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Estrada-Peña A, Sprong H, Wijburg SR. A crucial nexus: Phylogenetic versus ecological support of the life-cycle of Ixodes ricinus (Ixodoidea: Ixodidae) and Borrelia spp. amplification. CURRENT RESEARCH IN PARASITOLOGY & VECTOR-BORNE DISEASES 2024; 6:100198. [PMID: 39081593 PMCID: PMC11286992 DOI: 10.1016/j.crpvbd.2024.100198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2024] [Revised: 06/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024]
Abstract
The tick Ixodes ricinus parasitizes a wide range of vertebrates. These hosts vary in the relative contribution to the feeding of the different tick life stages, and their interplay is pivotal in the transmission dynamics of tick-borne pathogens. We aimed to know if there is a phylogenetic signal in the feeding and propagation hosts of I. ricinus, independently of other traits, as well as in the amplification of Borrelia burgdorferi (s.l.) in feeding larvae. We used a compilation of 1127 published field surveys in Europe, providing data for 96,586 hosts, resulting in 265,124 larvae, 72,080 nymphs and 37,726 adults. The load of immature ticks on hosts showed a significant phylogenetic signal towards the genera Psammodromus, Podarcis, and Lacerta (nymphs only). We hypothesize that such signal is the background hallmark of the primitive hosts associations of I. ricinus, probably in the glaciation refugia. A secondary phylogenetic signal for tick immatures appeared for some genera of Rodentia and Eulipotyphla. Results suggest the notion that the tick gained these hosts after spread from glaciation refugia. Analyses support a phylogenetic signal in the tick adults, firmly linked to Cetartiodactyla, but not to Carnivora or Aves. This study provides the first demonstration of host preferences in the generalist tick I. ricinus. We further demonstrate that combinations of vertebrates contribute in different proportions supporting the tick life-cycle in biogeographical regions of the Western Palaearctic as each region has unique combinations of dominant hosts. Analysis of the amplification of B. burgdorferi (s.l.) demonstrated that each genospecies is better amplified by competent reservoirs with which a strong phylogenetic signal exists. These vertebrates are the same along the spatial range: environmental traits do not change the reservoirs along the large territory studied. The transmission of B. burgdorferi (s.l.) is amplified by a few species of vertebrates, that share biogeographical regions with the tick vector in variable proportions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agustin Estrada-Peña
- Department of Animal Health, University of Zaragoza, Spain
- Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón, IA2, 50013-Zaragoza, Spain
- Ministry of Human Health, Madrid, Spain
| | - Hein Sprong
- Centre for Infectious Diseases, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, 3720 BA Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | - Sara R. Wijburg
- Centre for Infectious Diseases, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, 3720 BA Bilthoven, the Netherlands
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Lindsø LK, Viljugrein H, Mysterud A. Vector competence of Ixodes ricinus instars for the transmission of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in different small mammalian hosts. Parasit Vectors 2024; 17:23. [PMID: 38238796 PMCID: PMC10797980 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-06110-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many pathogens and parasites can infect multiple host species, and the competence of different hosts as pathogen reservoirs is key to understanding their epidemiology. Small mammals are important hosts for the instar stages of Ixodes ricinus ticks, the principal vector of Lyme disease in Europe. Small mammals also act as reservoirs of Borrelia afzelii, the most common genospecies of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) spirochetes causing Lyme disease in Europe. However, we lack quantitative estimates on whether different small mammal species are equally suitable hosts for feeding I. ricinus and whether they show differences in pathogen transmission from host to tick. METHODS Here, we analysed the feeding success and prevalence of B. burgdorferi s.l. infections in 12,987 instar I. ricinus found on captured small mammals with known infection status in Norway (2018-2022). RESULTS We found that larvae were more likely to acquire a blood meal from common shrews (Sorex araneus, 46%) compared to bank voles (Myodes glareolus, 36%) and wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus, 31%). Nymphs tended to be more likely to acquire a blood meal from wood mice (66%) compared to bank voles (54%). Common shrews harboured few nymphs (n=19). Furthermore, we found that larvae feeding on infected bank voles (11%) were more likely to be infected with B. burgdorferi s.l. than larvae on infected common shrews (7%) or wood mice (4%). CONCLUSIONS Our study provides quantitative evidence of differences in suitability for the instar stages of I. ricinus across taxa of small mammals and highlights how even known small mammal host species can differ in their ability to feed ticks and infect larval ticks with the pathogen causing Lyme disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars K Lindsø
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Blindern, P.O. Box 1066, NO-0316, Oslo, Norway.
| | - Hildegunn Viljugrein
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Blindern, P.O. Box 1066, NO-0316, Oslo, Norway
- Norwegian Veterinary Institute, P.O. Box 64, NO-1431, Ås, Norway
| | - Atle Mysterud
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Blindern, P.O. Box 1066, NO-0316, Oslo, Norway
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Torgarden, P.O. Box 5685, NO-7485, Trondheim, Norway
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Vital-García C, Beristain-Ruíz DM, Acosta R, Marta CIP, Gatica-Colima AB, Aristizabal JF, Valdez-Rubio A, Escudero-Fragosso C, Martínez-Calderas JM. Ecological factors shaping ectoparasite communities on heteromyid rodents at Médanos de Samalayuca. Parasitol Res 2024; 123:85. [PMID: 38182760 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-08098-6] [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: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024]
Abstract
Rodent ectoparasites are vectors for important pathogens of wildlife, domestic animals, and even zoonosis. Nevertheless, distribution patterns of ectoparasites are not fully understood; habitat, season, and host species are important predictors of distribution and prevalence. Heteromyid rodents are considered important reservoirs of diseases, given the presence of different ectoparasites and pathogens in them, and they offer the opportunity to learn about the ecology of parasites. The aim of the present work was to survey ectoparasites associated with heteromyid rodents near a National Protected Area in Chihuahua Mexico, south of the USA-Mexico border, and asses the effects of ecological factors (season, vegetation type, host species, and host body condition) on parasite infestation. We sampled five different locations from January 2018 to July 2022; 845 heteromyid rodents were examined and 49 fleas and 33 ticks were collected. Ectoparasites belonged to the Siphonaptera and Ixodida orders, including three families Ixodidae (Riphicephalus sanguineus), Pulicidae (Pulex irritans), and Ctenophthalmidae (Meringins altipecten, M. dipodomys). Five species of host rodents were captured, Dipodomys merriami, D. ordii, Chaetodipus eremicus, C. hispidus, and C. intermedius, but the last two species did not present any ectoparasites. Dipodomys merriami presented the highest flea and tick prevalence followed by D. ordii. We found parasitic partnerships between heteromyids according to ecological factors. The infestation in C. eremicus was related to body condition, vegetation type, and sex; in D. merriami, it was related to vegetation type and season, while D. ordii did not present a clear pattern of infestation. Our results suggest that the infestation patterns of heteromyid rodents in desert habitats are species dependent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cuauhcihuatl Vital-García
- Departamento de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez, Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, México, 32310.
