Birds as disseminators of ixodid ticks and tick-borne pathogens: note on the relevance to migratory routes

Hornok, Sándor; Karcza, Zsolt; Csörgő, Tibor

doi:10.2478/orhu-2013-0010

Cited by 13 publications

(9 citation statements)

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“…In the present study the great majority of I. frontalis specimens were collected from Robins. This bird species is known to have predominantly south-west to north-east spring migration from the Mediterranean region to Hungary [ 23 ]. Therefore, the present data suggest that I. frontalis is mainly transported from South-Western Europe to Central Europe.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bird ticks in Hungary reflect western, southern, eastern flyway connections and two genetic lineages of Ixodes frontalis and Haemaphysalis concinna

et al. 2016

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Background: Birds play an important role in short-and long-distance transportation of ticks and tick-borne pathogens. The aim of the present study was to provide comprehensive information on the species and genetic diversity of ixodid ticks transported by migratory and non-migratory bird species in Central Europe, and to evaluate relevant data in a geographical, as well as in an ecological context. Methods: During a three year period (2012)(2013)(2014), altogether 3339 ixodid ticks were collected from 1167 passerine birds (representatives of 47 species) at ringing stations in Hungary. These ticks were identified, and the tickinfestations of bird species were compared according to various traits. In addition, PCR and sequencing of part of the cytochrome oxidase subunit-I (COI) and 16S rDNA genes were performed from representatives of five tick species.Results: The most abundant tick species found were Ixodes ricinus and Haemaphysalis concinna (with 2296 and 989 immature stages, respectively). In addition, 48 I. frontalis (all stages), three Hyalomma rufipes nymphs, one I. lividus and two I. festai females were collected. The majority of I. ricinus and I. frontalis specimens occurred on ground-feeding bird species, as contrasted to Ha. concinna. Hy. rufipes showed the highest degree of sequence identity to an Ethiopian hybrid of the same tick species. Based on both COI and 16S rDNA gene analyses, two genetic lineages of I. frontalis were recognized (with only 91.4 % identity in their partial COI gene). These were highly similar to South-Western European isolates of the same tick species. Phylogenetic analysis of Ha. concinna specimens collected from birds in Hungary also revealed two genetic lineages, one of which showed high (≥99 %) degree of 16S rDNA sequence identity to conspecific East Asian isolates.Conclusions: Two genetic lineages of I. frontalis and Ha. concinna are transported by birds in Central Europe, which reflect a high degree of sequence identity to South-Western European and East Asian isolates of the same tick species, respectively. In addition, I. festai was collected for the first time in Hungary. These findings highlight the importance of western and eastern migratory connections by birds (in addition to the southern direction), which are also relevant to the epidemiology of tick-borne diseases.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bird ticks in Hungary reflect western, southern, eastern flyway connections and two genetic lineages of Ixodes frontalis and Haemaphysalis concinna

et al. 2016

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“…At the same time, birds are also known to play a significant role in the epidemiology of infectious diseases, e.g. by short- and long-distance dissemination of ixodid ticks and tick-borne pathogens 2 3 . The latter include several important zoonotic disease agents, such as Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato that causes Lyme disease 4 , Anaplasma phagocytophilum responsible for granulocytic anaplasmosis 5 , and tick-borne encephalitis virus 6 .…”

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An unexpected advantage of insectivorism: insect moulting hormones ingested by song birds affect their ticks

Hornok

Kováts

Flaisz

et al. 2016

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Ecdysteroids are important hormones that regulate moulting in arthropods. Three-host ixodid ticks normally moult to the next stage after finishing their blood meal, in the off-host environment. Presumably, three-host ticks that feed on the blood of insectivorous vertebrate hosts can be exposed to high levels of exogenous ecdysteroids causing them to initiate apolysis (the first step of moulting) on the vertebrate host. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether ticks undergo apolysis on insectivorous song birds, and if this phenomenon is associated with the seasonal variation in the availability of moths and with the presence of naturally acquired ecdysteroids in avian blood. During a triannual survey, 3330 hard tick larvae and nymphs were collected from 1164 insectivorous song birds of 46 species. A noteworthy proportion of ticks, 20.5%, showed apolysis. The occurrence of apolytic ticks on birds was correlated with the known seasonality of lepidopteran caterpillars. In addition, 18 blood samples of tick-infested birds were analysed with liquid chromatography – tandem mass spectrometry. Eight samples contained ecdysteroids or their derivatives, frequently in high concentrations, and the presence of these was associated with tick apolysis. In conclusion, naturally acquired ecdysteroids may reach high levels in the blood of insectivorous passerine birds, and will affect ticks (feeding on such blood) by shortening their parasitism.

