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Rousseau R, Mori M, Kabamba B, Vanwambeke SO. Tick abundance and infection with three zoonotic bacteria are heterogeneous in a Belgian peri-urban forest. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2024; 93:49-69. [PMID: 38869724 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-024-00919-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
Ixodes ricinus is a vector of several pathogens of public health interest. While forests are the primary habitat for I. ricinus, its abundance and infection prevalence are expected to vary within forest stands. This study assesses the spatio-temporal variations in tick abundance and infection prevalence with three pathogens in and around a peri-urban forest where human exposure is high. Ticks were sampled multiple times in 2016 and 2018 in multiple locations with a diversity of undergrowth, using the consecutive drags method. Three zoonotic pathogens were screened for, Borrelia burgdorferi s.l., Coxiella burnetii, and Francisella tularensis. The influence of season, type of site and micro-environmental factors on tick abundance were assessed with negative binomial generalized linear mixed-effects models. We collected 1642 nymphs and 181 adult ticks. Ticks were most abundant in the spring, in warmer temperatures, and where undergrowth was higher. Sites with vegetation unaffected by human presence had higher abundance of ticks. Forest undergrowth type and height were significant predictors of the level of tick abundance in a forest. The consecutive drags method is expected to provide more precise estimates of tick abundance, presumably through more varied contacts with foliage. Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. prevalence was estimated from pooled ticks at 5.33%, C. burnetii was detected in six pools and F. tularensis was not detected. Borrelia afzelii was the dominant B. burgdorferi genospecies. Tick abundance and B. burgdorferi s.l. infection prevalence were lower than other estimates in Belgian forests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphaël Rousseau
- Earth and Life Institute (ELI), Earth and Climate pole (ELIC), Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Marcella Mori
- Bacterial zoonoses unit, Veterinary bacteriology, Sciensano, Ukkel/Uccle, Belgium
| | - Benoît Kabamba
- Institute of Clinical and Experimental Research (IREC), Pôle de Microbiologie Médicale, Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sophie O Vanwambeke
- Earth and Life Institute (ELI), Earth and Climate pole (ELIC), Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
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2
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Giesen C, Cifo D, Gomez-Barroso D, Estévez-Reboredo RM, Figuerola J, Herrador Z. The Role of Environmental Factors in Lyme Disease Transmission in the European Union: A Systematic Review. Trop Med Infect Dis 2024; 9:113. [PMID: 38787046 PMCID: PMC11125681 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed9050113] [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: 01/24/2024] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lyme disease (LD) is an emergent vector-borne disease caused by Borrelia spp. and transmitted through infected ticks, mainly Ixodes spp. Our objective was to determine meteorological and environmental factors associated with LD transmission in Europe and the effect of climate change on LD. MATERIALS AND METHODS A systematic review following the PRISMA guidelines was performed. We selected studies on LD transmission in the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA) published between 2000 and 2022. The protocol was registered in the PROSPERO database. RESULTS We included 81 studies. The impact of environmental, meteorological or climate change factors on tick vectors was studied in 65 papers (80%), and the impact on human LD cases was studied in 16 papers (19%), whereas animal hosts were only addressed in one study (1%). A significant positive relationship was observed between temperature and precipitation and the epidemiology of LD, although contrasting results were found among studies. Other positive factors were humidity and the expansion of anthropized habitats. CONCLUSIONS The epidemiology of LD seems to be related to climatic factors that are changing globally due to ongoing climate change. Unfortunately, the complete zoonotic cycle was not systematically analyzed. It is important to adopt a One Health approach to understand LD epidemiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Giesen
- Centro de Salud Internacional Madrid Salud, Ayuntamiento de Madrid, 28006 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Daniel Cifo
- Escuela Nacional de Sanidad, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Diana Gomez-Barroso
- Centro Nacional de Epidemiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (D.G.-B.); (R.M.E.-R.)
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), 28029 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Rosa M. Estévez-Reboredo
- Centro Nacional de Epidemiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (D.G.-B.); (R.M.E.-R.)
| | - Jordi Figuerola
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), 28029 Madrid, Spain;
- Estación Biológica de Doñana, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, 41092 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Zaida Herrador
- Centro Nacional de Epidemiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (D.G.-B.); (R.M.E.-R.)