| | - Diana Marcela Beristain-Ruíz
- Departamento de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez, Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, México, 32310
| | - Roxana Acosta
- Museo de Zoología "Alfonso L. Herrera" Departamento de Biología Evolutiva, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), 04510, Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | - Ana Bertha Gatica-Colima
- Departamento de Ciencias Químico-Biológicas, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez, Av. Plutarco Elías Calles 1210, Fovissste Chamizal, Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, México, 32310
| | - John F Aristizabal
- Departamento de Ciencias Químico-Biológicas, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez, Av. Plutarco Elías Calles 1210, Fovissste Chamizal, Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, México, 32310
| | | | | | - Jesús M Martínez-Calderas
- Departamento de Ciencias Químico-Biológicas, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez, Av. Plutarco Elías Calles 1210, Fovissste Chamizal, Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, México, 32310
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Lindsø LK, Anders JL, Viljugrein H, Herland A, Stigum VM, Easterday WR, Mysterud A. Individual heterogeneity in ixodid tick infestation and prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in a northern community of small mammalian hosts. Oecologia 2023; 203:421-433. [PMID: 37955713 PMCID: PMC10684702 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-023-05476-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
Heterogeneous aggregation of parasites between individual hosts is common and regarded as an important factor in understanding transmission dynamics of vector-borne diseases. Lyme disease is vectored by generalist tick species, yet we have a limited understanding of how individual heterogeneities within small mammal host populations affect the aggregation of ticks and likelihood of infection. Male hosts often have higher parasite and infection levels than females, but whether this is linked to sexual body size dimorphism remains uncertain. Here, we analysed how host species, sex, and body mass influenced Ixodes ricinus tick infestations and the infection prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) in three species of small mammals involved in the enzootic transmission cycle of Lyme disease in Norway from 2018 to 2022. Larval and nymphal ticks were found on 98% and 34% of all individual hosts, respectively. In bank voles and wood mice, both larval and nymphal tick infestation and infection probability increased with body mass, and it increased more with mass for males than for females. Tick infestation in the common shrew increased with body mass and was higher in males, while pathogen infection was higher in females. Sex-biases in infestation did not correspond with level of sexual body mass dimorphism across species. This study contributes to our understanding of how individual heterogeneity among small mammalian hosts influences I. ricinus tick aggregation and prevalence of B. burgdorferi s.l. at northern latitudes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars K Lindsø
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Blindern, P.O. Box 1066, NO-0316, Oslo, Norway.
| | - Jason L Anders
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Blindern, P.O. Box 1066, NO-0316, Oslo, Norway
| | - Hildegunn Viljugrein
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Blindern, P.O. Box 1066, NO-0316, Oslo, Norway
- Norwegian Veterinary Institute, P.O. Box 64, NO-1431, Ås, Norway
| | - Anders Herland
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Blindern, P.O. Box 1066, NO-0316, Oslo, Norway
| | - Vetle M Stigum
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Blindern, P.O. Box 1066, NO-0316, Oslo, Norway
| | - W Ryan Easterday
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Blindern, P.O. Box 1066, NO-0316, Oslo, Norway
| | - Atle Mysterud
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Blindern, P.O. Box 1066, NO-0316, Oslo, Norway
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Torgarden, P.O. Box 5685, NO-7485, Trondheim, Norway
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Karbowiak G, Stanko M, Smahol K, Werszko J, Rychlik L. Parasitic Arthropods of Soricinae Shrews in North-Eastern Poland. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2960. [PMID: 37760360 PMCID: PMC10525224 DOI: 10.3390/ani13182960] [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: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The study of the ectoparasite fauna of the insectivores-Sorex araneus, Sorex minutus, Neomys fodiens, and Neomys anomalus (subfamily Soricinae)-was carried out in three locations in Poland: Białowieża National Park, Kosewo Górne in the Masurian Lake District, and in vicinity of Warsaw. Three species of Ixodidae ticks, eleven species of fleas, and four species of mites from the order Mesostigmata were noted. The most numerous ectoparasites are ticks Ixodes ricinus (larvae), Dermacentor reticulatus (nymphs), and fleas Palaeopsylla soricis, Megabothris walkeri, and Hystrichopsylla orientalis. These species show the highest prevalence and show the highest dominance index. The parasitofauna of S. araneus is much richer in species than other shrew species. The structure and dominance of parasite assemblages differ between locations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grzegorz Karbowiak
- W. Stefański Institute of Parasitology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 00-818 Warsaw, Poland; (K.S.); (J.W.)
- Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Social and Medical Sciences in Warsaw, 04-367 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Michal Stanko
- Institute of Parasitology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, 040 01 Kosice, Slovakia;
| | - Katerina Smahol
- W. Stefański Institute of Parasitology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 00-818 Warsaw, Poland; (K.S.); (J.W.)
- Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 00-679 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Joanna Werszko
- W. Stefański Institute of Parasitology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 00-818 Warsaw, Poland; (K.S.); (J.W.)
- Department of General Biology and Parasitology, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-004 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Leszek Rychlik
- Department of Systematic Zoology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, 61-614 Poznań, Poland;
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Arz C, Król N, Imholt C, Jeske K, Rentería-Solís Z, Ulrich RG, Jacob J, Pfeffer M, Obiegala A. Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiae in Ticks and Small Mammals from Grassland and Forest Habitats in Central Germany. Pathogens 2023; 12:933. [PMID: 37513780 PMCID: PMC10386184 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12070933] [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: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Rickettsiae of the spotted fever group (SFG) are zoonotic tick-borne pathogens. Small mammals are important hosts for the immature life stages of two of the most common tick species in Europe, Ixodes ricinus and Dermacentor reticulatus. These hosts and vectors can be found in diverse habitats with different vegetation types like grasslands and forests. To investigate the influence of environmental and individual factors on Rickettsia prevalence, this study aimed to analyse the prevalence of SFG rickettsiae in ticks and small mammals in different small-scale habitats in central Germany for the first time. Small mammals of ten species and ticks of two species were collected from grasslands and forests in the Hainich-Dün region, central Germany. After species identification, DNA samples from 1098 ticks and ear snips of 1167 small mammals were screened for Rickettsia DNA by qPCR targeting the gltA gene. Positive samples were retested by conventional PCR targeting the ompB gene and sequencing. Rickettsia DNA was detected in eight out of ten small mammal species. Small mammal hosts from forests (14.0%) were significantly more often infected than those from grasslands (4.4%) (p < 0.001). The highest prevalence was found in the mostly forest-inhabiting genus Apodemus (14.8%) and the lowest in Microtus (6.6%), which inhabits grasslands. The prevalence was higher in D. reticulatus (46.3%) than in the I. ricinus complex (8.6%). Adult ticks were more often infected than nymphs (p = 0.0199). All sequenced rickettsiae in I. ricinus complex ticks were R. helvetica, and the ones in D. reticulatus were R. raoultii. Unlike adults, questing nymphs have had only one blood meal, which explains the higher prevalence in I. ricinus adults. Interestingly, habitat type did influence infection probability in small mammals, but did not in ticks. A possible explanation may be the high prevalence in Apodemus flavicollis and A. sylvaticus which were more abundant in the forest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Arz
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 1, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Nina Król
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 1, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Christian Imholt
- Institute for Epidemiology and Pathogen Diagnostics, Julius Kühn-Institute, Toppheideweg 88, 48161 Münster, Germany
| | - Kathrin Jeske
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Zaida Rentería-Solís
- Institute for Parasitology, Centre for Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 35, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Rainer G Ulrich
- Institute of Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Jens Jacob
- Institute for Epidemiology and Pathogen Diagnostics, Julius Kühn-Institute, Toppheideweg 88, 48161 Münster, Germany
| | - Martin Pfeffer
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 1, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Anna Obiegala
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 1, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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Rubel F, Kahl O. The Eurasian shrew and vole tick Ixodes trianguliceps: geographical distribution, climate preference, and pathogens detected. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2023:10.1007/s10493-023-00797-0. [PMID: 37160597 PMCID: PMC10293386 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-023-00797-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
The Eurasian shrew and vole tick Ixodes trianguliceps Birula lives in the nests and burrows of its small mammalian hosts and is-along with larvae and nymphs of Ixodes ricinus or Ixodes persulcatus-one of the most commonly collected tick species from these hosts in its Eurasian range. Ixodes trianguliceps is a proven vector of Babesia microti. In this study, up-to-date maps depicting the geographical distribution and the climate preference of I. trianguliceps are presented. A dataset was compiled, resulting in 1161 georeferenced locations in Eurasia. This data set covers the entire range of I. trianguliceps for the first time. The distribution area between 8[Formula: see text] W-105[Formula: see text] E and 40-69[Formula: see text] N extends from Northern Spain to Western Siberia. To investigate the climate adaptation of I. trianguliceps, the georeferenced locations were superimposed on a high-resolution map of the Köppen-Geiger climate classification. The Köppen profile for I. trianguliceps, i.e., a frequency distribution of the tick occurrence under different climates, shows two peaks related to the following climates: warm temperate with precipitation all year round (Cfb), and boreal with warm or cold summers and precipitation all year round (Dfb, Dfc). Almost 97% of all known I. trianguliceps locations are related to these climates. Thus, I. trianguliceps prefers climates with warm or cold summers without dry periods. Cold winters do not limit the distribution of this nidicolous tick species, which has been recorded in the European Alps and the Caucasus Mountains up to altitudes of 2400 m. Conversely, I. trianguliceps does not occur in the Mediterranean area with its hot and dry summers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franz Rubel
- Unit for Veterinary Public Health and Epidemiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria.
