First detection of Ixodiphagus hookeri (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) in Ixodes ricinus ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) from multiple locations in Hungary

Tóth, Adrienn; Farkas, Róbert; Gyurkovszky, Mónika; Krikó, Eszter; Solymosi, Norbert

doi:10.1038/s41598-023-28969-3

Cited by 3 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 57 publications

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“…Within our study, the geolocations where Anaplasma sp. occurred did not match the detection points I. hookeri in Hungary described in a recent study ( 45 ). I. ricinus ticks are considered to be the vector of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex, which is responsible for LB ( 46 – 48 ).…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 66%

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Ixodes ricinus tick bacteriome alterations based on a climatically representative survey in Hungary

Tóth,

Farkas,

Papp

et al. 2023

Microbiol Spectr

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The microbial communities of disease vectors may represent a key feature in several biological functions and thus deserve special attention in light of climate change and the consequent need to develop novel control strategies. Nevertheless, vector-borne microbial networks are still poorly understood. Assessing vectors’ microbial interactions and climatic dependencies may contribute to better estimating pathogen transmission characteristics and public health risks. In a climatically representative country-wide survey, Ixodes ricinus ticks were collected from 17 locations in Hungary. Using shotgun metagenomic sequencing, the bacteriome composition was analyzed by investigating the relationship between the abundance of nymphs and females in various climatic environments. Bacterial composition on the genus level revealed a significant difference between the samples from females and nymphs. Within the core bacteriome, females and nymphs showed significant variation in the following genera: Arsenophonus , Bacillus , Candidatus Midichloria , Rhodococcus , Sphingomonas , Staphylococcus , and Wolbachia . Among females, according to temperature strata, the following were found differentiating: Curtobacterium , Pseudomonas , and Sphingomonas . There was no genus with a significant difference in precipitation categories for females. Curtobacterium showed significant variation between temperature and Bacillus and Curtobacterium for various precipitation levels in the nymphs. The composition of vector-borne bacteriome members showed significant alterations at sampling points with different climatic conditions and development stages of the tick hosts. Our findings not only pave the way toward understanding tick-borne bacterial networks and interdependencies but also shed light on the high potential for the presence of a possible biological tick control species, the tick parasitoid, Ixodiphagus hookeri based on related bacteriome patterns. IMPORTANCE Climate-sensitive disease vectors, such as ticks, respond to the environment with changes in their microbiome. These changes can affect the emergence or re-emergence of various vector-borne pathogens, such as the causative agent of Lyme borreliosis (LB) or tick-borne encephalitis. This aspect is particularly emphasized in light of climate change. The climatically representative assessment of microbiome differences in various developmental stages of the most common Central European tick species, Ixodes ricinus , deepens our understanding of the potential climatic factors behind microbial relative abundance and interaction changes. This knowledge can support the development of novel disease vector control strategies.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 66%

“…Due to the nymphal loads of reads from Arsenophonus and Wolbachia , the prevalence of I. hookeri in the samples and at the sampling points in Hungary can be strongly hypothesized. Evidence for the presence of these parasitoid wasps has recently been discovered in Hungary ( 45 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ixodes ricinus tick bacteriome alterations based on a climatically representative survey in Hungary

Tóth,

Farkas,

Papp

et al. 2023

Microbiol Spectr

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“…Overall, the detection in ticks is related to developmental time of Ixodiphagus and to the synchronization with tick development [ 10 ]. Curiously, non-embryonated eggs of I. hookeri are able to survive over winter inside unfed nymphs of I. ricinus [ 31 ] and I. scapularis [ 6 , 25 ]. From a biological perspective, this characteristic allows wasp populations to survive through different seasons in spite of unfavorable climate conditions (e.g., extreme cold).…”

Section: Biology Of Ixodiphagus Spp and Geographic...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Ixodiphagus spp. have been widely reported in various species of ixodid ticks, with a broad distribution across all five inhabited continents [ 4 , 38 , 39 ], but more commonly reported from Europe and the US [ 3 , 6 , 29 ]. In fact, several hard tick species within the genera Amblyomma , Dermacentor , Haemaphysalis , Hyalomma , Ixodes , and Rhipicephalus , in various life stages, have been found parasitized by Ixodiphagus wasps ( Table 1 ).…”

Section: Biology Of Ixodiphagus Spp and Geographic...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Role of Parasitoid Wasps, Ixodiphagus spp. (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), in Tick Control

et al. 2023

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Species of Ixodiphagus (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) are parasitoid wasps whose immature forms develop inside ixodid and argasid ticks (Acari: Ixodida). Following oviposition by adult female wasps into the idiosoma of ticks, larvae hatch and start feeding on their internal contents, eventually emerging as adult wasps from the body of the dead ticks. Species of Ixodiphagus have been reported as parasitoids of 21 species of ticks distributed across 7 genera. There are at least ten species described in the genus, with Ixodiphagus hookeri being the most studied as an agent for biological control of ticks. Although attempts of tick control by means of this parasitoid largely failed, in a small-scale study 150,000 specimens of I. hookeri were released over a 1-year period in a pasture where a small cattle population was kept, resulting in an overall reduction in the number of Amblyomma variegatum ticks per animal. This review discusses current scientific information about Ixodiphagus spp., focusing on the role of this parasitoid in the control of ticks. The interactions between these wasps and the ticks’ population are also discussed, focusing on the many biological and logistical challenges, with limitations of this control method for reducing tick populations under natural conditions.

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Ixodiphagus hookeri (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) and Tick-Borne Pathogens in Ticks with Sympatric Occurrence (and Different Activities) in the Slovak Karst National Park (Slovakia), Central Europe

Blažeková,

Stanko,

Sprong

et al. 2024

Pathogens

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Ticks are involved in the transmission a plethora of pathogens. To effectively control ticks and mitigate the risks associated with tick-borne diseases, it is important to implement tick control measures. These may include the use of acaricides as well as the development and implementation of an alternative, environmentally friendly tick management program that include practices such as habitat modification or establishing biological control. Ixodiphagus hookeri Howard is a tick-specific parasitoid wasp that predates on several species of ixodid ticks and could contribute to the control of the tick population. This work aimed to detect the presence of parasitoid wasps in ticks (Ixodidae) using genetic approaches. Several tick species of the genera Ixodes, Haemaphysalis, and Dermacentor, with a sympatric occurrence in the Slovak Karst National Park in southeastern Slovakia, were screened for the presence of wasps of the genus Ixodiphagus. The DNA of the parasitoids was detected in four tick species from three genera. This work presents the first molecular detection of parasitoids in two Dermacentor tick species, as well as the first molecular identification of Ixodiphagus wasps in Ixodes ricinus and Haemaphysalis concinna ticks from the Karst area. In the given area, it was observed that I. ricinus and H. concinna ticks are hyper-parasitized by wasps. Moreover, it was observed that wasps here can parasitize several tick species, some of which are of less significance for human and animal health (as they transmit fewer pathogens).

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First detection of Ixodiphagus hookeri (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) in Ixodes ricinus ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) from multiple locations in Hungary

Cited by 3 publications

References 57 publications

Ixodes ricinus tick bacteriome alterations based on a climatically representative survey in Hungary

Ixodes ricinus tick bacteriome alterations based on a climatically representative survey in Hungary

The Role of Parasitoid Wasps, Ixodiphagus spp. (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), in Tick Control

Ixodiphagus hookeri (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) and Tick-Borne Pathogens in Ticks with Sympatric Occurrence (and Different Activities) in the Slovak Karst National Park (Slovakia), Central Europe

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