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), 28029 Madrid, Spain;
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Zeman P. Tick-Bite "Meteo"-Prevention: An Evaluation of Public Responsiveness to Tick Activity Forecasts Available Online. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:1908. [PMID: 37763311 PMCID: PMC10533051 DOI: 10.3390/life13091908] [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: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Until causal prophylaxis is available, the avoidance of ticks and personal protection provide the best insurance against contracting a tick-borne disease (TBD). To support public precaution, tick-activity forecasts (TAFs) based on weather projection are provided online for some regions/countries. This study-aimed at evaluating the efficacy of this preventative strategy-was conducted between 2015 and 2019, and included two countries where TAFs are issued regularly (Czech Republic, Germany) and two neighbouring countries for reference (Austria, Switzerland). Google Trends (GT) data were used to trace public concern with TAFs and related health information. GTs were compared with epidemiological data on TBD cases and tick bites, wherever available. Computer simulations of presumable effectiveness under various scenarios were performed. This study showed that public access to TAFs/preventive information is infrequent and not optimally distributed over the season. Interest arises very early in midwinter and then starts to fall in spring/summer when human-tick contacts culminate. Consequently, a greater number of TBD cases are contracted beyond the period of maximum public responsiveness to prevention guidance. Simulations, nevertheless, indicate that there is a potential for doubling the prevention yield if risk assessment, in addition to tick activity, subsumes the population's exposure, and a real-time surrogate is proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petr Zeman
- Medical Laboratories, Konevova 205, 130 00 Prague, Czech Republic
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Hekimoglu O, Elverici C, Kuyucu AC. Predicting climate-driven distribution shifts in Hyalomma marginatum (Ixodidae). Parasitology 2023; 150:883-893. [PMID: 37519234 PMCID: PMC10577666 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182023000689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Hyalomma marginatum is an important tick species which is the main vector of Crimean–Congo haemorrhagic fever and spotted fever. The species is predominantly distributed in parts of southern Europe, North Africa and West Asia. However, due to ongoing climate change and increasing reports of H. marginatum in central and northern Europe, the expansion of this range poses a potential future risk. In this study, an ecological niche modelling approach to model the current and future climatic suitability of H. marginatum was followed. Using high-resolution climatic variables from the Chelsa dataset and an updated list of locations for H. marginatum, ecological niche models were constructed under current environmental conditions using MaxEnt for both current conditions and future projections under the ssp370 and ssp585 scenarios. Models show that the climatically suitable region for H. marginatum matches the current distributional area in the Mediterranean basin and West Asia. When applied to future projections, the models suggest a considerable expansion of H. marginatum's range in the north in Europe as a result of rising temperatures. However, a decline in central Anatolia is also predicted, potentially due to the exacerbation of drought conditions in that region.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Can Elverici
- Biology Department, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
- Biodiversity Institute, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
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Richter D, Schneider AK, Schibalski A, Dahlkamp A, Schröder B. Features in and around residential gardens affecting the presence and abundance of questing Ixodes ricinus ticks. Infect Ecol Epidemiol 2023; 13:2207878. [PMID: 37180872 PMCID: PMC10167878 DOI: 10.1080/20008686.2023.2207878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
People may be exposed to questing Ixodes ricinus ticks in urban settings, e.g. residential gardens. Little is known about the garden characteristics that support a tick population. To determine which features in and around residential gardens support or limit the occurrence and abundance of questing I. ricinus ticks, we sampled them in residential gardens in the Braunschweig region that differed in various intrinsic and extrinsic parameters. We recorded the number of questing nymphal and adult ticks on transects, and by using mixed-effects generalized linear regression models, we related their occurrence and abundance to garden characteristics, meteorological covariates, and landscape features in the vicinity. We detected questing I. ricinus ticks in about 90% of the 103 surveyed gardens. Our occurrence model (marginal R2 = 0.31) predicted the highest probability of questing ticks on transects with hedges or groundcover in gardens, which are located in neighborhoods with large proportions of forest. The abundance of questing ticks was similarly influenced. We conclude that I. ricinus ticks are frequent in residential gardens in Northern Germany and likely associated with intrinsic garden characteristics on a small scale, such as hedges, as well as extrinsic factors on a local scale, such as the proportion of nearby woodland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dania Richter
- Landscape Ecology and Environmental Systems Analysis, Institute of Geoecology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Anne-Kathrin Schneider
- Landscape Ecology and Environmental Systems Analysis, Institute of Geoecology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Anett Schibalski
- Landscape Ecology and Environmental Systems Analysis, Institute of Geoecology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Andreas Dahlkamp
- Landscape Ecology and Environmental Systems Analysis, Institute of Geoecology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Boris Schröder
- Landscape Ecology and Environmental Systems Analysis, Institute of Geoecology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research BBIB, Berlin, Germany
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6
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Estrada-Peña A. The climate niche of the invasive tick species Hyalomma marginatum and Hyalomma rufipes (Ixodidae) with recommendations for modeling exercises. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2023; 89:231-250. [PMID: 36881286 PMCID: PMC10097758 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-023-00778-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The finding of immature stages of some Hyalomma spp. feeding on migratory birds in Europe is unexceptional. The reports of adults of Hyalomma in Europe (incl. the British Isles) after successful molting from immatures have increased in recent years. It has been claimed that the warming of the target territory could favor the populations of these invasive ticks. Although evaluations of the impact on health or measures of adaptation are on their way, the climate niches of these species remain undefined, preventing preventive policies. This study delineates such niches for both Hyalomma marginatum (2,729 collection points) and Hyalomma rufipes (2,573 collections) in their distribution area, together with 11,669 points in Europe where Hyalomma spp. are believed to be absent in field surveys. Niche is defined from daily data of temperature, evapotranspiration, soil humidity and air saturation deficit (years 1970-2006). A set of eight variables (annual/seasonal accumulated temperature and vapor deficit) has the maximum discriminatory power separating the niches of both Hyalomma and a negative dataset, with an accuracy near 100%. The sites supporting H. marginatum or H. rufipes seem to be controlled by the joint action of the amount of water in the air (accounting for mortality) and the accumulated temperature (regulating development). The use of accumulated annual temperature as the only variable for predictive purposes of colonization of Hyalomma spp. looks unreliable, as far as values of water in air are excluded.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agustín Estrada-Peña
- Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Miguel Servet 177, Zaragoza, 50013, Spain.
- Group of Research on Emerging Zoonoses, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón (IA2), Zaragoza, Spain.