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Uiterwijk M, Vojta L, Šprem N, Beck A, Jurković D, Kik M, Duscher GG, Hodžić A, Reljić S, Sprong H, Beck R. Diversity of Hepatozoon species in wild mammals and ticks in Europe. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:27. [PMID: 36694253 PMCID: PMC9872412 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05626-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatozoon spp. are tick-borne parasites causing subclinical to clinical disease in wild and domestic animals. Aim of this study was to determine Hepatozoon prevalence and species distribution among wild mammals and ticks in Europe. METHODS Samples of wild mammals and ticks, originating from Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Belgium and the Netherlands, were tested with PCR to amplify a ~ 670-bp fragment of the small subunit ribosomal RNA gene. RESULTS Of the 2801 mammal samples that were used for this study, 370 (13.2%) tested positive. Hepatozoon canis was detected in samples of 178 animals (3 Artiodactyla, 173 Carnivora, 1 Eulipotyphia, 1 Lagomorpha), H. martis in 125 (3 Artiodactyla, 122 Carnivora), H. sciuri in 13 (all Rodentia), Hepatozoon sp. in 47 (among which Hepatozoon sp. Vole isolate, all Rodentia) and H. ayorgbor in 4 (all Rodentia). Regarding origin, 2.9% (6/208) tested positive from Austria, 2.8% (1/36) from Bosnia and Herzegovina, 14.6% (173/1186) from Croatia and 13.9% (190/1371) from Belgium/the Netherlands. Of the 754 ticks collected, 0.0% (0/35) Hyalomma sp., 16.0% (4/25) Dermacentor spp., 0.0% (0/23) Haemaphysalis spp., 5.3% (24/50) Ixodes and 1.4% (3/221) Rhipicephalus spp. tested positive for Hepatozoon (4.2%; 32/754), most often H. canis (n = 22). CONCLUSIONS Hepatozoon canis is most present in mammals (especially in Carnivora such as gray wolves and golden jackals) and ticks, followed by H. martis, which was found merely in stone martens and pine martens. None of the rodent-associated Hepatozoon spp. were detected in the ticks, suggesting the possible implication of other arthropod species or non-vectorial routes in the transmission cycle of the hemoprotozoans in rodents. Our findings of H. canis in ticks other than R. sanguineus add to the observation that other ticks are also involved in the life cycle of Hepatozoon. Now that presence of Hepatozoon has been demonstrated in red foxes, gray wolves, mustelids and rodents from the Netherlands and/or Belgium, veterinary clinicians should be aware of the possibility of spill-over to domestic animals, such as dogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathilde Uiterwijk
- Centre for Monitoring of Vectors (CMV), Netherlands Institute for Vectors, Invasive plants and Plant health (NIVIP), Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA), Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Lea Vojta
- Division of Molecular Biology, Laboratory for Molecular Plant Biology and Biotechnology, Rudjer Boskovic Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Nikica Šprem
- Department of Fisheries, Apiculture, Wildlife Management and Special Zoology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ana Beck
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Daria Jurković
- Laboratory for Parasitology, Department for Bacteriology and Parasitology, Croatian Veterinary Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Marja Kik
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Dutch Wildlife Health Centre, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Georg G. Duscher
- Austrian Agency for Health & Food Safety (AGES), Vienna, Austria
| | - Adnan Hodžić
- Centre for Microbiology and Environmental System Science (CMESS), Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science, Division of Microbial Ecology (DoME), University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Slaven Reljić
- Department of Forensic and State Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Hein Sprong
- Centre of Infectious Disease Control of the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (Cib-RIVM), Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | - Relja Beck
- Laboratory for Parasitology, Department for Bacteriology and Parasitology, Croatian Veterinary Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
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Hrnková J, Golovchenko M, Musa AS, Needham T, Italiya J, Ceacero F, Kotrba R, Grubhoffer L, Rudenko N, Cerný J. Borrelia spirochetes in European exotic farm animals. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:996015. [PMID: 36246336 PMCID: PMC9554260 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.996015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Ticks transmit a broad spectrum of pathogens, threatening both animal and human health. Tick survival and proliferation are strongly dependent on host selection and suitability. The hard tick Ixodes ricinus, which is widespread throughout most of Europe, is a host generalist capable of feeding on many different vertebrate species. Pasture-kept exotic farm animals may be at a high risk for tick and tick-borne pathogens infestations but research characterizing this is currently lacking. This study focused on the detection of Borrelia spirochetes (including Borrelia miyamotoi) in exotic farm animals. Using nested-PCR with Borrelia-specific primers, 121 serum samples from 54 exotic farm animals of several species bred in four different farms in Bohemia and Moravia (Czechia) were tested. Positive samples were sequenced for the identification of Borrelia species. The prevalence of Borrelia DNA in the samples ranged from 13 to 67%, depending on the sampling site. The sequencing results confirmed the DNA presence of multiple spirochete species from the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex. Only one sample from an ostrich (Struthio camelus) was found to be positive for Borrelia myiamotoi. The results show that exotic farm animals can serve as hosts for hard ticks and can be infected by Borrelia spirochetes, transmitted by hard ticks. Therefore, these animals could play a relevant role in maintaining Borrelia spirochetes in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johana Hrnková
- Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czechia
- *Correspondence: Johana Hrnková
| | - Marina Golovchenko
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Center, Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceské Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Abubakar Sadiq Musa
- Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czechia
| | - Tersia Needham
- Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czechia
| | - Jignesh Italiya
- Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czechia
| | - Francisco Ceacero
- Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czechia
| | - Radim Kotrba
- Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czechia
- Department of Ethology, Institute of Animal Science, Prague, Czechia
| | - Libor Grubhoffer
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Center, Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceské Budějovice, Czechia
- Faculty of Sciences, University of South Bohemia, Ceské Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Natalie Rudenko
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Center, Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceské Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Jirí Cerný
- Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czechia
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10
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Fabri ND, Sprong H, Heesterbeek H, Ecke F, Cromsigt JPGM, Hofmeester TR. The circulation of
Anaplasma phagocytophilum
ecotypes is associated with community composition of vertebrate hosts. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Nannet Doreen Fabri
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Forest Sciences Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Umeå Sweden
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Utrecht University Utrecht The Netherlands
| | - Hein Sprong
- Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) Bilthoven The Netherlands
| | - Hans Heesterbeek
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Utrecht University Utrecht The Netherlands
| | - Frauke Ecke
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Forest Sciences Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Umeå Sweden
| | - Joris Petrus Gerardus Marinus Cromsigt
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Forest Sciences Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Umeå Sweden
- Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Department of Zoology Nelson Mandela University Port Elizabeth South Africa
- Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Faculty of Geosciences Utrecht University Utrecht The Netherlands
| | - Tim Ragnvald Hofmeester
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Faculty of Forest Sciences Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Umeå Sweden
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11
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Demographic Expansions and the Emergence of Host Specialization in Genetically Distinct Ecotypes of the Tick-Transmitted Bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Appl Environ Microbiol 2022; 88:e0061722. [PMID: 35867580 PMCID: PMC9317897 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00617-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
In Europe, genetically distinct ecotypes of the tick-vectored bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum circulate among mammals in three discrete enzootic cycles. To date, potential ecological factors that contributed to the emergence of these divergent ecotypes have been poorly studied. Here, we show that the ecotype that predominantly infects roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) is evolutionarily derived. Its divergence from a host generalist ancestor occurred after the last glacial maximum as mammal populations, including roe deer, recolonized the European mainland from southern refugia. We also provide evidence that this host specialist ecotype's effective population size (Ne) has tracked changes in the population of its roe deer host. Specifically, both host and bacterium have undergone substantial increases in Ne over the past 1,500 years. In contrast, we show that while it appears to have undergone a major population expansion starting ~3,500 years ago, in the past 500 years, the contemporary host generalist ecotype has experienced a substantial reduction in genetic diversity levels, possibly as a result of reduced opportunities for transmission between competent hosts. IMPORTANCE The findings of this study reveal specific events important for the evolution of host specialization in a naturally occurring, obligately intracellular bacterial pathogen. Specifically, they show that host range shifts and the emergence of host specialization may occur during periods of population growth in a generalist ancestor. Our results also demonstrate the close correlation between demographic patterns in host and pathogen for a specialist system. These findings have important relevance for understanding the evolution of host range diversity. They may inform future work on host range dynamics, and they provide insights for understanding the emergence of pathogens that have human and veterinary health implications.
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12
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Perez G. Role of bank vole (Myodes glareolus) personality on tick burden (Ixodes spp.). Folia Parasitol (Praha) 2022; 69. [DOI: 10.14411/fp.2022.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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13
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van Duijvendijk G, Krijger I, van Schaijk M, Fonville M, Gort G, Sprong H, Takken W. Seasonal dynamics of tick burden and associated Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. and Borrelia miyamotoi infections in rodents in a Dutch forest ecosystem. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2022; 87:235-251. [PMID: 35840866 PMCID: PMC9424142 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-022-00720-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Ixodes ricinus ticks transmit Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) as well as Borrelia miyamotoi. Larvae become infected when feeding on infected rodents, with horizontal transmission of B. burgdorferi and horizontal and vertical transmission of B. miyamotoi. We studied seasonal dynamics of infection rates of I. ricinus and their rodent hosts, and hence transmission risk of these two distinctly different Borrelia species. Rodents were live-trapped and inspected for ticks from May to November in 2013 and 2014 in a forest in The Netherlands. Trapped rodents were temporarily housed in the laboratory and detached ticks were collected. Borrelia infections were determined from the trapped rodents and collected ticks. Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. and B. miyamotoi were found in ticks as well as in rodents. Rodent density was higher in 2014, whereas tick burden as well as the Borrelia infection rates in rodents were higher in 2013. The density of B. miyamotoi-infected nymphs did not differ between the years. Tick burdens were higher on Apodemus sylvaticus than on Myodes glareolus, and higher on males than on females. Borrelia-infection rate of rodents varied strongly seasonally, peaking in summer. As the larval tick burden also peaked in summer, the generation of infected nymphs was highest in summer. We conclude that the heterogeneity of environmental and host-specific factors affects the seasonal transmission of Borrelia spp., and that these effects act more strongly on horizontally transmitted B. burgdorferi spp. than on the vertically transmitted B. miyamotoi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gilian van Duijvendijk
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University, PO box 16, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Wageningen Environmental Research, Wageningen University and Research, PO box 47, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Inge Krijger
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University, PO box 16, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Stichting Kennis- en Adviescentrum Dierplagen (KAD), Nudepark 145, 6702 DZ, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Marloes van Schaijk
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University, PO box 16, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Koppert Biological Systems, Industrieweg 14, 2651 BE, Berkel en Rodenrijs, The Netherlands
| | - Manoj Fonville
- Laboratory for Zoonosis and Environmental Microbiology, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), P.O. Box 1, 3720 BA, Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Gerrit Gort
- Mathematical and Statistical Methods, Wageningen University, PO box 16, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Hein Sprong
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University, PO box 16, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Laboratory for Zoonosis and Environmental Microbiology, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), P.O. Box 1, 3720 BA, Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Willem Takken
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University, PO box 16, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
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14
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Occhibove F, McKeown NJ, Risley C, Ironside JE. Eco-epidemiological screening of multi-host wild rodent communities in the UK reveals pathogen strains of zoonotic interest. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2022; 17:278-287. [PMID: 35309039 PMCID: PMC8927908 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2022.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Wild rodent communities represent ideal systems to study pathogens and parasites shared among sympatric species. Such studies are useful in the investigation of eco-epidemiological dynamics, improving disease management strategies and reducing zoonotic risk. The aim of this study was to investigate pathogen and parasites shared among rodent species (multi-host community) in West Wales in an area where human/wildlife disease risk was not previously assessed. West Wales is predominantly rural, with human settlements located alongside to grazing areas and semi-natural landscapes, creating a critical human-livestock-wildlife interface. Ground-dwelling wild rodent communities in Wales were live-trapped and biological samples - faeces and ectoparasites - collected and screened for a suite of pathogens and parasites that differ in types of transmission and ecology. Faecal samples were examined to detect Herpesvirus, Escherichia coli, and Mycobacterium microti. Ticks and fleas were collected, identified to species based on morphology and genetic barcodes, and then screened for Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia microti, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, and Bartonella sp. All the pathogens and parasites screened pose a characteristic epidemiological challenge, such as variable level of generalism, unknown zoonotic potential, and lack of data. The results showed that the bank vole Myodes glareolus had the highest prevalence of all pathogens and parasites. Higher flea species diversity was detected than in previous studies, and at least two Bartonella species were found circulating, one of which has not previously been detected in the UK. These key findings offer new insights into the distribution of selected pathogen and parasites and subsequent zoonotic risk, and provide new baselines and perspectives for further eco-epidemiological research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flavia Occhibove
