Distribution of Ixodes ricinus in the British Isles: investigation of historical records

Abstract

Ixodes ricinus Linnaeus (Acari: Ixodidae) is the most abundant and widely distributed tick in the British Isles, and is a vector for a number of bacterial, viral and protozoal pathogens of both medical and veterinary importance. This report provides an update to the historical distribution data of I. ricinus, published by the Biological Records Centre (BRC), Monks Wood in The Provisional Atlas of the Ticks (Ixodidae) of the British Isles by K. P. Martyn (1988), and is supplemented with additional BRC records since 1988, additional data from published scientific literature and unpublished field studies, and enhanced with spatial and temporal information on tick stages collected and their host associations. Records have been mapped at 10 km resolution and enhanced to 5 km, 1 km and 0.1 km. Differentiation between records representing one-off collections from those representing populations of I. ricinus has been achieved through the classification of the records into either reported or established populations. Detailed seasonality and host associations of records are investigated, highlighting the value in obtaining additional detailed contemporary data to aid risk assessments and research within this field.

First record of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato antibodies in stray dogs in the Northwest Region of Parana State, Brazil

“…The ticks are relatively more abundant in woodland, heath and moorland habitats, but can be found even in urban areas like parks, where hosts are plentiful. Few studies have reported the presence of ticks in urban areas, but some authors have suggested that the abundance and distribution of ticks in urban areas has increased (PIETZSCH et al, 2005). The presence of ticks in all dogs of this study reinforces the risk of transmission of Brazilian Lyme-Like disease or Baggio-Yoshinari Syndrome agents to humans in the studied area.…”

“…In this study, the WB was able to confirm the presence of Lyme Borreliosis in 54 (32.14%) dogs. This high prevalence may indicate the circulation of the etiologic agent in the northwestern region of Paraná state (MEAD et al, 2011;SMITH et al, 2012). Mead et al (2011) reported that a canine seroprevalence more than 5% is a sensitive but nonspecific marker of human risk, whereas seroprevalence lower or equal to 1% was associated with a minimal risk for human infection.…”

“…burgdorferi s.l. antibodies in dogs as a good indication of the exposure of their owners and/or handlers to infected ticks, since they frequently share the same indoor and outdoor areas (MEAD et al, 2011;SMITH et al, 2012). In Brazil, cases of Brazilian LymeLike disease or Baggio-Yoshinari Syndrome were detected in humans and dogs by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and/or Enzymelinked Immunosorbent Assay ELISA in different regions.…”

Hosts of the exotic ornate kangaroo tick, Amblyomma triguttatum triguttatum Koch, on southern Yorke Peninsula, South Australia

“…Tick distribution is not necessarily determined by one factor alone, instead being influenced by several inter-related factors including climate, vegetation structure, and host distribution (Cumming 1999;Randolph 2000;Pietzsch et al 2005;Cumming 1999;Estrada-Peña 2003). Ticks are passive dispersers and must be transported (usually by hosts) to colonize new areas (Estrada-Peña 2003).…”

Controlling tick-borne diseases through domestic animal management: a theoretical approach

“…In Europe ticks are the most important vector of zoonotic pathogens, which include Borrelia burgdorferi the agent of Lyme borreliosis and the tick borne encephalitis (TBE) complex of viruses. The abundance and distribution of Ixodes ricinus ticks in the British Isles are increasing (Scharlemann et al, 2008;Pietzsch et al, 2005;Kirby et al, 2004). Theoretically, reducing vector populations will mitigate disease incidence.…”