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7
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Janzén T, Hammer M, Petersson M, Dinnétz P. Factors responsible for Ixodes ricinus presence and abundance across a natural-urban gradient. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0285841. [PMID: 37195993 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0285841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023] Open
Abstract
To better understand the spatial distribution of the common tick Ixodes ricinus, we investigated how local site factors and landscape characteristics influence tick presence and abundance in different greenspaces along the natural-urban gradient in Stockholm County, Sweden. Ticks and field data were collected in 2017 and 2019 and analyzed in relation to habitat type distributions estimated from land cover maps using geographical information system (GIS). A total of 1378 (992 larvae, 370 nymphs, 13 females, and 3 males) questing ticks were collected from 295 sampling plots in 47 different greenspaces. Ticks were present in 41 of the 47 greenspaces and our results show that both local site features such as vegetation height, and landscape characteristics like the amount of mixed coniferous forest, significantly affect tick abundance. Tick abundance was highest in rural areas with large natural and seminatural habitats, but ticks were also present in parks and gardens in highly urbanized areas. Greenspaces along the natural-urban gradient should be included in surveillance for ticks and tick-borne diseases, including highly urbanized sites that may be perceived by the public as areas with low risk for tick encounters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thérese Janzén
- Södertörn University, School of Natural Sciences Technology and Environmental Studies, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Monica Hammer
- Södertörn University, School of Natural Sciences Technology and Environmental Studies, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Mona Petersson
- Södertörn University, School of Natural Sciences Technology and Environmental Studies, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Patrik Dinnétz
- Södertörn University, School of Natural Sciences Technology and Environmental Studies, Huddinge, Sweden
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Bregnard C, Rais O, Herrmann C, Kahl O, Brugger K, Voordouw MJ. Beech tree masting explains the inter-annual variation in the fall and spring peaks of Ixodes ricinus ticks with different time lags. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:570. [PMID: 34749794 PMCID: PMC8577035 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-05076-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The tick Ixodes ricinus is an important vector of tick-borne diseases including Lyme borreliosis. In continental Europe, the nymphal stage of I. ricinus often has a bimodal phenology with a large spring peak and a smaller fall peak. There is consensus about the origin of the spring nymphal peak, but there are two alternative hypotheses for the fall nymphal peak. In the direct development hypothesis, larvae quest as nymphs in the fall of the same year that they obtained their larval blood meal. In the developmental diapause hypothesis, larvae overwinter in the engorged state and quest as nymphs one year after they obtained their larval blood meal. These two hypotheses make different predictions about the time lags that separate the larval blood meal and the density of questing nymphs (DON) in the spring and fall. METHODS Inter-annual variation in seed production (masting) by deciduous trees is a time-lagged index for the density of vertebrate hosts (e.g., rodents) which provide blood meals for larval ticks. We used a long-term data set on the masting of the European beech tree and a 15-year study on the DON at 4 different elevation sites in western Switzerland to differentiate between the two alternative hypotheses for the origin of the fall nymphal peak. RESULTS Questing I. ricinus nymphs had a bimodal phenology at the three lower elevation sites, but a unimodal phenology at the top elevation site. At the lower elevation sites, the DON in the fall was strongly correlated with the DON in the spring of the following year. The inter-annual variation in the densities of I. ricinus nymphs in the fall and spring was best explained by a 1-year versus a 2-year time lag with the beech tree masting index. Fall nymphs had higher fat content than spring nymphs indicating that they were younger. All these observations are consistent with the direct development hypothesis for the fall peak of I. ricinus nymphs at our study site. Our study provides new insight into the complex bimodal phenology of this important disease vector. CONCLUSIONS Public health officials in Europe should be aware that following a strong mast year, the DON will increase 1 year later in the fall and 2 years later in the spring. Studies of I. ricinus populations with a bimodal phenology should consider that the spring and fall peak in the same calendar year represent different generations of ticks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cindy Bregnard
- Laboratory of Ecology and Evolution of Parasites, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Olivier Rais
- Laboratory of Ecology and Epidemiology of Parasites, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
- Laboratory of Eco-Epidemiology of Parasites, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Coralie Herrmann
- Laboratory of Eco-Epidemiology of Parasites, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Olaf Kahl
- tick-radar GmbH, 10555 Berlin, Germany
| | - Katharina Brugger
- Unit for Veterinary Public Health and Epidemiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Maarten J. Voordouw
- Laboratory of Ecology and Evolution of Parasites, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
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Kulisz J, Bartosik K, Zając Z, Woźniak A, Kolasa S. Quantitative Parameters of the Body Composition Influencing Host Seeking Behavior of Ixodes ricinus Adults. Pathogens 2021; 10:706. [PMID: 34198835 PMCID: PMC8227263 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10060706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Revised: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Ixodes ricinus, a hematophagous arthropod species with great medical importance in the northern hemisphere, is characterized by an ability to survive prolonged periods of starvation, a wide host spectrum, and high vector competence. The aim of the present study was to determine the quantitative parameters of questing I. ricinus ticks collected in eastern Poland during the spring peak of their activity. The study consisted in the determination of quantitative parameters characterizing I. ricinus females and males, i.e., fresh body mass, reduced body mass, lipid-free body mass, water mass, and lipid mass and calculation of the lipid index. A statistically significant difference was observed between the mean values of the lipid index in females collected during the first and last ten days of May, which indicates the progressive utilization of reserve materials in the activity period. Higher activity of I. ricinus female ticks was observed during the last ten days of May despite the less favorable weather conditions, indicating their strong determination in host-seeking behaviors accompanying a decline in the lipid content and the use of the "now or never" strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Kulisz
- Chair and Department of Biology and Parasitology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Lublin, Radziwiłłowska 11 St., 20-080 Lublin, Poland; (K.B.); (Z.Z.); (A.W.)
| | - Katarzyna Bartosik
- Chair and Department of Biology and Parasitology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Lublin, Radziwiłłowska 11 St., 20-080 Lublin, Poland; (K.B.); (Z.Z.); (A.W.)
| | - Zbigniew Zając
- Chair and Department of Biology and Parasitology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Lublin, Radziwiłłowska 11 St., 20-080 Lublin, Poland; (K.B.); (Z.Z.); (A.W.)
| | - Aneta Woźniak
- Chair and Department of Biology and Parasitology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Lublin, Radziwiłłowska 11 St., 20-080 Lublin, Poland; (K.B.); (Z.Z.); (A.W.)
