Reptile trade and the risk of exotic tick introductions into southern South American countries

Abstract

Ticks exotic for the Neotropical region were found on Python regius imported into Argentina and Chile. All ticks (7 males and 3 females) were classified as Amblyomma latum Koch, 1844 ( = Aponomma latum). Additionally, four lots comprising 18 males of the Argentinean tortoise tick, Amblyomma argentinae Neumann, 1904, were found on a terrestrial tortoise, Chelonoidis chilensis, and on three terrestrial tortoises (probably C. chilensis) imported to Uruguay presumably from Argentina). These findings alert us to the risk of expanding the distribution of reptile parasites and their diseases into regions previously free of these parasites.

New host records of the reptile tick Amblyomma helvolum Koch (Ixodida: Ixodidae: Amblyomminae) in Taiwan

“…2021). In recent years, the increasing trade in exotic reptiles has led to the introduction of non-native tick species (González-Acuña et al . 2005; Nowak et al .…”

“…The exotic pet trade is known to pose a health risk to humans and domestic animals because it can serve as a pathway for spreading zoonotic diseases (Marano et al 2007;Rush et al 2021;Bezerra-Santos et al 2021). In recent years, the increasing trade in exotic reptiles has led to the introduction of non-native tick species (González-Acuña et al 2005;Nowak et al 2010), including A. helvolum, which has been found on live specimens of Ophiophagus hannah confiscated in the USA (Simmons et al 2002).…”

Detection of Anaplasma phagocytophilum in Amblyomma flavomaculatum ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) collected from lizard Varanus exanthematicus imported to Poland

“…Reports on epidemiologic threats posed by transfers of various pathogens with ticks distributed on new territories raise concerns of the researchers, mainly from the warm Earth zones (Burridge 2001;Burridge and Simmons 2003;Gonzalez-Acuna et al 2005;Keirans and Durden 2001;Pietzsch et al 2006;Reeves et al 2006). They define the serious problem which is the growing risk of the exotic tick transfers and related pathogens to animals and human.…”

“…They define the serious problem which is the growing risk of the exotic tick transfers and related pathogens to animals and human. Greatest concern is expressed by researchers from the US (Burridge 2001;Burridge and Simmons 2003;Keirans and Durden 2001) and Argentina and Chile (Gonzalez-Acuna et al 2005) as the climate conditions in these countries may support the penetration of ticks to the natural environment of these territories and creating new geographical ranges of occurrence. Artificial, terrarium conditions, for the proper breed of reptiles and constant availability of host may also provide good conditions for development and establishing at least temporal population.…”

“…Multiple sources report that ticks transferred on reptiles are reservoirs and vectors of variety of pathogens of transitive diseases and reach, on their hosts, different parts of the world (Burridge 2001;Burridge and Simmons 2003;Gonzalez-Acuna et al 2005;Keirans and Durden 2001;Pietzsch et al 2006;Reeves et al 2006). Each case of tick transfer pose a threat of the introduction of pathogens to the domestic population of ticks, animals and humans.…”