- IBERS, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, SY23 3DA, UK
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
| | | | - Claire Risley
- IBERS, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, SY23 3DA, UK
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15
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Occhibove F, Kenobi K, Swain M, Risley C. An eco-epidemiological modeling approach to investigate dilution effect in two different tick-borne pathosystems. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2022; 32:e2550. [PMID: 35092122 PMCID: PMC9286340 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Disease (re)emergence appears to be driven by biodiversity decline and environmental change. As a result, it is increasingly important to study host-pathogen interactions within the context of their ecology and evolution. The dilution effect is the concept that higher biodiversity decreases pathogen transmission. It has been observed especially in zoonotic vector-borne pathosystems, yet evidence against it has been found. In particular, it is still debated how the community (dis)assembly assumptions and the degree of generalism of vectors and pathogens affect the direction of the biodiversity-pathogen transmission relationship. The aim of this study was to use empirical data and mechanistic models to investigate dilution mechanisms in two rodent-tick-pathogen systems differing in their vector degree of generalism. A community was assembled to include ecological interactions that expand from purely additive to purely substitutive. Such systems are excellent candidates to analyze the link between vector ecology, community (dis)assembly dynamics, and pathogen transmission. To base our mechanistic models on empirical data, rodent live-trapping, including tick sampling, was conducted in Wales across two seasons for three consecutive years. We have developed a deterministic single-vector, multi-host compartmental model that includes ecological relationships with non-host species, uniquely integrating theoretical and observational approaches. To describe pathogen transmission across a gradient of community diversity, the model was populated with parameters describing five different scenarios differing in ecological complexity; each based around one of the pathosystems: Ixodes ricinus (generalist tick)-Borrelia burgdorferi and I. trianguliceps (small mammals specialist tick)-Babesia microti. The results suggested that community composition and interspecific dynamics affected pathogen transmission with different dilution outcomes depending on the vector degree of generalism. The model provides evidence that dilution and amplification effects are not mutually exclusive in the same community but depend on vector ecology and the epidemiological output considered (i.e., the "risk" of interest). In our scenarios, more functionally diverse communities resulted in fewer infectious rodents, supporting the dilution effect. In the pathosystem with generalist vector we identified a hump shaped relationship between diversity and infections in hosts, while for that characterized by specialist tick, this relationship was more complex and more dependent upon specific parameter values.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flavia Occhibove
- IBERS, Aberystwyth UniversityAberystwythUK
- UK Centre for Ecology & HydrologyWallingfordUK
| | - Kim Kenobi
- Department of MathematicsAberystwyth UniversityAberystwythUK
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16
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Occi JL, Campbell VM, Fonseca DM, Robbins RG. Ixodes scapularis (Ixodida: Ixodidae) Parasitizing an Unlikely Host: Big Brown Bats, Eptesicus fuscus (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae), in New York State, USA. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2022; 59:376-379. [PMID: 34761255 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjab174] [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: 07/31/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Ixodes scapularis Say is a three-host tick that has been recorded feeding on over 150 different species of terrestrial vertebrates (mammals, birds, and reptiles). This tick is found throughout the northeastern, coastal southeastern, and upper midwestern United States and is considered the most significant vector of tick-borne pathogens to humans in North America. Despite its ubiquity and broad host range, I. scapularis previously has not been reported feeding on bats (Chiroptera). However, during 2019 and 2020, larvae and nymphs of I. scapularis were recovered from big brown bats, Eptesicus fuscus (Palisot de Beauvois), at four locations in rural New York State, USA. All Ixodes infested bats were injured and found on the ground; therefore, parasitism by I. scapularis was likely opportunistic. Nonetheless, the large number of pathogens known to be associated with bats and the frequency with which I. scapularis bites people suggest that this host-tick relationship is of at least potential epidemiological significance.
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Affiliation(s)
- James L Occi
- Center for Vector Biology, Department of Entomology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | | | - Dina M Fonseca
- Center for Vector Biology, Department of Entomology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Richard G Robbins
- Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit, Department of Entomology, Smithsonian Institution, MSC, MRC 534, 4210 Silver Hill Road, Suitland, MD 20746, USA
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
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17
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Wu DL, Shih HC, Wang JK, Teng HJ, Kuo CC. Commensal Rodent Habitat Expansion Enhances Arthropod Disease Vectors on a Tropical Volcanic Island. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:736216. [PMID: 34692809 PMCID: PMC8531417 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.736216] [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: 07/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
On volcanic islands, the release of animals from predators and competitors can lead to increased body size and population density as well as the expanded habitat use of introduced animals relative to their mainland counterparts. Such alterations might facilitate the spread of diseases on islands when these exotic animals also carry pathogenic agents; however, this has rarely been investigated. The commensal Asian house rat (Rattus tanezumi) is confined to human residential surroundings in mainland Taiwan but can be observed in the forests of nearby Orchid Island, which is a tropical volcanic island. Orchid Island is also a hot spot for scrub typhus, a lethal febrile disease transmitted by larval trombiculid mites (chiggers) that are infected primarily with the rickettsia Orientia tsutsugamushi (OT). We predicted an increase in chigger abundance when rodents (the primary host of chiggers) invade forests from human settlements since soils are largely absent in the latter habitat but necessary for the survival of nymphal and adult mites. A trimonthly rodent survey at 10 sites in three habitats (human residential, grassland, and forest) found only R. tanezumi and showed more R. tanezumi and chiggers in forests than in human residential sites. There was a positive association between rodent and chigger abundance, as well as between rodent body weight and chigger load. Lastly, >95% of chiggers were Leptotrombidium deliense and their OT infection rates were similar among all habitats. Our study demonstrated potentially elevated risks of scrub typhus when this commensal rat species is allowed to invade natural habitats on islands. Additionally, while the success of invasive species can be ascribed to their parasites being left behind, island invaders might instead obtain more parasites if the parasite requires only a single host (e.g., trombiculid mite), is a host generalist (e.g., L. deliense), and is transferred from unsuitable to suitable habitats (i.e., human settlements on the mainland to forests on an island).