| | - Szymon Kolasa
- Polesie National Park, Lubelska 3a St., 22-234 Urszulin, Poland;
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Bregnard C, Rais O, Voordouw MJ. Masting by beech trees predicts the risk of Lyme disease. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:168. [PMID: 33743800 PMCID: PMC7980658 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-04646-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The incidence of Lyme borreliosis and other tick-borne diseases is increasing in Europe and North America. There is currently much interest in identifying the ecological factors that determine the density of infected ticks as this variable determines the risk of Lyme borreliosis to vertebrate hosts, including humans. Lyme borreliosis is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) and in western Europe, the hard tick Ixodes ricinus is the most important vector. METHODS Over a 15-year period (2004-2018), we monitored the monthly abundance of I. ricinus ticks (nymphs and adults) and their B. burgdorferi s.l. infection status at four different elevations on a mountain in western Switzerland. We collected climate variables in the field and from nearby weather stations. We obtained data on beech tree seed production (masting) from the literature, as the abundance of Ixodes nymphs can increase dramatically 2 years after a masting event. We used generalized linear mixed effects models and AIC-based model selection to identify the ecological factors that influence inter-annual variation in the nymphal infection prevalence (NIP) and the density of infected nymphs (DIN). RESULTS We found that the NIP decreased by 78% over the study period. Inter-annual variation in the NIP was explained by the mean precipitation in the present year, and the duration that the DNA extraction was stored in the freezer prior to pathogen detection. The DIN decreased over the study period at all four elevation sites, and the decrease was significant at the top elevation. Inter-annual variation in the DIN was best explained by elevation site, year, beech tree masting index 2 years prior and the mean relative humidity in the present year. This is the first study in Europe to demonstrate that seed production by deciduous trees influences the density of nymphs infected with B. burgdorferi s.l. and hence the risk of Lyme borreliosis. CONCLUSIONS Public health officials in Europe should be aware that masting by deciduous trees is an important predictor of the risk of Lyme borreliosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cindy Bregnard
- Laboratory of Ecology and Evolution of Parasites, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Olivier Rais
- Laboratory of Ecology and Epidemiology of Parasites, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Maarten Jeroen Voordouw
- Laboratory of Ecology and Evolution of Parasites, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
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11
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Bregnard C, Rais O, Voordouw MJ. Climate and tree seed production predict the abundance of the European Lyme disease vector over a 15-year period. Parasit Vectors 2020; 13:408. [PMID: 32778177 PMCID: PMC7418309 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-020-04291-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND To predict the risk of tick-borne disease, it is critical to understand the ecological factors that determine the abundance of ticks. In Europe, the sheep tick (Ixodes ricinus) transmits a number of important diseases including Lyme borreliosis. The aim of this long-term study was to determine the abiotic and biotic factors driving the annual abundance of I. ricinus at a location in Switzerland where Lyme borreliosis is endemic. METHODS Over a 15-year period (2004 to 2018), we monitored the abundance of I. ricinus ticks on a monthly basis at three different elevations on Chaumont Mountain in Neuchâtel, Switzerland. We collected climate variables in the field and from nearby weather stations. We obtained data on beech tree seed production from the literature, as the abundance of Ixodes nymphs can increase dramatically two years after a masting event. We used AIC-based model selection to determine which ecological variables drive annual variation in tick density. RESULTS We found that elevation site, year, seed production by beech trees two years prior, and mean annual relative humidity together explained 73.2% of the variation in our annual estimates of nymph density. According to the parameter estimates of our models, (i) the annual density of nymphs almost doubled over the 15-year study period, (ii) changing the beech tree seed production index from very poor mast (1) to full mast (5) increased the abundance of nymphs by 86.2% two years later, and (iii) increasing the field-collected mean annual relative humidity from 50.0 to 75.0% decreased the abundance of nymphs by 46.4% in the same year. Climate variables collected in the field were better predictors of tick abundance than those from nearby weather stations indicating the importance of the microhabitat. CONCLUSIONS From a public health perspective, the increase in nymph abundance is likely to have increased the risk of tick-borne disease in this region of Switzerland. Public health officials in Europe should be aware that seed production by deciduous trees is a critical driver of the abundance of I. ricinus, and hence the risk of tick-borne disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cindy Bregnard
- Laboratory of Ecology and Evolution of Parasites, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Olivier Rais
- Laboratory of Ecology and Epidemiology of Parasites, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Maarten Jeroen Voordouw
- Laboratory of Ecology and Evolution of Parasites, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
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12
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Gethmann J, Hoffmann B, Kasbohm E, Süss J, Habedank B, Conraths FJ, Beer M, Klaus C. Research paper on abiotic factors and their influence on Ixodes ricinus activity-observations over a two-year period at several tick collection sites in Germany. Parasitol Res 2020; 119:1455-1466. [PMID: 32219549 PMCID: PMC7184057 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-020-06666-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Accepted: 03/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Tick-borne diseases are a public health issue. To predict vector tick abundance and activity, it is necessary to understand the driving factors for these variables. In this study, the activity of Ixodes ricinus was investigated in forest and meadow habitats in Germany with a focus on abiotic factors. Ixodes ricinus adults, nymphs and larvae were caught by flagging over a period of 2 years. Microclimatic and weather conditions were recorded at the collection sites. Statistical models were applied to describe correlations between abiotic factors and tick activity in univariable and multivariable analyses. Tick activity was observed in a broad range of air temperature between 3 and 28 °C, and air humidity varied between 35 and 95%. In general, tick activity of nymphs and larvae was higher in forest habitats than that in meadows. With the exception of a single specimen of Dermacentor reticulatus, all ticks were Ixodes ricinus, most of them nymphs (63.2% in 2009 and 75.2% in 2010). For the latter, a negative binomial mixed-effects model fitted best to the observed parameters. The modelling results showed an activity optimum between 20 and 23 °C for air temperature and between 13 and 15 °C for ground temperature. In univariable analyses, the collection site, month, season, ground and air temperature were significant factors for the number of ticks caught and for all life stages. In the multivariable analysis, temperature, season and habitat turned out to be key drivers. Ixodes ricinus positive for RNA of tick-borne encephalitis virus was only found at a single sampling site. The results of this study can be used in risk assessments and to parameterise predictive models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jörn Gethmann
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Epidemiology, Südufer 10, D-17493, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Bernd Hoffmann
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Südufer 10, D-17493, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Elisa Kasbohm
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Epidemiology, Südufer 10, D-17493, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
- Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Greifswald, Walther-Rathenau-Str. 47, 17489, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Jochen Süss
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Naumburger Str. 96a, D-07743, Jena, Germany
- Brehm Memorial Center, Dorfstraße 22, 07646, Renthendorf, Germany
| | - Birgit Habedank
- Umweltbundesamt (German Environment Agency), Health Pests and their Control, Corrensplatz 1, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Franz J Conraths
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Epidemiology, Südufer 10, D-17493, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Martin Beer
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Südufer 10, D-17493, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Christine Klaus
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Naumburger Str. 96a, D-07743, Jena, Germany.
