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Abstract
Human-biting ticks threaten public health in the United States. Registration by the Environmental Protection Agency of products to kill host-seeking ticks or repel ticks contacting humans is indicative of their safety and effectiveness. Unregulated minimum risk products, exempt from Environmental Protection Agency registration and often based on botanical oils, are proliferating in the marketplace, but there is concern about their effectiveness to kill and repel ticks. Evaluations of such products are limited in the published literature. A review showed considerable variability among minimum risk products to kill host-seeking blacklegged ticks, with effectiveness similar to chemical pesticide products for some minimum risk products but minimal impact on the ticks for other products. Evaluations of minimum risk tick repellents have typically focused on individual active ingredients rather than formulated products, which often combine multiple active ingredients. Consumers should be aware that effectiveness to kill and repel ticks can differ among unregulated minimum risk products.
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Garamszegi LZ, Soltész Z, Kurucz K, Szentiványi T. Using community science data to assess the association between urbanization and the presence of invasive Aedes species in Hungary. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:158. [PMID: 37147691 PMCID: PMC10161419 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-05780-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Urbanization can be a significant contributor to the spread of invasive mosquito vector species, and the diseases they carry, as urbanized habitats provide access to a great density of food resources (humans and domestic animals) and offer abundant breeding sites for these vectors. Although anthropogenic landscapes are often associated with the presence of invasive mosquito species, we still have little understanding about the relationships between some of these and the built environment. METHODS This study explores the association between urbanization level and the occurrence of invasive Aedes species, specifically Aedes albopictus, Aedes japonicus, and Aedes koreicus, in Hungary, using data from a community (or citizen) science program undertaken between 2019 and 2022. RESULTS The association between each of these species and urbanized landscapes within an extensive geographic area was found to differ. Using the same standardized approach, Ae. albopictus showed a statistically significant and positive relationship with urbanization, whereas Ae. japonicus and Ae. koreicus did not. CONCLUSIONS The findings highlight the importance of community science to mosquito research, as the data gathered using this approach can be used to make qualitative comparisons between species to explore their ecological requirements.
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Affiliation(s)
- László Zsolt Garamszegi
- Institute of Ecology and Botany, Centre for Ecological Research, Alkotmány u. 2-4, Vácrátót, 2163, Hungary.
- National Laboratory for Health Security, Centre for Ecological Research, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Zoltán Soltész
- Institute of Ecology and Botany, Centre for Ecological Research, Alkotmány u. 2-4, Vácrátót, 2163, Hungary
| | - Kornélia Kurucz
- Institute of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
- National Laboratory of Virology, Szentágothai Research Centre, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Tamara Szentiványi
- Institute of Ecology and Botany, Centre for Ecological Research, Alkotmány u. 2-4, Vácrátót, 2163, Hungary
- Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
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Spatial repellents transfluthrin and metofluthrin affect the behavior of Dermacentor variabilis, Amblyomma americanum, and Ixodes scapularis in an in vitro vertical climb assay. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0269150. [PMID: 36346809 PMCID: PMC9642883 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0269150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Repellents serve an important role in bite protection. Tick repellents largely rely on biomechanisms that induce responses with direct contact, but synthetic pyrethroids used as spatial repellents against insects have received recent attention for potential use in tick protection systems. An in vitro vertical climb assay was designed to assess spatial repellency against Dermacentor variabilis, Amblyomma americanum, and Ixodes scapularis adult, female ticks. Climbing behavior was assessed with and without the presence of two spatial repellents, transfluthrin and metofluthrin. Repellency parameters were defined to simulate the natural questing behavior of ambushing ticks, including measures of detachment, pseudo-questing duration, climbing deterrence, and activity. Significant effects were observed within each parameter. D. variabilis showed the greatest general susceptibility to each repellent, followed by A. americanum, and I. scapularis. The most important and integrative measure of repellency was climbing deterrence–a measure of the spatial repellent’s ability to disrupt a tick’s natural propensity to climb. Transfluthrin deterred 75% of D. variabilis, 67% of A. americanum, and 50% of I. scapularis. Metofluthrin was slightly more effective, deterring 81% of D. variabilis, 73% of A. americanum, and 72% of I. scapularis. The present study poses a novel paradigm for repellency and reports a preliminary assessment of spatial repellent effect on tick behavior. Further research will assess spatial repellency in a more natural setting, scale exposure conditions, and incorporate host cues.
