Hard ticks are a perennial problem in livestock systems throughout Mexico. No data are currently available on tick prevalence, infestation intensity and population dynamics for sheep in the humid tropics of Mexico. Blackbelly sheep (n = 30) in Tabasco state, Mexico, were examined every 3 weeks for 1 year, and all Ixodidae ticks were counted and removed for analysis. Tick species were identified, infestation prevalence and intensity calculated per animal, and infestation per body zone determined. Overall infestation on the studied animals was 51.9%. Four tick species were identified (Amblyomma mixtum, A. imitator, Rhipicephalus microplus and R. annulatus), the most abundant being A. mixtum (94.9%). Prevalence was highest during the northwinds season (61.9%), followed by the dry (48.5%) and rainy (47.3%) seasons; however, the intensity (2.01-2.07 ticks/sheep) did not differ between seasons. Infestation was most frequent in certain zones including the axilla, crotch, udder, abdomen, thorax and rib area. Sheep in the humid tropics of Tabasco, Mexico, are parasitized by four hard tick species and prevalence is highest in the northwinds season. The present data constitute an important baseline for developing sustainable tick control programs for sheep in the humid tropics of Mexico.
El objetivo fue evaluar el grado de infestación natural por Rhipicephalus microplus, así como determinar su correlación con factores climatológicos y su efecto sobre la ganancia de peso en bovinos doble propósito. Se utilizaron 31 bovinos cruzados, Bos taurus x Bos indicus, de ambos sexos, con una edad promedio de 307 días. El conteo de garrapatas semi-repletas (4.5 a 8.0 mm de diámetro) y el pesaje de los animales se realizaron cada 28 días. El conteo de garrapatas se realizó desde la cabeza hasta la base de la cola, abarcando miembros anteriores y posteriores, así como la región ventral de los animales. Las variables de respuesta estudiadas fueron número de garrapatas semi-repletas y ganancia de peso promedio del animal. En julio el número promedio de garrapatas por animal fue mayor (P<0.05) que en el resto de los meses del año. Por el contrario, el sexo y el grupo racial del animal no afectaron (P>0.05) el número de garrapatas. La ganancia de peso disminuyó 34 g (P<0.05) por cada garrapata semi-repleta por periodo. El número de garrapatas tuvo una correlación baja (P<0.01) con la temperatura ambiental y humedad relativa; ganancia de peso promedio correlacionó negativa y moderadamente con el número de garrapatas (-0.67; P<0.01). Los bovinos con un nivel de infestación alto (61 garrapatas o más) tuvieron una ganancia de peso promedio menor (P=0.001) que aquellos con nivel de infestación medio (31 a 60 garrapatas) y bajo (0 a 30 garrapatas). La infestación de bovinos de doble propósito con Boophilus microplus requiere un control más estricto en los meses de mayor temperatura ambiental (abril a julio).
Background: Acaricide resistance is a central problem for the control of the cattle tick Rhipicephalus microplus. Genetic changes that confer resistance get fixed in the population, however, the physiological effects and phenotypes of these mutations are not always well understood or characterized. Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) in the para-sodium channel gene that confer cypermethrin knockdown resistance (kdr) were identified in several arthropods, and homologous mutations have been reported in R. microplus populations. To our knowledge, R. microplus populations that have these homologous SNPs have been associated and correlated with pyrethroid resistance but there is no direct physiological evidence that their presence does confer kdr in this organism. Methods: Resistance profiles from resistant and susceptible strains used in this work were obtained using the larval packet discriminating dose assay. The relevant genomic regions of the para-sodium channel of these strains were amplified using standard PCR; SNPs were detected by sequencing the corresponding amplicons. Ovary response to cypermethrin exposure/treatment was evaluated using videometrical analysis.Results: In this work we present historical evidence that the pyrethroid resistance trait is stable in a resistant reference strain after many years without selection, thus suggesting that the primary resistance mechanism is caused by mutations fixed in the population. In our experimental system, the mechanism that allows the maintenance of the contraction of the ovary after treatment with pyrethroids, is likely to be mediated by a change in the structure of the presynaptic para-sodium channel. We found that the resistant strain has the G184C, the C190A and the T2134A mutations in the para-sodium channel gene. SNPs G184C and T2134A have been reported to be genetically linked in resistant populations and are always found together. These mutations were confirmed to be absent in the susceptible strain used as control. Finally, using videometric analysis, we demonstrate that cypermethrin blocks ovary contraction in cypermethrin-susceptible ticks. We also show that ovaries from populations that carry the kdr associated SNPs still contract at cypermethrin concentrations that completely block ovary contraction in the susceptible strain. The configuration of the experimental system excludes a xenobiotic detoxification mechanism. Conclusions: This is the first report that presents physiological evidence that the presence of the G184C, the C190A, and the T2134A mutations in the para-sodium channel correlates with the ability of maintaining muscle contractility in R. microplus when exposed to cypermethrin. These results confirm that these SNPs may confer cypermethrin resistance in this organism by avoiding presynaptic blockage that in turn causes flaccid muscle paralysis that is characteristic of this acaricide. This work also demonstrates that the videometric assay that we previously validated can be used to detect more rapidly than other assays that involve larval mortality kdr-like cypermethrin resistant tick strains, because adult preengorged females can be directly assayed after they are collected on the field without waiting until eggs are laid and the larvae eclose.
