Water balance of the American dog tick,<i>Dermacentor variabilis</i>, throughout its development with comparative observations between field-collected and laboratory-reared ticks

Yoder, Jay A.; Hedges, Brian Z.; Benoit, Joshua B.

doi:10.1080/01647954.2011.647073

Cited by 31 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…, was lower than that previously reported for this species (Yoder et al, 2012) and may be the result of slightly different rearing conditions. In this study, ticks were maintained at 93% RH, whereas 97% RH was used in previous studies (Yoder et al, 2012).…”

Section: Experimental Dehydrationcontrasting

confidence: 53%

“…During the dehydration treatment, ticks lost ∼26% of their body water, an amount that approaches their limit of tolerance (∼29%; Yoder et al, 2012). The rate of water loss, 0.12% h −1…”

Section: Experimental Dehydrationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Dermacentor variabilis is a primary vector for Rocky Mountain spotted fever and tularemia (de la Fuente et al, 2008;Petersen et al, 2009), and its wide geographic distribution across most of the USA contributes to its medical importance (James et al, 2015;Sonenshine, 1993). It has been suggested that the range of D. variabilis is restricted by dry environments (James et al, 2015;Sonenshine, 1993), although the relationship between water-balance characteristics and habitat suitability in ticks is unclear (Benoit and Denlinger, 2010;Yoder et al, 2012). Understanding the mechanisms of dehydration tolerance can provide insight into how environmental factors contribute to the distribution of ticks and their infectious agents and may uncover novel control methods.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…When conditions drop below the relative humidity at which ticks can absorb water from the air (critical equilibrium humidity, CEH; 75-95%, depending on life stage), ticks cannot absorb water vapor and begin to dehydrate (Needham and Teel, 1991;Yoder et al, 2012). Arthropods have a variety of mechanisms for preventing and tolerating dehydration-associated damage, including changes in the expression of proteins such as heat shock proteins, antioxidant enzymes and aquaporins (Benoit and Denlinger, 2010;Cornette and Kikawada, 2011;King and MacRae, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Mechanistic underpinnings of dehydration stress in the American dog tick revealed through RNA-Seq and metabolomics

Rosendale

Romick-Rosendale

Watanabe

et al. 2016

Journal of Experimental Biology

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Ticks are obligate blood feeders but spend the majority of their lifetime off-host where they must contend with a multitude of environmental stresses. Survival under desiccating conditions is a determinant for habitats where ticks can become established, and water-balance characteristics of ticks have been extensively studied. However, little is known about the underlying aspects associated with dehydration stress in ticks. In this study, we examined the response of male American dog ticks, Dermacentor variabilis, to dehydration using a combined transcriptomics and metabolomics approach. During dehydration, 497 genes were differentially expressed, including an up-regulation of stress-response and protein-catabolism genes and concurrent down-regulation of several energetically expensive biological processes. Accumulation of several metabolites, including specific amino acids, glycerol and gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA), and transcript shifts in the associated pathways for generating these metabolites indicated congruence between changes in the metabolome and gene expression. Ticks treated with exogenous glycerol and GABA demonstrated altered water-balance characteristics; specifically, increased water absorption at high relative humidity. Finally, we observed changes in locomotor activity in response to dehydration, but this change was not influenced by the accumulation of GABA. Overall, the responses to dehydration by these ticks were similar to those observed in other dehydrationtolerant arthropods, but several molecular and behavioral responses are distinct from those associated with other taxa.

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Section: Experimental Dehydrationcontrasting

confidence: 53%

Section: Experimental Dehydrationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Mechanistic underpinnings of dehydration stress in the American dog tick revealed through RNA-Seq and metabolomics

Rosendale

Romick-Rosendale

Watanabe

et al. 2016

Journal of Experimental Biology

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“…Relative humidity, a commonly used humidity index, is the ratio of water vapor density (actual vapor pressure) to the saturation water vapor density (saturation vapor pressure) expressed in percentages. Humidity plays an important role in tick life cycle, with different levels of humidity required for the survival of different tick species and their different life stages (Yoder 2012a). Schwartz (1995) documents an increase in more humid air masses in the later part of the 20 th century for eastern Kansas and Missouri; also areas that have been noted for its high tularemia prevalence among humans, wildlife, and ticks in the past decades.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental, Climatic, and Residential Neighborhood Determinants of Feline Tularemia