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Thomas CE, Burton ES, Brunner JL. Environmental Drivers of Questing Activity of Juvenile Black-Legged Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae): Temperature, Desiccation Risk, and Diel Cycles. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2020; 57:8-16. [PMID: 31370063 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjz126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Vector feeding behavior can have a profound influence on the transmission of vector-borne diseases. In the case of black-legged ticks, Ixodes scapularis Say, which vectors the agents of Lyme disease, babesiosis, and other pathogens, the timing and propensity of questing can determine which hosts are fed upon as well as the risk of contact with humans. Yet we know little about the controls and constraints on tick host-finding behavior under natural conditions. Ticks must balance the need to quest for blood meal hosts with the risk of desiccation, all on a fixed energy budget. Prior research, primarily in the laboratory, has shown that questing activity varies with conditions (e.g., temperature, relative humidity), light-dark cycles, and energy reserves, but the findings have been idiosyncratic and the dominant factor(s) in nature remains unknown. We measured questing activity of nymphs and larvae throughout the day and night and over several weeks in enclosures across a range of suitable tick habitats within a site in the Northeast. Activity of nymphs increased slightly during dawn and dusk, opposite of larvae, and declined slightly with air temperature and rain, but these patterns were weak and inconsistent among replicate sites. Rather it appears a fraction of ticks were questing most of the time, regardless of conditions. Our study suggests neither climatic conditions or light-dark cycles have appreciable influence on tick questing behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Emily S Burton
- School of Biological Science, Washington State University, Pullman, WA
| | - Jesse L Brunner
- School of Biological Science, Washington State University, Pullman, WA
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Akl T, Bourgoin G, Souq ML, Appolinaire J, Poirel MT, Gibert P, Abi Rizk G, Garel M, Zenner L. Detection of tick-borne pathogens in questing Ixodes ricinus in the French Pyrenees and first identification of Rickettsia monacensis in France. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 26:20. [PMID: 30943150 PMCID: PMC6447091 DOI: 10.1051/parasite/2019019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2018] [Accepted: 03/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Ticks are important vectors of several human and animal pathogens. In this study, we estimated the prevalence of important tick-borne infections in questing ticks from an area in Southwestern France (Hautes-Pyrénées) inhabited by Pyrenean chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica pyrenaica) experiencing high tick burden. We examined adult and nymph ticks collected by the flag dragging method from 8 to 15 sites in the Pic de Bazès during the years 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2015. PCR assays were conducted on selected ticks for the detection of Borrelia burgdorferi s.l., Babesia spp., Rickettsia spp., spotted fever group (SFG) Rickettsia and Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Randomly selected positive samples were submitted for sequence analysis. A total of 1971 questing ticks were collected including 95 males, 101 females and 1775 nymphs. All collected ticks were identified as Ixodes ricinus. Among them, 696 ticks were selected for pathogen detection and overall prevalence was 8.4% for B. burgdorferi s.l.; 0.4% for Babesia spp.; 6.1% for A. phagocytophilum; 17.6% for Rickettsia spp.; and 8.1% for SFG Rickettsia. Among the sequenced pathogens, we detected in this population of ticks the presence of Babesia sp. EU1 and Rickettsia helvetica, as well as Rickettsia monacensis for the first time in France. The detection of these pathogens in the Pic de Bazès highlights the potential infection risks for visitors to this area and the Pyrenean chamois population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toufic Akl
- Université Libanaise, Faculté d'Agronomie et de Médecine Vétérinaire, Département de Médecine Vétérinaire, 6573 Beyrouth, Liban
| | - Gilles Bourgoin
- Université de Lyon, VetAgro Sup - Campus Vétérinaire de Lyon, Laboratoire de Parasitologie Vétérinaire, 1 avenue Bourgelat, BP 83, 69280 Marcy l'Etoile, France - Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR 5558, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Évolutive, 69622 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Marie-Line Souq
- Université de Lyon, VetAgro Sup - Campus Vétérinaire de Lyon, Laboratoire de Parasitologie Vétérinaire, 1 avenue Bourgelat, BP 83, 69280 Marcy l'Etoile, France
| | - Joël Appolinaire
- Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage, Unité Ongulés Sauvages, 5 allée de Bethléem, 9 Z.I. Mayencin, 38610 Gières, France
| | - Marie-Thérèse Poirel
- Université de Lyon, VetAgro Sup - Campus Vétérinaire de Lyon, Laboratoire de Parasitologie Vétérinaire, 1 avenue Bourgelat, BP 83, 69280 Marcy l'Etoile, France - Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR 5558, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Évolutive, 69622 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Philippe Gibert
- Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage, Unité Ongulés Sauvages, 5 allée de Bethléem, 9 Z.I. Mayencin, 38610 Gières, France
| | - Georges Abi Rizk
- Université Libanaise, Faculté d'Agronomie et de Médecine Vétérinaire, Département de Médecine Vétérinaire, 6573 Beyrouth, Liban
| | - Mathieu Garel
- Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage, Unité Ongulés Sauvages, 5 allée de Bethléem, 9 Z.I. Mayencin, 38610 Gières, France
| | - Lionel Zenner
- Université de Lyon, VetAgro Sup - Campus Vétérinaire de Lyon, Laboratoire de Parasitologie Vétérinaire, 1 avenue Bourgelat, BP 83, 69280 Marcy l'Etoile, France - Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR 5558, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Évolutive, 69622 Villeurbanne, France
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15
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Unravelling the phenology of Ixodes frontalis, a common but understudied tick species in Europe. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2019; 10:505-512. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2018.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2018] [Revised: 12/13/2018] [Accepted: 12/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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Furness RW, Furness EN. Ixodes ricinus parasitism of birds increases at higher winter temperatures. JOURNAL OF VECTOR ECOLOGY : JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR VECTOR ECOLOGY 2018; 43:59-62. [PMID: 29757511 DOI: 10.1111/jvec.12283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2017] [Accepted: 11/19/2017] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Increasing winter temperatures are expected to cause seasonal activity of Ixodes ricinus ticks to extend further into the winter. We caught birds during winter months (November to February) at a site in the west of Scotland over a period of 24 years (1993-1994 to 2016-2017) to quantify numbers of attached I. ricinus and to relate these to monthly mean temperature. No adult ticks were found on any of the 21,731 bird captures, but 946 larvae and nymphs were found, with ticks present in all winter months, on 16 different species of bird hosts. All ticks identified to species were I. ricinus. I. ricinus are now active throughout the year in this area providing temperature permits. No I. ricinus were present in seven out of eight months when the mean temperature was below 3.5º C. Numbers of I. ricinus attached to birds increased rapidly with mean monthly temperatures above 7º C. Winter temperatures in Scotland have been above the long-term average in most years in the last two decades, and this is likely to increase risk of tick-borne disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert W Furness