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Affiliation(s)
- De-Lun Wu
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Han-Chun Shih
- Epidemic Intelligence Center, Centers for Disease Control, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jen-Kai Wang
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hwa-Jen Teng
- Center for Diagnostics and Vaccine Development, Centers for Disease Control, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chi-Chien Kuo
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
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18
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De Pelsmaeker N, Korslund L, Steifetten Ø. High-elevational occurrence of two tick species, Ixodes ricinus and I. trianguliceps, at their northern distribution range. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:161. [PMID: 33736666 PMCID: PMC7977262 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-04604-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND During the last decades a northward and upward range shift has been observed among many organisms across different taxa. In the northern hemisphere, ticks have been observed to have increased their latitudinal and altitudinal range limit. However, the elevational expansion at its northern distribution range remains largely unstudied. In this study we investigated the altitudinal distribution of the exophilic Ixodes ricinus and endophilic I. trianguliceps on two mountain slopes in Norway by assessing larval infestation rates on bank voles (Myodes glareolus). METHODS During 2017 and 2018, 1325 bank voles were captured during the spring, summer and autumn at ten trapping stations ranging from 100 m to 1000 m.a.s.l. in two study areas in southern Norway. We used generalized logistic regression models to estimate the prevalence of infestation of both tick species along gradients of altitude, considering study area, collection year and season, temperature, humidity and altitude interactions as extrinsic variables, and host body mass and sex as intrinsic predictor variables. RESULTS We found that both I. ricinus and I. trianguliceps infested bank voles at altitudes up to 1000 m.a.s.l., which is a substantial increase in altitude compared to previous findings for I. ricinus in this region. The infestation rates declined more rapidly with increasing altitude for I. ricinus compared to I. trianguliceps, indicating that the endophilic ecology of I. trianguliceps may provide shelter from limiting factors tied to altitude. Seasonal effects limited the occurrence of I. ricinus during autumn, but I. trianguliceps was found to infest rodents at all altitudes during all seasons of both years. CONCLUSIONS This study provides new insights into the altitudinal distribution of two tick species at their northern distribution range, one with the potential to transmit zoonotic pathogens to both humans and livestock. With warming temperatures predicted to increase, and especially so in the northern regions, the risk of tick-borne infections is likely to become a concern at increasingly higher altitudes in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas De Pelsmaeker
- Department of Nature, Health and the Environment, University of South-Eastern Norway, Bø, Norway.
| | - Lars Korslund
- Department of Natural Sciences, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway
| | - Øyvind Steifetten
- Department of Nature, Health and the Environment, University of South-Eastern Norway, Bø, Norway
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Salomon J, Lawrence A, Crews A, Sambado S, Swei A. Host infection and community composition predict vector burden. Oecologia 2021; 196:305-316. [PMID: 33580399 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-021-04851-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2019] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Lyme disease is the most prevalent vector-borne disease in the United States, yet critical gaps remain in our understanding of tick and host interactions that shape disease dynamics. Rodents such as deer mice (Peromyscus spp.) and dusky-footed woodrats (Neotoma fuscipes) are key reservoirs for Borrelia burgdorferi, the etiological bacterium of Lyme disease, and can vary greatly in abundance between habitats. The aggregation of Ixodes pacificus, the western black-legged tick, on rodent hosts is often assumed to be constant across various habitats and not dependent on the rodent or predator communities; however, this is rarely tested. The factors that determine tick burdens on key reservoir hosts are important in estimating Lyme disease risk because larger tick burdens can amplify pathogen transmission. This study is the first to empirically measure I. pacificus larval burdens on competent reservoir hosts as a function of community factors such as rodent diversity, predator diversity, and questing tick abundance. Rodents were live trapped at oak woodland sites to collect tick burdens and tissue samples to test for infection with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato. We found that N. fuscipes tick burdens were negatively correlated with predator diversity, but positively correlated with questing I. pacificus larvae. In addition, rodent hosts that were infected with B. burgdorferi sensu lato tend to have higher burdens of larval ticks. These results demonstrate that tick burdens can be shaped by variability between individuals, species, and the broader host community with consequences for transmission and prevalence of tick-borne pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan Salomon
- Department of Veterinary Integrated Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
| | | | - Arielle Crews
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Samantha Sambado
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Andrea Swei
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, USA
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20
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Rollins RE, Mouchet A, Margos G, Chitimia-Dobler L, Fingerle V, Becker NS, Dingemanse NJ. Repeatable differences in exploratory behaviour predict tick infestation probability in wild great tits. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-021-02972-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Ecological factors and individual-specific traits affect parasite infestation in wild animals. Ixodid ticks are important ectoparasites of various vertebrate hosts, which include passerine bird species such as the great tit (Parus major). We studied various key ecological variables (breeding density, human disturbance) and phenotypic traits (exploratory behaviour, body condition) proposed to predict tick infestation probability and burden in great tits. Our study spanned 3 years and 12 nest box plots located in southern Germany. Breeding, adult great tits were assessed for exploration behaviour, body condition, and tick burden. Plots were open to human recreation; human disturbance was quantified in each plot as a recreation pressure index from biweekly nest box inspections. Infested individuals were repeatable in tick burden across years. These repeatable among-individual differences in tick burden were not attributable to exploration behaviour. However, faster explorers did have a higher infestation probability. Furthermore, body condition was negatively correlated to tick burden. Recreation pressure was correlated to increased infestation probability, although this relationship was just above the threshold of statistical significance. Our study implies that avian infestation probability and tick burden are each determined by distinct phenotypic traits and ecological factors. Our findings highlight the importance of animal behaviour and human disturbance in understanding variation in tick burden among avian hosts.
Significance statement
Various abiotic and biotic factors, including personality type, influence tick parasitism in birds, but exactly how all these factors interplay remains unclear. We studied a wild population of great tits over a 3-year period and assessed birds for their exploration behaviour and tick infestation. We found that more explorative great tits were more likely to be infested with ticks. By contrast, faster explorers did not have higher tick burdens. Tick burden was nevertheless moderately repeatable among individuals. Our results imply that animal personality influences the probability of parasite infestation, and that infestation likelihood versus intensity are determined by distinct mechanisms. Our work highlights the importance of animal behaviour to understand parasite infestation in wild populations.
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21
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Taylor CL, Lydecker HW, Lo N, Hochuli DF, Banks PB. Invasive rabbits host immature Ixodes ticks at the urban-forest interface. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2020; 11:101439. [PMID: 32295737 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2019] [Revised: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Introduced wildlife may be important alternative hosts for generalist ticks that cause health issues for humans and companion animals in urban areas, but to date are rarely considered as part of the tick-host community compared to native wildlife. In Australia, European rabbits, Oryctolagus cuniculus, are a widespread and abundant invasive species common to a range of human-modified ecosystems. To understand the potential role of rabbits in the life cycle of Australian ticks, we investigated the seasonal abundance of all tick life stages (larva, nymph, and adult) on rabbits collected from pest control programs in two urban forest remnants in Sydney, Australia. We also recorded whether larvae, nymphs, and adults were attached to the head, body, or limbs of rabbits to reveal patterns of tick attachment. Of the 2426 Ixodes ticks collected from 42 rabbits, larvae were by far the most abundant life stage (2360), peaking in abundance in autumn, while small numbers of nymphs (62) and adults (4) were present in winter and summer respectively. Larvae were found all over the body, whereas adults and nymphs were predominantly attached to the head, suggesting that the mature life stages use the host landscape differently, or that adults or nymphs may be groomed off the body. The most abundant tick species, as determined by morphology and DNA sequencing, was Ixodes holocyclus, a generalist tick responsible for significant human and companion animal health concerns in Australia. Our findings highlight the importance of understanding the role of introduced wildlife in tick dynamics particularly in novel ecosystems where non-native hosts may be more abundant than native hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Casey L Taylor
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia.