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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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González J, Lockhart A, Wu Q, Simon JE, Toledo A. Repellency of novel catnip (Nepeta cataria) cultivar extracts against Ixodes scapularis and Haemaphysalis longicornis (Acari: Ixodida: Ixodidae). Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2022; 13:102046. [PMID: 36130440 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2022.102046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Tick bites are a major public health concern due to the vector role that many tick species have in transmitting human pathogens. Synthetic repellents such as N‑diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET) remain the standard for repellency. Still, there is a need for natural commercial alternatives with similar or better properties than DEET. We evaluated the repellency of two extracts, CR3 and CR9, derived for newly developed catnip cultivars on two tick species, Ixodes scapularis and Haemaphysalis longicornis. Dose-response in vitro assays showed that CR3 and CR9 extracts have similar repellency properties to DEET. At a 20% concentration, both CR3 and CR9 extracts exhibited a repellency of 100%. Catnip extracts maintained their repellency properties for at least 8 h. In a two-choice assay, I. scapularis, but not H. longicornis, was more sensitive to CR3 than DEET. In addition, CR3 reduces the life span of I. scapularis, suggesting that it has an acaricidal effect on ticks. In summary, CR3 and CR9 catnip extracts are promising tick repellents that should be further developed, alone or in combination with other tick repellents, and tested for their use as tick repellents for humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia González
- Department of Entomology, Rutgers University, 96 Lipman Drive, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Anthony Lockhart
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Rutgers University, 160 Frelinghuysen Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Qingli Wu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Rutgers University, 160 Frelinghuysen Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA; Center for Food Systems Sustainability, Institute of Food, Nutrition & Health, and the New Use Agriculture and Natural Plant Products Program, Rutgers University, 61 Dudley Rd., New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - James E Simon
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Rutgers University, 160 Frelinghuysen Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA; Center for Food Systems Sustainability, Institute of Food, Nutrition & Health, and the New Use Agriculture and Natural Plant Products Program, Rutgers University, 61 Dudley Rd., New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Alvaro Toledo
- Department of Entomology, Rutgers University, 96 Lipman Drive, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.
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Eisen L. Personal protection measures to prevent tick bites in the United States: Knowledge gaps, challenges, and opportunities. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2022; 13:101944. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2022.101944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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Price KJ, Ayres BN, Maes SE, Witmier BJ, Chapman HA, Coder BL, Boyer CN, Eisen RJ, Nicholson WL. First detection of human pathogenic variant of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in field-collected Haemaphysalis longicornis, Pennsylvania, USA. Zoonoses Public Health 2021; 69:143-148. [PMID: 34958171 DOI: 10.1111/zph.12901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Revised: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The Asian longhorned tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis, an invasive species associated with human pathogens, has spread rapidly across the eastern USA. Questing H. longicornis ticks recovered from active surveillance conducted from 1 May to 6 September, 2019 throughout Pennsylvania were tested for rickettsial pathogens. Of 265 ticks tested by PCR for pathogens, 4 (1.5%) were positive for Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA gene confirmed two positives as A. phagocytophilum-human agent variant. This is the first reported detection of A. phagocytophilum-human pathogenic strain DNA in exotic H. longicornis collected in the USA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keith J Price
- Division of Vector Management, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Bryan N Ayres
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Sarah E Maes
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Bacterial Diseases Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Bryn J Witmier
- Division of Vector Management, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Holly A Chapman
- Division of Vector Management, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Brooke L Coder
- Division of Vector Management, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Christian N Boyer
- Division of Vector Management, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Rebecca J Eisen
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Bacterial Diseases Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - William L Nicholson
- Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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Tripartite Interactions among Ixodiphagus hookeri, Ixodes ricinus and Deer: Differential Interference with Transmission Cycles of Tick-Borne Pathogens. Pathogens 2020; 9:pathogens9050339. [PMID: 32365910 PMCID: PMC7281138 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9050339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Revised: 04/21/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
For the development of sustainable control of tick-borne diseases, insight is needed in biological factors that affect tick populations. Here, the ecological interactions among Ixodiphagus hookeri, Ixodes ricinus, and two vertebrate species groups were investigated in relation to their effects on tick-borne disease risk. In 1129 questing ticks, I. hookeri DNA was detected more often in I. ricinus nymphs (4.4%) than in larvae (0.5%) and not in adults. Therefore, we determined the infestation rate of I. hookeri in nymphs from 19 forest sites, where vertebrate, tick, and tick-borne pathogen communities had been previously quantified. We found higher than expected co-occurrence rates of I. hookeri with deer-associated Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and lower than expected rates with rodent-associated Borrelia afzelii and Neoehrlichia mikurensis. The prevalence of I. hookeri in nymphs varied between 0% and 16% and was positively correlated with the encounter probability of ungulates and the densities of all life stages of I. ricinus. Lastly, we investigated the emergence of I. hookeri from artificially fed, field-collected nymphs. Adult wasps emerged from seven of the 172 fed nymphs. From these observations, we inferred that I. hookeri is parasitizing I. ricinus larvae that are feeding on deer, rather than on rodents or in the vegetation. Since I. hookeri populations depend on deer abundance, the main propagation host of I. ricinus, these wasps have no apparent effect on tick populations. The presence of I. hookeri may directly interfere with the transmission cycle of A. phagocytophilum, but not with that of B. afzelii or N. mikurensis.
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