- College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Euan N Furness
- Clare College, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1TL, UK
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Hauser G, Rais O, Morán Cadenas F, Gonseth Y, Bouzelboudjen M, Gern L. Influence of climatic factors on Ixodes ricinus nymph abundance and phenology over a long-term monthly observation in Switzerland (2000-2014). Parasit Vectors 2018; 11:289. [PMID: 29739424 PMCID: PMC5941567 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-2876-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2018] [Accepted: 04/26/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND One of the major public health challenges in the field of communicable diseases consists of being able to predict where and when a population is at risk of being infected by a pathogen. In the case of vector-borne diseases, such predictions often require strong ecological knowledge of the vector life-cycle and the environmental conditions promoting or preventing its establishment and maintenance. In this study, we analyse how climatic factors influence the abundance and phenology of the Lyme borreliosis vector Ixodes ricinus in a Swiss temperate forest, based on a long-term monthly observation over a period of 15 years (2000 and 2014). RESULTS Our results show that questing nymph density significantly decreased during the study period in the sampling area. Although the analyses of climatic variables point out the relative importance of air temperature, relative humidity and saturation deficit on nymph questing activity, the global trends followed by these variables over the study period failed to fully explain the observed decline. However, nymph phenology was additionally explained by the presence of climatic thresholds that limit the questing behaviours of ticks. Most notably, we found that the presumed upper threshold of air saturation deficit, which strongly limits the increase of questing nymph density and is typically reached in the middle of spring, was reached significantly earlier and earlier over years. CONCLUSIONS In addition to phenology per se, the use of climatic thresholds may help to predict the presence and abundance of questing ticks in Lyme borreliosis endemic areas. Tick sensitivity to temperature or saturation deficit thresholds also suggests that extreme climatic events more than global trends may affect tick population dynamics. These two points may be of high importance in epidemiological short-term as well as long-term predictions. However, the highly unexplained variability in nymph density underlines the need for further studies that include other factors such as tick host abundance or tick microhabitats, two potentially influent factors that were not assessed in the present study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaël Hauser
- Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Emile Argand 11, 2000, Neuchâtel, Switzerland.
| | - Olivier Rais
- Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Emile Argand 11, 2000, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Francisca Morán Cadenas
- Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Emile Argand 11, 2000, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Yves Gonseth
- Centre Suisse de Cartographie de la Faune, Avenue de Bellevaux 51, 2000, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Mahmoud Bouzelboudjen
- Service informatique et télématique, University of Neuchâtel, Emile Argand 11, 2000, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Lise Gern
- Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Emile Argand 11, 2000, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
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18
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Brugger K, Walter M, Chitimia-Dobler L, Dobler G, Rubel F. Seasonal cycles of the TBE and Lyme borreliosis vector Ixodes ricinus modelled with time-lagged and interval-averaged predictors. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2017; 73:439-450. [PMID: 29181672 PMCID: PMC5727152 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-017-0197-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2017] [Accepted: 11/17/2017] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Ticks of the species Ixodes ricinus (L.) are the major vectors for tick-borne diseases in Europe. The aim of this study was to quantify the influence of environmental variables on the seasonal cycle of questing I. ricinus. Therefore, an 8-year time series of nymphal I. ricinus flagged at monthly intervals in Haselmühl (Germany) was compiled. For the first time, cross correlation maps were applied to identify optimal associations between observed nymphal I. ricinus densities and time-lagged as well as temporal averaged explanatory variables. To prove the explanatory power of these associations, two Poisson regression models were generated. The first model simulates the ticks of the entire time series flagged per 100 m[Formula: see text], the second model the mean seasonal cycle. Explanatory variables comprise the temperature of the flagging month, the relative humidity averaged from the flagging month and 1 month prior to flagging, the temperature averaged over 4-6 months prior to the flagging event and the hunting statistics of the European hare from the preceding year. The first model explains 65% of the monthly tick variance and results in a root mean square error (RMSE) of 17 ticks per 100 m[Formula: see text]. The second model explains 96% of the tick variance. Again, the accuracy is expressed by the RMSE, which is 5 ticks per 100 m[Formula: see text]. As a major result, this study demonstrates that tick densities are higher correlated with time-lagged and temporal averaged variables than with contemporaneous explanatory variables, resulting in a better model performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Brugger
- Institute for Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Melanie Walter
- Institute for Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Lidia Chitimia-Dobler
- Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Neuherbergstraße 11, 80937, Munich, Germany
- German Center of Infection Research (DZIF) Partner Site Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Gerhard Dobler
- Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Neuherbergstraße 11, 80937, Munich, Germany
- German Center of Infection Research (DZIF) Partner Site Munich, Munich, Germany
- Parasitology Unit, University of Hohenheim, Emil-Wolff-Straße 34, 70593, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Franz Rubel
