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At least 991 records · Page 55Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

The efficacy of used engine oil against ticks on cattle.

The study was conducted in a peri-urban agricultural system at Botshabelo, a city in the south-eastern Free State. A questionnaire survey revealed that 88.5% of cattle farmers in the area experienced problems related to ticks and tick-borne diseases. Because of the cost of commercial acaricides the Botshabelo farmers use alternative, cheaper methods of tick control, including the application of used engine oil. The specific aim of the study was to determine whether used engine oil can effectively control ticks on cattle. From March to August 1996 the tick burdens of ten control animals and six animals treated by their owner with used engine oil were compared. The total tick burdens for the 6 month period differed significantly between the two experimental groups. The efficacy of the used engine oil on the treated group varied between 15.1% and 64.8% with a mean of 38.1%. Although commercial acaricides can be more cost-effective, the application of used engine oil can be useful to reduce tick numbers on cattle during periods of peak abundance. Another advantage in that the use of the oil will not influence existing endemic stability of Anaplasma marginale and Babesia bigemina infections because of the residual tick burdens after treatment.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato genospecies in host-seeking Ixodes ricinus ticks in selected South Bohemian locations (Czech Republic).

In selected localities of Ceské Budĕjovice and Ceský, Krumlov districts, well known by stable high incidence of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) human cases but with low incidence of Lyme borreliosis, monitoring of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) in Ixodes ricinus ticks was performed. Research was also aimed at the spread of I. ricinus to mountain areas of this region (National Park Sumava), as well as at investigating this tick for B. burgdorferi s.l. genospecies and TBE virus infection. Altogether 498 nymphs, 88 females and 11 males of I. ricinus from lower locations and 58 nymphs from mountain locations (760-1080 m above sea level) were tested by polymerase chain reaction. In lower locations total prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. in Ixodes ricinus ticks was 35%. Single infection of Borrelia afzelii, B. garinii and B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.) was found in 59, 50 and 63 ticks, respectively (i.e. in 12.8, 11.2 and 14.1%). Double infection was found in 42 ticks (6.0%) and triple infection in three ticks (0.4%). The high frequency of B. burgdorferi s.s. exceeds the as yet reported occurrence in Central Europe. These circumstances are discussed. In mountain locations B. afzelii was found in five ticks, that including two co-infection with B. garinii, in elevations of 762 m and 1024 m above sea level, respectively. This fact signals a real danger of human infections in a region that was previously deemed to be without risk. Moreover, this region is more and more the target destination of tourist activities. The results also suggest that the penetration of infection can be rapid and formation and establishment of natural focus of Lyme borreliosis might be rather quick.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Efficiency of control of Ixodes ticks, vectors of natural and focal infections in the south of the Tyumen Region].

There are synchronous undulating variations in the number of ticks and in the incidence of tick-borne encephalitis and Ixodes tick-borne borreliosis in the south of the Tyumen Region. Since 1990s, there has been an increase in the incidence of tick-borne infections and in the number of ticks. The highest epidemic risk areas of 1418 have been treated with acaricides due to the additional financing made by the Tyumen Region in 2002-2004. The treatments with the agents Sipaz-super and Briz (25% c.e. cipermethrin) have ensured 98-100% freedom of the areas from ticks. In Tyumen and in the south of the Tyumen Region, the number of human suction of ticks has reduced from 601 and 1231 per 100,000 in 2001 to 424 and 658 cases in 2004, respectively. The authors have developed guidelines for tick-controlling measures in large areas of the Tyumen Region.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

[Use of original plant communities as indicators for the occurrence of common ticks].

In an investigation conducted in the South and West Bohemian region the author paid attention to the incidence of the tick Ixodes ricinus and foci of tick-borne encephalitis in original plant communities. In Southern Bohemia in places of original communities of acidophil oak forests, oak-hornbeam woods and their mosaic combinations as well as combinations of flowers and beech forests and meadows and alder trees the author detected 93.5% of the breeding places of ticks. In Western Bohemia in original oak forests there were 97.2% breeding places of Ixodes ricinus. In other original plant communities, although influenced and partly altered by human activities--i.e. in highly located beech woods and pine tree woods and in damp communities--in peatbogs, meadows and grassland no ticks were found. Evaluation of a territory, based on plant and animal communities and typical species as their indicators, is a useful method as regards the prognosis of the prevalence of ticks or possibly foci of tick-borne encephalitis, as was demonstrated on the example of an uncommon focus of tick-borne encephalitis and tick-borne borreliosis on the upper Vltava river.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Methods for suppressing the population count of pasture ixodid ticks].

