Exotic Haemaphysalis longicornis (Acari: Ixodidae) in the United States: Biology, Ecology, and Strategies for Management

Abstract

The Asian longhorned tick (ALT), Haemaphysalis longicornis Neumann (Acari: Ixodidae), is a three-host tick that was first detected outside of United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) quarantine in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, in 2017 and subsequently found in another 14 states. In its native Asia, and where it has become established in Australia and New Zealand, ALTs feed on a variety of hosts and are economically important livestock pests and competent vectors of multiple pathogens to humans and other animals. The degree to which ALT will become a persistent livestock pest or competent vector for introduced or existing pathogens in the United States is yet unclear. Because of its vast host availability, ability to reproduce asexually, known vector competence, and the presence of multiple life stages on hosts, the expansion of ALT establishment in the United States is expected, and is a significant public health and veterinary concern. In this paper, we discuss the biology, geographical distribution, life cycle and seasonal activity, reproduction, identification, medical and veterinary implications, management options, and future concerns in the United States.

Experimental Infection of North American Sheep with Ehrlichia ruminantium

“…Future risks of introduction of E. ruminantium -positive ticks originating from parts of Africa and Caribbean cannot be ruled out. Consistent with this hypothesis, recent evidence supports the establishment of the Asian Longhorned tick ( Haemaphysalis longicornis ) in the USA by an undefined origin of introduction [ 35 , 36 ]. There is no clear impact data of this tick to the USA economy; however, its introduction into New Zealand and Australia has resulted in high economic losses to their cattle industries [ 35 , 37 ].…”

“…Consistent with this hypothesis, recent evidence supports the establishment of the Asian Longhorned tick ( Haemaphysalis longicornis ) in the USA by an undefined origin of introduction [ 35 , 36 ]. There is no clear impact data of this tick to the USA economy; however, its introduction into New Zealand and Australia has resulted in high economic losses to their cattle industries [ 35 , 37 ]. Similarly, if A. variegatum or other Amblyomma species native to Africa were to be introduced along with E. ruminantium into the USA, then heartwater could spread rapidly.…”

Historical Review and Field-based Study of Ticks on Domestic Goats in Oklahoma

“…The zoonotic pathogen can be acquired and excreted by different ticks (Körner et al 2020, Yessinou et al 2022 and was detected in Amblyomma mixtum Koch in Texas (Sanders et al 2008). Recent invasion by Haemaphysalis longicornis Neumann in 15 states in the U.S. (Schappach et al 2020), presence on goats in other countries (Heath et al 1987), and competence for significant tick-borne pathogens (Kang et al 2016) amplify the need to focus on the topic in goat communities throughout the U.S.…”

The USDA-ARS Ag100Pest Initiative: High-Quality Genome Assemblies for Agricultural Pest Arthropod Research

“…Our initial contig N50 showed only a modest improvement over the previous assembly. Likely because H. longicornis present in the United States appears to be parthenogenetic and is, therefore, either triploid or aneuploid [ 67 ], our assembly size is substantially larger than the predicted genome size. This suggests the presence of haplotypic duplication that complicates the generation of a single haplotype representation of a polyploid genome [ 35 ].…”