Raghavan

Harrington²,

Anderson³

et al. 2013

Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases

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Background: Tularemia, caused by a Gram-negative bacterium Francisella tularensis, is an occasional disease of cats in the midwestern United States and a public health concern due to its zoonotic potential. Different environmental, climatic, and pet-owner's housing and socioeconomic conditions were evaluated as potential risk factors for feline tularemia using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in a retrospective case-control study. Methods: The study included 46 cases identified as positive for tularemia based upon positive immunohistochemistry, isolation of F. tularensis using bacterial culture, and 4-fold or greater change in serum antibody titer for F. tularensis. Cats with a history of fever, malaise, icterus, and anorexia but no lesions characteristic of tularemia and/or negative immunohistochemistry, no isolation of bacteria in bacterial culture, and less than 4-fold raise in serum antibody titer for F. tularensis were treated as controls (n = 93). Candidate geospatial variables from multiple thematic sources were analyzed for association with case status. Variables from National Land Cover Dataset, Soil Survey Geographic Database, US Census Bureau, and Daymet were extracted surrounding geocoded case-control household locations. Univariable screening of candidate variables followed by stepwise multivariable logistic modeling and odds ratios were used to identify strengths of variable associations and risk factors. Results: Living in a residence located in newly urbanized/suburban areas, residences surrounded by areas dominated by grassland vegetation, and mean vapor pressure conditions recorded during the 8 th week prior to case arrival at the hospital are significant risk factors for feline tularemia. Conclusions: Prevention strategies such as acaricide applications in residential backyards during spring and early summer periods and any behavior modifications suitable for cats that will prevent them from contracting infection from ticks or dead animals are necessary. Mean vapor pressure conditions recorded during the 8

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Climatic stress decreases tick survival but increases rate of host‐seeking behavior

et al. 2023

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Ticks are vectors of many diseases and are expanding in geographic distribution. However, how ticks will fare in their new environments, where they may experience stressful climatic conditions at the expansion front, remains unclear. Since there is a trade-off in ticks between behaviors that promote longevity and behaviors that promote reproduction, we hypothesized that extreme climatic stress reduces the survivorship of ticks but increases the frequency of tick host-seeking behavior, or questing. Here, we used a novel method to simulate climatic stress on individual ticks of three species-Amblyomma americanum, Dermacentor variabilis, and Ixodes scapularis-to evaluate their survival, physiology, and questing behavior. The first experiment involved placing 144 adult ticks of each species in two temperature ranges (15-25 C and 25-35 C) and three relative humidity (RH) treatments (32%, 58%, and 84% RH).We assessed the ticks daily for survivorship and questing, and we measured water loss by comparing the mass of each tick when it died to when it was fully hydrated. In this first experiment, ticks in warmer and less humid conditions generally died faster than those in cooler and more humid conditions. Ticks of all three species were more likely to quest shortly before their death and consistently died after losing approximately 50%-56% of their total body water content, but Ixodes reached that threshold much faster than the other two species.The second experiment involved placing 18 ticks of each species at 35 C and 32% RH. We assessed the ticks every 3 h for survivorship, questing, and water loss. Ticks again were more likely to quest shortly before their death. With frequent checks, we were able to measure the dehydration tolerance more accurately and the rate of water loss. Ticks of all three species consistently died after losing approximately 51% of their total body water content. However, Ixodes lost water approximately 5 times faster than Amblyomma and 11 times faster than Dermacentor. These results demonstrate that severe climatic stress tilts the trade-off toward higher questing rates but not higher overall questing time because of reduced survival rates.

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Water balance of the American dog tick,Dermacentor variabilis, throughout its development with comparative observations between field-collected and laboratory-reared ticks

Cited by 31 publications

References 41 publications

Mechanistic underpinnings of dehydration stress in the American dog tick revealed through RNA-Seq and metabolomics

Mechanistic underpinnings of dehydration stress in the American dog tick revealed through RNA-Seq and metabolomics

Environmental, Climatic, and Residential Neighborhood Determinants of Feline Tularemia

Climatic stress decreases tick survival but increases rate of host‐seeking behavior

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