- Institute for Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
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Kiewra D, Stefańska-Krzaczek E, Szymanowski M, Szczepańska A. Local-scale spatio-temporal distribution of questing Ixodes ricinus L. (Acari: Ixodidae)-A case study from a riparian urban forest in Wrocław, SW Poland. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2017; 8:362-369. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2016.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2016] [Revised: 12/20/2016] [Accepted: 12/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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20
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Cat J, Beugnet F, Hoch T, Jongejan F, Prangé A, Chalvet-Monfray K. Influence of the spatial heterogeneity in tick abundance in the modeling of the seasonal activity of Ixodes ricinus nymphs in Western Europe. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2017; 71:115-130. [PMID: 28127642 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-016-0099-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2016] [Accepted: 11/09/2016] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
The seasonal weather-driven activity of the tick Ixodes ricinus is frequently explored using multisite surveys. This study aimed to investigate the statistical modeling of seasonal trends in the activity of I. ricinus nymphs when both the influence of abiotic factors and spatial heterogeneity were taken into account. Time series data of abiotic covariates (temperature, relative humidity, rainfall and photoperiod) and nymphal tick counts were recorded on several sites in The Netherlands, Belgium and in France in 2008 and 2009. The sites were divided into two subsets which were used for model construction or model validation. A generalized linear mixed model was set up, with aggregated abiotic covariates as fixed effects, and the collection site as a random effect to account for the site-varying density in nymphs. A linear regression model was developed to estimate the site effect against the observed local abundance on each site. The activity patterns simulated from the weather and photoperiod covariates realistically reproduced the observed seasonal trends in nymphal tick activity. The fit between observed and simulated nymphal count time series was greatly improved when the site-specific local abundance in nymphs was included. Our modeling approach allows indicators of local tick abundance and the temporal modeling of I. ricinus activity to be combined. The model presented here can also be used to study scenarios on the temporal patterns of I. ricinus activity in the present and in the context of climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Cat
- EPIA, INRA, 63122, Saint Genès Champanelle, France.
- Université de Lyon, VetAgroSup, 1 av Bourgelat, 69280, Marcy-l'Etoile, France.
| | | | - Thierry Hoch
- BIOEPAR, INRA, Oniris, La Chantrerie, 44307, Nantes, France
| | - Frans Jongejan
- Utrecht Centre for Tick-borne Diseases (UCTD), FAO Reference Centre for Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, 3584, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort 0110, South Africa
| | - Aurélie Prangé
- Direction interarmées du service de santé en Nouvelle Calédonie (DIASS-NC), 38 - 98843, Nouméa cedex, New Caledonia, France
| | - Karine Chalvet-Monfray
- EPIA, INRA, 63122, Saint Genès Champanelle, France
- Université de Lyon, VetAgroSup, 1 av Bourgelat, 69280, Marcy-l'Etoile, France
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21
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Gray JS, Kahl O, Lane RS, Levin ML, Tsao JI. Diapause in ticks of the medically important Ixodes ricinus species complex. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2016; 7:992-1003. [PMID: 27263092 PMCID: PMC5659180 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2016.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2016] [Revised: 05/09/2016] [Accepted: 05/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Four members of the Ixodes ricinus species complex, Ixodes pacificus, Ixodes persulcatus, Ixodes ricinus and Ixodes scapularis, have, between them, a worldwide distribution within the northern hemisphere. They are responsible for the transmission of several animal and human pathogens, including the causal agents of Lyme borreliosis, tick-borne encephalitis, human granulocytic anaplasmosis and human babesiosis. Despite the importance of these ticks as vectors, the knowledge and understanding of the role that diapause plays in their complex life cycles are confused and incomplete. In view of the continuing geographic spread of these tick species, as well as the effects of climate change on vector-borne diseases, it is timely to encourage research on diapause phenomena to improve understanding of their biology and of pathogen transmission dynamics. In our review we seek to clarify thinking on the topic and to address gaps in our knowledge that require the attention of researchers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy S Gray
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Ireland.
| | | | - Robert S Lane
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Michael L Levin
- Medical Entomology Laboratory, Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, DVBD, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, MS G-13, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA
| | - Jean I Tsao
- Department of Fisheries & Wildlife and Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Michigan State University, USA
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22
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Cuber P, Urbanek A, Naczk A, Stepnowski P, Gołębiowski M. Seasonal changes in the fatty acid profile of the tick Ixodes ricinus (Acari, Ixodidae). EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2016; 69:155-65. [PMID: 26976134 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-016-0031-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2015] [Accepted: 02/28/2016] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Fatty acids (FAs) from nymphs, females and males of Ixodes ricinus were analysed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Ticks were collected from May to October 2013. The most abundant FAs were 18:1, 18:0, 16:0 and 18:2 which are also dominant FAs of insects. Adults contained higher concentrations of FAs in general than nymphs because they contain more fat body and probably a thicker layer of epicuticular lipids. Larger quantities of FAs > 20 carbon atoms in the carboxylic chain were present in females, which generally show higher content of lipids essential for oogenesis, whereas there were similar amounts of 14-18 in both sexes. In September and October, ticks contained large concentrations of the majority of FAs except for 18:1, the most abundant one in ticks collected from May through August. Thus, most FAs, especially those with more than 20 C atoms, tend to increase at lower temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Cuber
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Parasitology, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Urbanek
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Parasitology, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308, Gdańsk, Poland.