Background: Acaricide resistance is a central problem for the control of the cattle tick Rhipicephalus microplus. Genetic changes that confer resistance get fixed in the population, however, the physiological effects and phenotypes of these mutations are not always well understood or characterized. SNPs in the para-sodium channel gene that confer cypermethrin knockdown resistance (kdr) were identified in several arthropods, and homologous mutations have been reported in R. microplus populations. To our knowledge, R. microplus populations that have these homologous SNPs have been associated and correlated with pyrethroid resistance but there is no direct physiological evidence that their presence does confer kdr in this organism. Methods: Resistance profiles from resistant and susceptible strains used in this work were obtained using the larval packet discriminating dose assay. The relevant genomic regions of the para-sodium channel of these strains were amplified using standard PCR; SNPs were detected by sequencing the corresponding amplicons. Ovary response to cypermethrin was evaluated using videometrical analysis.Results: In this work we present historical evidence that the pyrethroid resistance trait is stable in a resistant reference strain after many years without selection, thus suggesting that the primary resistance mechanism is caused by mutations fixed in the population. In our experimental system, ovary contraction resistance to pyrethroids is likely to be mediated by a change in the structure of the presynaptic para-sodium channel. We found that the resistant strain has the G184C, the C190A and the T2134A mutations in the para-sodium channel gene. SNPs G184C and T2134A have been reported to be genetically linked in resistant populations and are always found together. These mutations were confirmed to be absent in the susceptible strain used as control. Finally, using videometric analysis, we demonstrate that cypermethrin blocks ovary contraction from cypermethrin-susceptible ticks. We also show that ovaries from populations that carry the kdr associated SNPs still contract at cypermethrin concentrations that completely block susceptible ovary contraction. The configuration of the experimental system excludes a xenobiotic detoxification mechanism. Conclusions: This is the first report that presents physiological evidence that the G184C, the C190A, and the T2134A mutations in the para-sodium channel have a phenotype in R. microplus. These results confirm that these SNPs confer cypermethrin resistance in this organism by avoiding presynaptic blockage that in turn cause flaccid muscle paralysis that is characteristic of this acaricide. This work also demonstrates that the videometric assay that we previously validated can be used to rapidly detect kdr-like cypermethrin resistant tick strains.
Background: Acaricide resistance is a central problem for the control of the cattle tick Rhipicephalus microplus . Genetic changes that confer resistance get fixed in the population, however, the physiological effects and phenotypes of these mutations are not always well understood or characterized. SNPs in the para-sodium channel gene that confer cypermethrin knockdown resistance ( kdr ) were identified in several arthropods, and homologous mutations have been reported in R. microplus populations. To our knowledge, R. microplus populations that have these homologous SNPs have been associated and correlated with pyrethroid resistance but there is no direct physiological evidence that their presence does confer kdr in this organism. Methods: Resistance profiles from resistant and susceptible strains used in this work were obtained using the larval packet discriminating dose assay. The relevant genomic regions of the para-sodium channel of these strains were amplified using standard PCR; SNPs were detected by sequencing the corresponding amplicons. Ovary response to cypermethrin exposure/treatment was evaluated using videometrical analysis. Results: In this work we present historical evidence that the pyrethroid resistance trait is stable in a resistant reference strain after many years without selection, thus suggesting that the primary resistance mechanism is caused by mutations fixed in the population. In our experimental system, the mechanism that allows the maintenance of the contraction of the ovary after treatment with pyrethroids, is likely to be mediated by a change in the structure of the presynaptic para-sodium channel. We found that the resistant strain has the G184C, the C190A and the T2134A mutations in the para-sodium channel gene. SNPs G184C and T2134A have been reported to be genetically linked in resistant populations and are always found together. These mutations were confirmed to be absent in the susceptible strain used as control. Finally, using videometric analysis, we demonstrate that cypermethrin blocks ovary contraction in cypermethrin-susceptible ticks. We also show that ovaries from populations that carry the kdr associated SNPs still contract at cypermethrin concentrations that completely block ovary contraction in the susceptible strain. The configuration of the experimental system excludes a xenobiotic detoxification mechanism. Conclusions: This is the first report that presents physiological evidence that the presence of the G184C, the C190A, and the T2134A mutations in the para-sodium channel correlates with the ability of maintaining muscle contractility in R. microplus when exposed to cypermethrin. These results confirm that these SNPs may confer cypermethrin resistance in this organism by avoiding presynaptic blockage that in turn causes flaccid muscle paralysis that is characteristic of this acaricide. This work also demonstrates that the videometric assay that we previously validated can be used to detect more rapidly than other assays that involve larval mortality kdr -like cypermethrin resistant tick strains, because adult preengorged females can be directly assayed after they are collected on the field without waiting until eggs are laid and the larvae eclose.
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