| | - Henry W Lydecker
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia; Marie Bashir Institute for Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia
| | - Nathan Lo
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia
| | - Dieter F Hochuli
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia
| | - Peter B Banks
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia
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Gillingham EL, Hansford KM, Meadows S, Henney J, Wieckowski F, Hernández-Triana LM, Muscat I, Muscat J, Beckert C, Nikolova NI, Cull B, Medlock JM. Ticks on the Channel Islands and implications for public health. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2020; 11:101405. [PMID: 32046929 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2019] [Revised: 01/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The Channel Islands are British Crown dependencies located in the English Channel to the west of the Normandy coast in northern France. Whilst there have been studies investigating tick occurrence and distribution in different habitats on the mainland of the UK and in France, the Channel Islands have been relatively understudied. As such, little is known about whether the sheep tick, Ixodes ricinus, is present, and whether there is a potential risk of Lyme borreliosis on the Channel Islands. To ascertain the presence of I. ricinus on the three largest islands in the archipelago: Jersey, Guernsey and Alderney, surveys of ticks questing in the vegetation and ticks feeding on hosts were undertaken during April and May 2016. Across all three islands, the highest numbers of ticks were found in woodland habitats. Ixodes ricinus was the predominant questing tick species found on Jersey, and Ixodes ventalloi the most common questing tick species on Alderney and Guernsey, with little or no evidence of questing I. ricinus on either island. During field studies on small mammals, I. ricinus was the predominant tick species feeding on Jersey bank voles (Myodes glareolus caesarius), with Ixodes hexagonus the most common species infesting hedgehogs on Guernsey. We propose that the greater diversity of small mammals on Jersey may be important in supporting immature stages of I. ricinus, in contrast to Guernsey and Alderney. Morphological identification of tick species was confirmed by PCR sequencing based on amplification of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit one (cox1) gene (COI DNA barcoding). To date, there have been few records of human tick bites in the Channel Islands, suggesting that the current risk from tick-borne disease may be low, but continued reporting of any human tick bites, along with reporting of cases of Lyme borreliosis will be important for continued assessment of the impact of tick-borne diseases in the Channel Islands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma L Gillingham
- Medical Entomology and Zoonoses Ecology, Emergency Response Department, Public Health England, Porton Down, Salisbury, SP4 0JG, UK; NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Environmental Change and Health, UK.
| | - Kayleigh M Hansford
- Medical Entomology and Zoonoses Ecology, Emergency Response Department, Public Health England, Porton Down, Salisbury, SP4 0JG, UK; NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Environmental Change and Health, UK
| | - Scott Meadows
- Howard Davis Farm, la Route de la Trinité, Trinity, JE3 5JP, Jersey
| | - Julia Henney
- Environment Guernsey Ltd, The Old Tobacco Factory, Route De La Ramee, St. Peter Port, GY1 2ET, Guernsey
| | - Filip Wieckowski
- Alderney Wildlife Trust, 51 Victoria Street, St Anne, Alderney, GY93TA, Guernsey
| | - Luis M Hernández-Triana
- Wildlife Zoonoses and Vector-Borne Research Group, Department of Virology, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Addlestone, Surrey, KT15 3NB, UK
| | - Ivan Muscat
- Jersey General Hospital, The Parade, St Helier, JE1 3QS, Jersey
| | - Joseph Muscat
- Charles University, Opletalova 38, 110 00, Staré Město, Czechia
| | - Clara Beckert
- Charles University, Opletalova 38, 110 00, Staré Město, Czechia
| | - Nadya I Nikolova
- Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, University of Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Ben Cull
- Medical Entomology and Zoonoses Ecology, Emergency Response Department, Public Health England, Porton Down, Salisbury, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Jolyon M Medlock
- Medical Entomology and Zoonoses Ecology, Emergency Response Department, Public Health England, Porton Down, Salisbury, SP4 0JG, UK; NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Environmental Change and Health, UK; NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections, UK
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How general are generalist parasites? The small mammal part of the Lyme disease transmission cycle in two ecosystems in northern Europe. Oecologia 2019; 190:115-126. [PMID: 31062166 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-019-04411-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2018] [Accepted: 04/30/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
The pathogens causing Lyme disease are all vectored by generalist tick species found on a wide range of vertebrates, but spatial and annual variation in host use has rarely been quantified. We here compare the load of Ixodes ricinus (the vector) on small mammals and investigate the infection prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. (the pathogen) involved in the enzootic transmission cycle of Lyme disease in two contrasting ecosystems in Norway from 2014 to 2016. The most common larval tick host in the eastern region was the bank vole, while the common shrew dominated in the western region of Norway. However, the wood mouse and the bank vole had consistently higher larval tick loads than the common shrew in both ecosystems. Hence, the evidence indicated that species are differently suitable as hosts, regardless of their abundances. The pathogen infection prevalence was similar among small mammal species, but markedly higher in the region with larger small mammal populations and higher tick loads, while the seasonal and annual variation was less marked. Our study indicated that the generalist I. ricinus shows consistent patterns of load on species of small vertebrate hosts, while B. burgdorferi s.l. (B. afzelii) was a true generalist. The similar roles of host species across regions suggest that disease dynamics can be predicted from host community composition, but predicting the role of host community composition for disease dynamics requires a detailed understanding of the different species population limitations under global change.
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Genospecies of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato detected in 16 mammal species and questing ticks from northern Europe. Sci Rep 2019; 9:5088. [PMID: 30911054 PMCID: PMC6434031 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-41686-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2018] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Lyme borreliosis is the most common vector-borne zoonosis in the northern hemisphere, and the pathogens causing Lyme borreliosis have distinct, incompletely described transmission cycles involving multiple host groups. The mammal community in Fennoscandia differs from continental Europe, and we have limited data on potential competent and incompetent hosts of the different genospecies of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (sl) at the northern distribution ranges where Lyme borreliosis is emerging. We used qPCR to determine presence of B. burgdorferi sl in tissue samples (ear) from 16 mammalian species and questing ticks from Norway, and we sequenced the 5S-23 S rDNA intergenic spacer region to determine genospecies from 1449 qPCR-positive isolates obtaining 423 sequences. All infections coming from small rodents and shrews were linked to the genospecies B. afzelii, while B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (ss) was only found in red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris). Red squirrels were also infected with B. afzelii and B. garinii. There was no evidence of B. burgdorferi sl infection in moose (Alces alces), red deer (Cervus elaphus) or roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), confirming the role of cervids as incompetent hosts. In infected questing ticks in the two western counties, B. afzelii (67% and 75%) dominated over B. garinii (27% and 21%) and with only a few recorded B. burgdorferi ss and B. valaisiana. B. burgdorferi ss were more common in adult ticks than in nymphs, consistent with a reservoir in squirrels. Our study identifies potential competent hosts for the different genospecies, which is key to understand transmission cycles at high latitudes of Europe.