| | - Aleksandra Naczk
- Department of Molecular Evolution, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Piotr Stepnowski
- Laboratory of Analysis of Natural Compounds, Department of Environmental Analysis, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Marek Gołębiowski
- Laboratory of Analysis of Natural Compounds, Department of Environmental Analysis, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308, Gdańsk, Poland
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Rydzanicz K, Jawień P, Lonc E, Modelska M. Assessment of productivity of Culex spp. larvae (Diptera: Culicidae) in urban storm water catch basin system in Wrocław (SW Poland). Parasitol Res 2016; 115:1711-20. [PMID: 26809340 PMCID: PMC4799245 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-016-4912-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2015] [Accepted: 01/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
In urban environments, catch basins serve as major developmental and resting sites for anthropophilic and zoophilic mosquitoes. However, the use of this habitat is inconsistent, with abundance of larvae varying significantly across catch basins at a fine spatial scale. During seasonal summer investigations on mosquito species composition, their spatial and temporal distribution and the environmental characteristic of the breeding sites in the underground storm drain systems of the Wrocław urban area (SW Poland) were assessed from May to September in 2012-2013. The study was conducted in order to develop a rational strategy to control mosquito populations and prevent the potential human exposure to mosquito-transmitted pathogens. Mosquito larvae and pupae were collected and identified weekly from 100 regularly inspected street catch basins located in the town center. All existing and potential breeding habitats in the study area were recorded using a GPS receiver (Magellan MobileMapper CX) and transferred to the computer database. Collected data on the geographical location of inspected breeding places, water quality parameters in inspected catch basins, daily temperature, and precipitation were imposed on orthophotomap in ArcGIS (ESRI, USA). Water quality parameters including pH, electrical conductivity, and water temperature were measured by standard methods. Chemical water analysis of cations (Na(+), NH4 (+), K(+), Mg(2+), Ca(2+)) and anions (Cl(-), NO2 (-), NO3 (-), SO4 (2-)) were carried out using Waters Alliance high-performance liquid chromatograph (HPLC) 2695 with 432 Conductivity Detector and 2998 Photodiode Array Detector, an IC-Pak Anion HR column (glauconate/borate eluent) and IC-Pak Cation M/D column (EDTA/HNO3 eluent). Over two seasonal studies and 3739 samplings in total, 3669 mosquito larvae and 274 pupae/1 dip (from 0 to 110 individuals/dip) were collected by dipper. Culex pipiens s.l. (L.) and Cx. torrentium (Martini) prevailed at all catch basins of the study area as the predominant species. In all examined catch basins, autogenous individuals dominated by far. Breeding activity was first detected in early May. Peak abundance of Culex spp. population in many catch basins was observed in June 2012 and August 2013 when average daily temperatures were increasing and rainfall had declined. Dry periods between rainfalls varied during 2 years of the study period and were noted on June 2012 as well as on July and August 2013. Organically enriched catch basins with significant higher concentrations of Na(+) and NO3 (-) were found to be more productive breeding habitats. Differences in the Culex immature stage density based on the variables of habitat type, temperature, and precipitation support the need for ongoing surveillance in communities to guide public health officials in planning for and prioritizing mosquito control efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Rydzanicz
- Department of Microbial Ecology and Environmental Protection, Institute of Genetics and Microbiology, University of Wrocław, 63/77 Przybyszewskiego Street, 51-148, Wrocław, Poland.
| | - Piotr Jawień
- Department of Microbial Ecology and Environmental Protection, Institute of Genetics and Microbiology, University of Wrocław, 63/77 Przybyszewskiego Street, 51-148, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Elżbieta Lonc
- Department of Microbial Ecology and Environmental Protection, Institute of Genetics and Microbiology, University of Wrocław, 63/77 Przybyszewskiego Street, 51-148, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Magdalena Modelska
- Institute of Geological Sciences, Environmental Geology Laboratory, University of Wrocław, Max Born Square 9, 50-205, Wrocław, Poland
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Fabbro SD, Gollino S, Zuliani M, Nazzi F. Investigating the relationship between environmental factors and tick abundance in a small, highly heterogeneous region. JOURNAL OF VECTOR ECOLOGY : JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR VECTOR ECOLOGY 2015; 40:107-116. [PMID: 26047190 DOI: 10.1111/jvec.12138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2014] [Accepted: 10/05/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The tick Ixodes ricinus (L.) is the most important vector of tick-borne zoonoses in Europe. Apart from factors related to human behavior, tick abundance is a major driver of the incidence of tick-borne diseases in a given area and related data represent critical information for promoting effective public health policies. The present study analyzed the relationship between different environmental factors and tick abundance in order to improve the understanding of I. ricinus autecology and develop spatial predictive models that can be implemented in tick-borne disease prevention strategies. Ticks were sampled in 27 sites over a four-year period and different environmental variables were studied. Five simple models were developed that explain a large part of variation in tick abundance. Precipitation seems to play the most important role, followed by temperature, woodland coverage, and solar radiation. Model equations obtained in this study may enable the spatial interpolation and extension of tick abundance predicted values to sites of the same area, in order to build regional predictive maps. They could also be useful for the validation of large-scale spatial predictive maps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Del Fabbro
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (DISA), University of Udine, via delle Scienze, 206, Udine, 33100, Italy.
| | - Sergio Gollino
- Ufficio Sistemi Informativi Territoriali, Comunità Montana della Carnia, Tolmezzo (Udine), Italy
| | - Michel Zuliani
- Ufficio Sistemi Informativi Territoriali, Comunità Montana della Carnia, Tolmezzo (Udine), Italy
| | - Francesco Nazzi
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (DISA), University of Udine, via delle Scienze, 206, Udine, 33100, Italy
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