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“…Miholcsa et al 2009, Kovács et al 2010, Harnos et al 2015a) on avian migration phenology have been intensively studied. Finally, epidemiological studies focused on evolutionary-ecological aspects of Usutu and West Nile viruses (Bakonyi et al 2007(Bakonyi et al , 2013, ticks (Hornok et al 2012(Hornok et al , 2016a and tick-borne infections (Hornok et al 2013(Hornok et al , 2014, and lice (Vas et al 2008 infesting birds.…”

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confidence: 99%

Detailed description of the Ócsa Bird Ringing Station, Hungary

et al. 2016

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The present paper acts as an introduction to a series that will describe the exploratory analyses of migration phenology and morphometrics of the most common passerine species at the Ócsa Bird Ringing Station. This station is situated in the Ócsa Landscape Protection Area that belongs to the Duna-Ipoly National Park, Hungary. The area is somewhat cooler and more humid than the surrounding agricultural fields and tree plantations, covered by a mosaic of diverse hygrophilous vegetation patches. Bird trapping is mostly based on Japanese mist-net lines crossing different plant communities. During the period of 1984-2015, a total of 422,862 birds were trapped and ringed here, while 202,739 local, 1,235 within country, and 443 foreign recaptures were also recorded. Each bird is characterized by the following data: location and time of capture, species, age, sex, scores of fat, pectoral muscle, wing tip abrasion, and moult, length of wing, 3 rd primary, and tail, and body mass. After subjected to a rigorous quality check, digital data are deposited in the archive of the Hungarian Bird Ringing Centre, and the EURING data base. From time to time, other research projects also utilized the accessibility of wild birds captured here, thus collection of blood samples, ecto-and endoparasites was carried out at the station. The relatively long time span, large number of species and individuals, and the readily available environmental (weather, vegetation, etc.) data makes the avian data collected here a suitable base for studies of various disciplines like capture methodology, habitat preferences,breeding, migration, and wintering, effects of weather and climate change, and epidemiology of viruses and parasites.Összefoglalás Jelen cikk egy olyan cikksorozat bevezető része, amelyben egy közép-magyarországi gyűrűzőállomáson -Ócsai Madárvártán -leggyakrabban előforduló énekesmadarak vonulás időzítésének és testméreteinek exploratív elemzéseit közöljük. A gyűrűző állomás a Duna-Ipoly Nemzeti Parkhoz tartozó Ócsai Tájvédelmi Körzetben található. A terület egy jégkorszaki maradványláp, mozaikos vegetációval. A madarak befogása a területre jellemző különböző növénytársulásokban, döntő többségben japán típusú függönyhálókkal történik. Az 1984-2015 között zajló munka során 422 862 madarat fogtunk, gyűrűztünk, 202 739 saját, 1235 hazai és 443 külföldi vonatkozású visszafogásunk volt. A befogott madarakról a következő adatokat vettük fel: a madarak befogási helye 12 méteres pontossággal, ideje 1 órás pontossággal, faja, kora, ivara, zsír-, izom-, vedlés-és kopás kódja, szárny-, 3. evező-, és farokhossza 1 mm-es pontossággal, testtömege 0,1 g pontossággal, teljes vedlést végző madárnál az evezőés faroktollaknál egyenként 0-5-ös skálán. Az adatok -ellenőrzés után -a Magyar Madárgyűrűzési Központba és az EURING adatbázisba kerülnek. A standard adatfelvételen túl -időközönként és bizonyos fajoknál -egyéb vizsgálatok is történnek, pl. ekto, és endoparazita gyűjtés, vérminta gyűjtés stb. A viszonylag hosszú időintervallum, a nagy fajszám és fajo...

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Birds as disseminators of ixodid ticks and tick-borne pathogens: note on the relevance to migratory routes

Cited by 13 publications

References 2 publications

Bird ticks in Hungary reflect western, southern, eastern flyway connections and two genetic lineages of Ixodes frontalis and Haemaphysalis concinna

Bird ticks in Hungary reflect western, southern, eastern flyway connections and two genetic lineages of Ixodes frontalis and Haemaphysalis concinna

An unexpected advantage of insectivorism: insect moulting hormones ingested by song birds affect their ticks

Detailed description of the Ócsa Bird Ringing Station, Hungary

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