RESUMEN
Wildlife are hosts of ectoparasites, such as fleas and ticks that may transmit human and animal pathogens. Little is known about the ecology of many ectoparasite species native to southern Texas, or their role in pathogen maintenance and transmission. Much attention has been given to the role of nonnative nilgai antelope as cattle fever tick hosts and agents of dispersal, but little attention has been given to other ectoparasites that may utilize nilgai antelope as hosts. As southern Texas is a hot-spot for flea-borne (murine) typhus, it is important to examine flea species presence, abundance, and host use in this region. Fleas were opportunistically collected during wildlife depredation activities, from hunter-harvested animals, or during handling in the course of other research activities in several southern Texas counties. A total of 9 wildlife species were sampled, from which 3 flea species were identified. A total of 83 Pulex porcinus (Jordan and Rothschild) were collected from nilgai, coyotes, bobcats, javelina, feral swine, and a black-tailed jackrabbit. In total, 9 Euhoplopsyllus glacialis affinis (Baker) were collected from cottontail rabbits, and 1 Echidnophaga gallinacea (Westwood) was collected from a raccoon. To our knowledge, this represents the first report of fleas from nilgai antelope. Pulex porcinus, although often considered a specialist species, was collected from a wide range of hosts, including 2 (nilgai antelope and black-tailed jackrabbit) that represent new host records for this species. The role of P. porcinus as a pathogen vector is unknown, but its apparent abundance in this region warrants further investigation.
RESUMEN
Background: Soft ticks (Family: Argasidae) are vectors of relapsing fever Borrelia in the United States and are potential vectors of African swine fever virus, a pathogen that could have a devastating effect on the U.S. swine industry if introduced to the U.S. mainland. Much of the tick-borne disease research in the U.S. focuses on hard ticks, and less is known about the ecology of soft ticks. Some soft tick species found in the southern U.S. have a wide host range and may feed on cattle, swine, native and exotic ungulates, small mammals, reptiles, and humans. Because the feeding habit of most soft tick species involves taking short, repeated blood meals that may include multiple host species, pathogen transmission among hosts is a concern both for human and animal health. Materials and Methods: Sampling was carried out at four locations in south Texas using dry ice traps placed in or near animal burrows and other sheltering cracks and crevasses that may provide refuge for soft ticks. Collected ticks were identified and subsequently screened for Rickettsia and Borrelia species and for host bloodmeal detection using conventional polymerase chain reaction and Sanger sequencing for pathogen and host species identification. Results: In total, 256 ticks of two Ornithodorinae species were screened. Borrelia species were identified in three samples. Bloodmeal detections were made in 22 tick specimens, representing eight vertebrate host species. Conclusions: Results demonstrate that the soft tick species detected herein feed on a range of wildlife hosts in south Texas and are associated with agents of human disease.
RESUMEN
Invasive wild pigs are distributed across much of the U.S. and are hosts to tick vectors of human disease. Herein, adult ticks were collected from 157 wild pigs in 21 northern and central Florida counties from 2019-2020 during removal efforts by USDA-APHIS Wildlife Services personnel and evaluated for their potential to be used as a method of tick-borne disease surveillance. Collected ticks were identified, screened for pathogens, and the effects of landscape metrics on tick community composition and abundance were investigated. A total of 1415 adult ticks of four species were collected. The diversity of tick species collected from wild pigs was comparable to collections made throughout the state with conventional surveillance methods. All species collected have implications for pathogen transmission to humans and other animals. Ehrlichia, Anaplasma-like, and Rickettsia spp. were detected in ticks collected from wild pigs. These results suggest that tick collection from wild pigs is a suitable means of surveillance for pathogens and vectors. The strongest drivers of variation in tick community composition were the developed open space and mixed forest landcover classes. Fragmented shrub/scrub habitat was associated with increased tick abundance. Similar models may be useful in predicting tick abundance and distribution patterns.