Distribution of the tick <i>Dermacentor reticulatus</i> in the United Kingdom

Medlock, Jolyon M.; Hansford, Kayleigh M.; Vaux, Alexander G.C.; Cull, Benjamin; Abdullah, Swaid; Pietzsch, Maaike; Wall, Richard; Johnson, Nicholas; Phipps, L. P.

doi:10.1111/mve.12235

Cited by 46 publications

(49 citation statements)

References 19 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…If D. reticulatus constitutes a competent vector of B. microti, the frequency of DNA detection should be independent of rodent host factors, and should not correspond with the known effects of host species, age or sex on the prevalence of this pathogen in rodents (Pawelczyk et al 2004;Tołkacz et al 2017). Although it is widely accepted that D. reticulatus ticks are the main vectors of B. canis (notably by the link between the appearance of new canine babesiosis foci and the concurrent appearance of D. reticulatus in the same local environment; Matjila et al 2005;Beelitz et al 2012;Schaarschmidt et al 2013;Medlock et al 2017;de Marco et al 2017), there are only a few papers reporting various rates of B. microti-positive questing adult D. reticulatus (Mierzejewska et al 2015a;Wójcik-Fatla et al 2015;Zając et al 2017). Since we detected the DNA of B. microti in engorged nymphs, it seems reasonable to assume that a remnant of this B. microti DNA from this nymphal meal could be detectable later in questing adults.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of juvenile Dermacentor reticulatus ticks as vectors of microorganisms and the problem of ‘meal contamination’

et al. 2019

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Juvenile Dermacentor reticulatus ticks inhabit nests and burrows of their rodent hosts and cannot be collected from vegetation. To detect vertical transmission of Babesia canis in D. reticulatus, we studied larvae and nymphs collected from rodents. However, the molecular techniques used for detection of pathogen DNA are sensitive enough to detect not only pathogens vectored by ticks but also those taken up with current or previous blood meals ('meal contamination') or just present in the environment and on the tick or host surface ('environmental contaminations'). Thus, an additional aim of our study was to evaluate the extent of such contamination while studying feeding ticks collected from rodents. Juvenile D. reticulatus were collected from 140 rodents: 91 bank voles trapped in two forest sites in the Mazury Lake District and 49 rodents (Apodemus and Microtus spp.) from an open habitat near the town of Białobrzegi in Central Poland. Altogether 504 D. reticulatus ticks, comprising 266 individually evaluated nymphs and 238 larvae assigned to 50 larval pools, were studied for the presence of Babesia, Bartonella and Rickettsia spp. DNA. Statistical analyses were conducted to (1) evaluate the effect of rodent host factors (species, sex and age) on prevalence of infection in ticks, and (2) to compare the frequency of positive samples between groups of pathogen-positive and pathogen-negative rodent hosts. To complete the last aim, blood samples obtained from 49 rodents from Białobrzegi were studied for the presence of Babesia and Bartonella DNA. Infestation of rodent hosts with juvenile ticks ranged between 46 and 78%, with a mean abundance of 3.6 ticks/rodent for D. reticulatus and 4.8 ticks/rodent for Ixodes ricinus. The highest prevalence of PCR-positive D. reticulatus samples was obtained for Rickettsia spp. (28%) and R. raoultii was identified in 22 sequenced PCR products. Babesia DNA was detected in 20 (7.5%), including B. microti in 18 (6.8%) and B. canis in two (0.8%) of 266 D. reticulatus nymphs that were analyzed. Babesia microti DNA was also detected in four pools of D. reticulatus larvae (4/50 pools = 8%). The detection success of B. microti in D. reticulatus was associated with the species of the rodent hosts of the ticks (much higher for typical B. microti-host-species such as Microtus spp. than for Apodemus spp.) and host age (3 × higher in ticks collected from adult hosts in comparison to juvenile ones). Moreover, the DNA of B. microti was detected in 68% of D. reticulatus nymphs collected from B. microti-positive rodents in comparison to only 1.6% of nymphs collected from B. microti-negative rodents. Bartonella DNA was

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of juvenile Dermacentor reticulatus ticks as vectors of microorganisms and the problem of ‘meal contamination’

et al. 2019

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…A threat to equines in the UK is equine piroplasmosis caused by Babesia caballi or Theileria equi infection. Historically, the UK has been considered free of equine piroplasmosis despite the presence of seropositive and pathogen positive horses resident within the country (113) and populations of one of its tick vectors, Dermacentor reticulatus, being present in Wales and southern England (90). Nevertheless, the risk of causative pathogens becoming established within the vector population is evident and could lead to autochthonous transmission in the future.…”