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Perez G, Bastian S, Chastagner A, Agoulon A, Plantard O, Vourc'h G, Butet A. Ecological factors influencing small mammal infection byAnaplasma phagocytophilumandBorrelia burgdorferis.l. in agricultural and forest landscapes. Environ Microbiol 2017; 19:4205-4219. [DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.13885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2016] [Revised: 08/01/2017] [Accepted: 08/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Grégoire Perez
- ECOBIO; UMR CNRS 6553-Université de Rennes 1, 263 avenue du général Leclerc; Rennes 35042 France
- INRA, Oniris; BIOEPAR; Nantes 44307 France
| | | | - Amélie Chastagner
- INRA, VetAgro Sup; UR INRA 0346 EPIA; Saint-Genès-Champanelle 63122 France
- Evolutionary Ecology Group; University of Antwerp, Campus Drie Eiken, Universiteitsplein 1; Wilrijk 2610 Belgium
| | | | | | - Gwenaël Vourc'h
- INRA, VetAgro Sup; UR INRA 0346 EPIA; Saint-Genès-Champanelle 63122 France
| | - Alain Butet
- ECOBIO; UMR CNRS 6553-Université de Rennes 1, 263 avenue du général Leclerc; Rennes 35042 France
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Rosso F, Tagliapietra V, Baráková I, Derdáková M, Konečný A, Hauffe HC, Rizzoli A. Prevalence and genetic variability of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in wild rodents from the Italian alps. Parasit Vectors 2017; 10:293. [PMID: 28615038 PMCID: PMC5471728 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-017-2221-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2017] [Accepted: 05/25/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Human granulocytic anaplasmosis is a zoonotic bacterial disease with increasing relevance for public health in Europe. The understanding of its sylvatic cycle and identification of competent reservoir hosts are essential for improving disease risk models and planning preventative measures. Results In 2012 we collected single ear biopsy punches from 964 live-trapped rodents in the Province of Trento, Italy. Genetic screening for Anaplasma phagocytophilum (AP) was carried out by PCR amplification of a fragment of the 16S rRNA gene. Fifty-two (5.4%) samples tested positive: 49/245 (20%) from the bank vole (Myodes glareolus) and 3/685 (0.4%) samples collected from the yellow-necked mouse (Apodemus flavicollis). From these 52 positive samples, we generated 38 groEL and 39 msp4 sequences. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed the existence of a distinct rodent strain of AP. Conclusions Our results confirm the circulation of a specific strain of AP in rodents in our study area; moreover, they provide further evidence of the marginal role of A. flavicollis compared to M. glareolus as a reservoir host for this pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fausta Rosso
- Fondazione Edmund Mach, Research and Innovation Centre, San Michele all'Adige, TN, Italy.
| | - Valentina Tagliapietra
- Fondazione Edmund Mach, Research and Innovation Centre, San Michele all'Adige, TN, Italy
| | - Ivana Baráková
- Fondazione Edmund Mach, Research and Innovation Centre, San Michele all'Adige, TN, Italy.,Slovak Academy of Science, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | | | - Adam Konečný
- Fondazione Edmund Mach, Research and Innovation Centre, San Michele all'Adige, TN, Italy.,Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Heidi Christine Hauffe
- Fondazione Edmund Mach, Research and Innovation Centre, San Michele all'Adige, TN, Italy
| | - Annapaola Rizzoli
- Fondazione Edmund Mach, Research and Innovation Centre, San Michele all'Adige, TN, Italy
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Cull B, Vaux AGC, Ottowell LJ, Gillingham EL, Medlock JM. Tick infestation of small mammals in an English woodland. JOURNAL OF VECTOR ECOLOGY : JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR VECTOR ECOLOGY 2017; 42:74-83. [PMID: 28504447 DOI: 10.1111/jvec.12241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2016] [Accepted: 11/17/2016] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Tick infestations on small mammals were studied from April to November, 2010, in deciduous woodland in southern England in order to determine whether co-infestations with tick stages occurred on small mammals, a key requirement for endemic transmission of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV). A total of 217 small mammals was trapped over 1,760 trap nights. Yellow-necked mice (Apodemus flavicollis) made up the majority (52.5%) of animals, followed by wood mice (A. sylvaticus) 35.5% and bank voles (Myodes glareolus) 12%. A total of 970 ticks was collected from 169 infested animals; 96% of ticks were Ixodes ricinus and 3% I. trianguliceps. Over 98% of ticks were larval stages. Mean infestation intensities of I. ricinus were significantly higher on A. flavicollis (6.53 ± 0.67) than on A. sylvaticus (4.96 ± 0.92) and M. glareolus (3.25 ± 0.53). Infestations with I. ricinus were significantly higher in August than in any other month. Co-infestations with I. ricinus nymphs and larvae were observed on six (3.6%) infested individuals, and fifteen small mammals (8.9%) supported I. ricinus - I. trianguliceps co-infestations. This work contributes further to our understanding of European small mammal hosts that maintain tick populations and their associated pathogens, and indicates that co-infestation of larvae and nymph ticks does occur in lowland UK. The possible implications for transmission of tick-borne encephalitis virus between UK ticks and small mammals are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Cull
- Medical Entomology and Zoonoses Ecology, Emergency Response Department, Public Health England, Porton Down, Salisbury
| | - Alexander G C Vaux
- Medical Entomology and Zoonoses Ecology, Emergency Response Department, Public Health England, Porton Down, Salisbury
| | - Lisa J Ottowell
- Medical Entomology and Zoonoses Ecology, Emergency Response Department, Public Health England, Porton Down, Salisbury
| | - Emma L Gillingham
- Medical Entomology and Zoonoses Ecology, Emergency Response Department, Public Health England, Porton Down, Salisbury
| | - Jolyon M Medlock
- Medical Entomology and Zoonoses Ecology, Emergency Response Department, Public Health England, Porton Down, Salisbury
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Qviller L, Viljugrein H, Loe LE, Meisingset EL, Mysterud A. The influence of red deer space use on the distribution of Ixodes ricinus ticks in the landscape. Parasit Vectors 2016; 9:545. [PMID: 27737695 PMCID: PMC5064927 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-016-1825-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2016] [Accepted: 10/02/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Many wingless ectoparasites have a limited capacity for active movement and are therefore primarily dependent on hitchhiking on their hosts for transportation. The distribution of the tick Ixodes ricinus is expected to depend mainly on transportation by hosts and tick subsequent survival in areas where they drop off. In Europe, the most important hosts of adult female I. ricinus are cervids. The extensive space use of large hosts provides a much larger dispersal potential for I. ricinus than that of smaller mammalian hosts. We aim to determine the contribution of red deer (Cervus elaphus) space use on the spatial distribution of I. ricinus, after accounting for landscape factors. Methods We analysed the spatial distribution of I. ricinus with generalised mixed effects models (GLMMs) based on data from extensive field surveys of questing density in two coastal regions in Norway, from which home range data from 73 red deer with GPS collars were available. Red deer home ranges were derived using the kernel method to identify areas most frequently used by deer. We first fitted a baseline model with tick questing densities relative to landscape features that are likely to affect local climate conditions and hence, survival. We then added deer space use variables to the baseline model with only landscape variables to test whether areas more frequently used by red deer had higher questing tick densities. Results Questing I. ricinus density was predicted by several landscape features, such as elevation, distance to the fjord and topographic slope. In addition, we found that areas more heavily used within the red deer home ranges, correlated with higher questing tick densities. Increased effects of deer space use were additive to the landscape model, suggesting that correlations were more than just shared landscape preferences between deer and ticks. Conclusions Our results imply that the distribution of I. ricinus is controlled by a complex set of factors that include both local conditions related to landscape properties that affect survival and how the large host population redistributes ticks. In particular, we have provided evidence that the local distribution of large hosts, with their extensive space use, redistributes ticks at the local scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars Qviller
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1066, Blindern, NO-0316, Oslo, Norway
| | - Hildegunn Viljugrein
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1066, Blindern, NO-0316, Oslo, Norway.,Norwegian Veterinary Institute, P.O. Box 750, Sentrum, NO-0106, Oslo, Norway
| | - Leif Egil Loe
- Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Science, P.O. Box 5003, NO-1432, Aas, Norway
| | - Erling L Meisingset
- Department of Forestry and Forestry resources, Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, NO-6630, Tingvoll, Norway
| | - Atle Mysterud
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1066, Blindern, NO-0316, Oslo, Norway.
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