Babesia microti (Piroplasmida: Babesiidae) in nymphal Ixodes ricinus (Acari: Ixodidae) in the Czech Republic

A total of 350 nymphs of the common tick Ixodes ricinus (Linnaeus, 1758) were collected in an endemic focus of Lyme borreliosis (South Moravia, Czech Republic) and examined for the presence of the protozoan Babesia microti (Fran?a, 1909) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), using primers specific for the B. microti gene encoding small subunit rRNA. The assay revealed five positive pools (out of 70 pools examined); the corresponding prevalence rate was about 1.5%. Sequence analysis of the PCR products confirmed their 100% homology with that of B. microti. The study represents the first evidence of B. microti in ixodid ticks in the Czech Republic.     

Acaricidal effects of cardiac glycosides, azadirachtin and neem oil against the camel tick, Hyalomma dromedarii (Acari: Ixodidae)

The cardiac glycoside, digitoxin, from Digitalis purpurea L (Scrophulariaceae), a cardiac glycosidal (cardenolide) extract from Calotropis procera (Ait) R Br (Asclepiadaceae), azadirachtin and neem oil from Azadirachta indica A Juss (Meliaceae) were tested for their effects against larvae and adult stages of the camel tick, Hyalomma dromedarii Koch (Acari: Ixodidae). The contact LC50 values of the first three materials against adults were 4.08, 9.63 and >40.7 microg cm(-2), respectively, whereas the dipping LC50 values of the four materials were 409.9, 1096, >5000 and >5000 mg litre(-1), respectively. Contact and dipping LC50 values of the extract and azadirachtin against larvae were 6.16, >20.3 microg cm(-2) and 587.7 and >2500 mg litre(-1), respectively. Azadirachtin had no effects on egg production or feeding of adults up to 5000 mg litre(-1); however at 2500 mg litre(-1), it caused significant reduction in feeding activity of larve, prolonged the period for moulting to nymphal stage, and caused 60% reduction in moultability. Results of the two cardiac glycoside materials are comparable with those of several commercial acaricides. The risks and benefits associated with the use of cardiac glycosides are considered.     

Host substitution by Ixodes persulcatus (Acari: Ixodidae) larvae in the years of deep depression in the abundance of small mammals.

A phenomenon of host substitution by the taiga tick (Ixodes persulcatus) larvae was observed by the authors in the western part of the Soviet Far East. In the mountain forests where the highest abundance of I. persulcatus was found, larvae usually fed on small mammals (primarily on Clethrionomys rufocanus, C. rutilus and Apodemus speciosus). Numerous larvae were found, however, on the mountain hare (Lepus timidus) in the years of deep depression in the abundance of small mammals. The host substitution is considered as one of the mechanisms stabilizing the abundance of I. persulcatus adults.     

Two ways of experimental infection of Ixodes ricinus ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) with spirochetes of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex

A previously reported procedure for the introduction of Borrelia spirochetes into tick larvae by immersion in a suspension of spirochetes was tested on Ixodes ricinus (L.) ticks and three of the most medically important European Borrelia genomic species, B. burgdorferi sensu stricto, B. garinii and B. afzelii. The procedure was compared with "classical" infection of nymphs by feeding on infected mice. Both methods yielded comparable results (infection rate 44-65%) with the exception of B. afzelii, which produced better results using the immersion method (44%) compared with feeding on infected mice (16%). Nymphs infected by the immersion method at the larval stage were able to transmit the infection to na?ve mice as shown by serology and PCR detection of spirochetal DNA in organs. The immersion method is faster than feeding on infected mice and provides more reproducible conditions for infection. It can be exploited for studies on both pathogen transmission and Borrelia-vector interactions.     

