 ticks were submitted. Among these, 0.29% (n = 10,235) of Ixodes spp. ticks and 5.3% (n = 434) of Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks were found carrying B. burgdorferi s.s. B. burgdorferi s.s. was primarily detected in Ixodes pacificus (52%; n = 16) and Ixodes angustus ticks (19%; n = 6) retrieved from humans (n = 5) and animals (n = 26). B. burgdorferi was found in ticks submitted throughout the year. Ixodes spp. ticks were primarily submitted from the coastal regions of southwestern BC, and D. andersoni ticks were primarily submitted from southern interior BC. The number of human tick submissions increased significantly (p < 0.001) between 2013 and 2018. The annual prevalence of B. burgdorferi in ticks remained stable during the study period. These findings correspond to those observed in US Pacific Northwestern states. Passive tick surveillance is an efficient tool to monitor long-term trends in tick distribution and B. burgdorferi prevalence in a low endemicity region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad G Morshed
- BCCDC Public Health Laboratory, Vancouver, Canada.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | | | - Eva Boyd
- Communicable Diseases & Immunization Service, BC Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Sunny Mak
- Communicable Diseases & Immunization Service, BC Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Erin Fraser
- Communicable Diseases & Immunization Service, BC Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Jason Nguyen
- BCCDC Public Health Laboratory, Vancouver, Canada
| | | | - Michael Otterstatter
- Communicable Diseases & Immunization Service, BC Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, Canada.,School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Bonnie Henry
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Eleni Galanis
- Communicable Diseases & Immunization Service, BC Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, Canada.,School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
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