Tick surveillance of migratory birds during 2010–2011 on Hong and Heuksan Islands, Jeollanam Province, Republic of Korea 

Abstract

Migratory birds were captured, examined, banded and then released in accordance with a bird banding protocol of the Bird Research Center, National Park Research Institute, Korea National Park Service, from January-December 2010–2011 on Hong and Heuksan Islands, Jeollanam (Jeonnam) Province, in the Republic of Korea (ROK). Concurrently, ticks were collected from captured birds as part of a tick-borne disease surveillance program. A total of 381 ticks belonging to three genera and eight species – Ixodes turdus (297 ticks), Ixodes nipponensis (16), Haemaphysalis flava (46), Haemaphysalis longicornis (9), Haemaphysalis formosensis (5), Haemaphysalis ornithophila (6), Haemaphysalis concinna (1), and Amblyomma testudinarium (1)—were collected from 32 bird species belonging to 3 families. This is the first host report of A. testudinarium (1 nymph) collected from White’s Thrush, Zoothera aurea (Aves: Passeriformes: Turdidae), in the ROK. Most ticks were collected from birds during the months of April (44.1%) and November (54.2%).

Surveys for ticks on wildlife hosts and in the environment at Asian longhorned tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis)‐positive sites in Virginia and New Jersey, 2018

“…(2019), who did not find ALT on 39 birds sampled from Staten Island, New York. However, in its native range and in New Zealand, ALT is sporadically found on migratory birds (Choi et al., 2014; Chong et al., 2018; Kim et al., 2016; Myers, 1924). Regardless, wild turkeys and other Galliformes frequently host native ticks and could be potentially suitable hosts for ALT.…”

“…These findings are consistent with those of Tufts et al (2019), who did not find ALT on 39 birds sampled from Staten Island, New York. However, in its native range and in New Zealand, ALT is sporadically found on migratory birds (Choi et al, 2014;Chong et al, 2018;Kim et al, 2016;Myers, 1924).…”

First glimpse into the origin and spread of the Asian longhorned tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis, in the United States

“…In the United States, it has been collected frequently from domestic animals and wildlife, but reported only a dozen times on humans (Beard et al., 2018; USDA APHIS VS, 2019; Wormser et al., 2019). Reports from elsewhere in its range have collected ALT primarily from medium and large‐sized mammals and occasionally birds (Barker & Walker, 2014; Chong et al., 2018; Heath, 2016; Kim et al., 2014).…”