Peculiarities of behaviour of taiga (Ixodes persulcatus) and sheep (Ixodes ricinus) ticks (Acarina: Ixodidae) determined by different methods

A comparison of the behavioural peculiarities of Ixodes persulcatus Schulze, 1930 (north-western population, Russia) and Ixodes ricinus (L., 1758) from western Russia and Denmark was determined by using two methods. Method 1 involved a sojourn of ticks on vertical plastic sticks and showed that the questing behaviour of I. ricinus nymphs was dependent on temperature and relative humidity (RH). A significantly greater number of nymphs quested at 22 degrees C and 100% RH than at 18 degrees C. When the humidity was reduced to 30% all of the nymphs departed. In the second method, the activity of ticks on an inclined "ticksdrome" was estimated. The activity of I. ricinus adults from the Danish population was 1.2 times greater than that of ticks from Russia. Females of the species studied and specimens from all study areas were more active than all other stages of development. The locomotor activity of both adult and immature I. ricinus that were infected with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato was suppressed when compared with uninfected specimens. The locomotor activity of I. persulcatus females infected by borreliae with exoskeleton anomalies was 1.3 times greater (P<0.05) than that of infected ticks without anomalies. Our data showed that infected females with exoskeleton anomalies could crawl faster on a human and reach uncovered parts of the body that are vulnerable for attachment and feeding. A study of locomotor activity and questing behaviour may be useful for comparing the risk for different tick species and populations to transmit tick-borne pathogens.     

Pyrethroid insecticide resistance in Rhipicephalus bursa (Acari, Ixodidae)

Rhipicephalus bursa is one of the most common hard tick species in Iran. It is a vector of animal and human diseases. Tick control strategies in Iran rely heavily on pyrethroid insecticide use. Hence, susceptibility status of multiple field collected populations to λ-cyhalothrin and cypermethrin was investigated using the FAO recommended larval packet test. Resistance ratios at the LC₉₉ of field populations of R. bursa compared to a susceptible strain ranged from 0.95 to 4.78 for λ-cyhalothrin and 1.43-8.6 for cypermethrin. They were 2- to 6.9-fold higher than the maximum dose recommended by the acaricide formulating companies. Biochemical assays on different field collected populations showed significant elevation in esterase and glutathione S-transferase activities and monooxygenase contents compared with the susceptible strain. Therefore, close monitoring and resistance management strategies should be employed to delay the operational loss of pyrethroids for tick control in Iran.     

Bartonella infections in fleas (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) and lack of bartonellae in ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) from Hungary

Fleas (95 Pulex irritans, 50 Ctenocephalides felis, 45 Ctenocephalides canis) and ixodid ticks (223 ixodes ricinus, 231 Dermacentor reticulatus, 204 Haemaphysalis concinna) were collected in Hungary and tested, in assays based on PCR, for Bartonella infection. Low percentages of P. irritans (4.2%) and C. felis (4.0%) were found to be infected. The groEL sequences of the four isolates from P. irritans were different from all the homologous sequences for bartonellae previously stored in GenBank but closest to those of Bartonella sp. SE-Bart-B (sharing 96% identities). The groEL sequences of the two isolates from C. felis were identical with those of the causative agents of cat scratch disease, Bartonella henselae and Bartonella clarridgeiae, respectively. The pap31 sequences of B. henselae amplified from Hungarian fleas were identical with that of Marseille strain. No Bartonella-specific amplification products were detected in C. canis, I. ricinus, D. reticulatus and H. concinna pools.     

Using environmental factors to predict Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l. (Acari: Ixodidae) mortality

Background

Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l. (Latreille, 1806) can establish indoor populations, which increases the risk of pathogen transmission to humans and companion dogs. Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l. ticks spend most of their life cycle off the host, which subjects developmental timescale to abiotic factors. Previous studies showed that both temperature and relative humidity (RH) influenced Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l. survival time across all life stages. However, quantified relationships between environmental factors and Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l. mortality is not currently available. Here, three Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l. strains were evaluated for mortality under 20 combinations of five temperatures and four RHs. The data obtained were analyzed to quantify the relationship between environmental factors and Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l. survival.

Results

Mortality probabilities did not show a consistent pattern between the three tick strains. Temperature, RH, and their interaction influenced Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l. mortality probabilities across all life stages, with mortality probability generally increasing with temperature but decreasing with RH. With 50% and lower RH, larvae cannot survive for more than 1 week. However, mortality probabilities in all strains and stages were more sensitive to temperature than to RH.

Conclusion

This study identified the predictive relationship between environmental factors and Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l. survival, which enables estimations of tick survival time under varied residential situations, allows parameterization of population models, and provides guidance for pest control professionals to develop efficient management strategies. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.