Section: Babesiosismentioning

confidence: 99%

Emerging Threats to Animals in the United Kingdom by Arthropod-Borne Diseases

et al. 2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Worldwide, arthropod-borne disease transmission represents one of the greatest threats to public and animal health. For the British Isles, an island group on the northwestern coast of continental Europe consisting of the United Kingdom (UK) and the Republic of Ireland, physical separation offers a barrier to the introduction of many of the pathogens that affect animals on the rest of the continent. Added to this are strict biosecurity rules at ports of entry and the depauperate vector biodiversity found on the islands. Nevertheless, there are some indigenous arthropod-borne pathogens that cause sporadic outbreaks, such as the tick-borne louping ill virus, found almost exclusively in the British Isles, and a range of piroplasmid infections that are poorly characterized. These provide an ongoing source of infection whose emergence can be unpredictable. In addition, the risk remains for future introductions of both exotic vectors and the pathogens they harbor, and can transmit. Current factors that are driving the increases of both disease transmission and the risk of emergence include marked changes to the climate in the British Isles that have increased summer and winter temperatures, and extended the period over which arthropods are active. There have also been dramatic increases in the distribution of mosquito-borne diseases, such as West Nile and Usutu viruses in mainland Europe that are making the introduction of these pathogens through bird migration increasingly feasible. In addition, the establishment of midge-borne bluetongue virus in the near continent has increased the risk of wind-borne introduction of infected midges and the inadvertent importation of infected cattle. Arguably the greatest risk is associated with the continual increase in the movement of people, pets and trade into the UK. This, in particular, is driving the introduction of invasive arthropod species that either bring disease-causing pathogens, or are known competent vectors, that increase the risk of disease transmission if introduced. The following review documents the current pathogen threats to animals transmitted by mosquitoes, ticks and midges. This includes both indigenous and exotic pathogens to the UK. In the case of exotic pathogens, the pathway and risk of introduction are also discussed.

show abstract

“…The main tick species of public health concern is the sheep/deer tick, Ixodes ricinus L. ( Figure 4 ), which is reported to be changing its distribution across Europe [ 77 ]. There are also reports of human biting from the hedgehog tick, Ixodes hexagonus , the red sheep tick Haemaphysalis punctata Canestrini & Fanzago, and very occasionally from the Ornate Cow tick Dermacentor reticulatus (Fabricius) [ 78 , 79 , 80 , 81 ]. Data on the distribution of our native and indeed non-native tick species have been recorded for over one hundred years [ 82 ].…”

Section: Ticks and Tick-borne Diseasesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of the Public Health Threats Posed by Vector-Borne Disease in the United Kingdom (UK)

Medlock

Hansford

Vaux

et al. 2018

IJERPH

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In recent years, the known distribution of vector-borne diseases in Europe has changed, with much new information also available now on the status of vectors in the United Kingdom (UK). For example, in 2016, the UK reported their first detection of the non-native mosquito Aedes albopictus, which is a known vector for dengue and chikungunya virus. In 2010, Culex modestus, a principal mosquito vector for West Nile virus was detected in large numbers in the Thames estuary. For tick-borne diseases, data on the changing distribution of the Lyme borreliosis tick vector, Ixodes ricinus, has recently been published, at a time when there has been an increase in the numbers of reported human cases of Lyme disease. This paper brings together the latest surveillance data and pertinent research on vector-borne disease in the UK, and its relevance to public health. It highlights the need for continued vector surveillance systems to monitor our native mosquito and tick fauna, as well as the need to expand surveillance for invasive species. It illustrates the importance of maintaining surveillance capacity that is sufficient to ensure accurate and timely disease risk assessment to help mitigate the UK’s changing emerging infectious disease risks, especially in a time of climatic and environmental change and increasing global connectivity.

show abstract

Distribution of the tick Dermacentor reticulatus in the United Kingdom

Cited by 46 publications

References 19 publications

The role of juvenile Dermacentor reticulatus ticks as vectors of microorganisms and the problem of ‘meal contamination’

The role of juvenile Dermacentor reticulatus ticks as vectors of microorganisms and the problem of ‘meal contamination’

Emerging Threats to Animals in the United Kingdom by Arthropod-Borne Diseases

Assessment of the Public Health Threats Posed by Vector-Borne Disease in the United Kingdom (UK)

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About