The current methods of suppressing the quantity of Ixodes ticks in pasture populations are reviewed. For one- and two-host monoxenous [correction of monogostal] species the methods used were treatment of ticks during their parasitic existence on the cattle (washing in baths, spraying with acaricides, use of ear marks and collars, soaking with acaricides, selection of tick-resistant cattle species, administration of avermectins to the host) and separation of cattle and ticks by changing pastures. For two- and three-host polyxenous [correction of polxgostal] tick species the methods used were treatment of the affected area with acaricides (in the USSR anti-tick area treatments have been practically stopped), separation of cattle and ticks (pasture of cattle on cultural pastures, keeping the cattle in stables), changes of ecological conditions of tick habitation.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Evaluation of five popular methods for tick removal.

Five methods commonly advocated for tick removal from a human or domestic animal were evaluated. The application of petroleum jelly, fingernail polish, 70% isopropyl alcohol, or a hot kitchen match failed to induce detachment of adult American dog ticks (Dermacentor variabilis Say) attached for either 12 to 15 hours or three to four days. Use of forceps or protected fingers enabled satisfactory removal of 29 adult American dog ticks without leaving the mouthparts or attachment cement in the host skin. Four different methods were used to pull lone star ticks [Amblyomma americanum (L)] off the host using forceps (twisting, pulling steadily or jerking straight up, or pulling parallel with the skin). None of the mouthparts broke off, but, contrary to the American dog tick, the cement remained in the skin for all 22 of the Lone Star ticks. It is recommended that the tick be grasped as close to the skin as possible with curved forceps; if these are not available, use tweezers or protected fingers. Pull straight up with steady even pressure. If cement or mouthparts remain, then extract if that is practical. Disinfect bite site before and after tick removal.

1-Propanol↗
PubMed1996

Ticks parasitizing humans in Georgia and South Carolina.

From 1990 through 1995, 913 ticks removed from 460 human patients in Georgia or South Carolina were identified and recorded. The majority of these specimens (758, 83.0%) were lone star ticks, Amblyomma americanum. One hundred and four (11.4%) American dog ticks Dermacentor variabilis, 36 (3.9%) blacklegged ticks Ixodes scapularis, 9 (1.0%) Gulf coast ticks Amblyomma maculatum, and 6 (0.7%) brown dog ticks Rhipicephalus sanguineus were also recovered. All active stages (larvae, nymphs, and adults) of A. americanum were represented, whereas nymphs and adults of D. variabilis and I. scapularis and only adults of A. maculatum and R. sanguineus were recorded. Compared with data published for other regions in the U.S.A., A. americanum was a much more prevalent parasite of humans in the current survey. Only 1 (3%) of the I. scapularis collected was a nymph. Because these tick species are vectors of zoonotic pathogens or cause tick paralysis in humans, the data have epidemiological significance.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Adult ixodid ticks on two cattle breeds in the south-western Free State, and their seasonal dynamics.

A study was conducted to compare the species of adult ixodid ticks on Friesian and Bonsmara cattle and their seasonal dynamics. Between five and ten animals of each breed were kept on natural False Upper Karoo vegetation, typical of the south-western Free State. Between May 1990 and October 1991, the animals were examined once or twice a month for the presence of adult ticks which were removed, counted and identified. Six species of ixodid ticks were recorded. The species composition on the two cattle breeds was remarkably similar. Ixodes rubicundus was dominant (55-57.7% of all ticks collected), followed by Hyalomma marginatum rufipes (28.9-31.5%) and Rhipicephalus punctatus *6.2-6.7%). Only small numbers of Hyalomma truncatum, Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi and Rhipicephalus gertrudae were recorded. Almost twice as many ticks were collected from Friesian as from Bonsmara cattle. Ixodes rubicundus showed a typical winter-activity period. The other species were either active mostly during the warmer months, or their numbers were to low to determine any seasonal pattern. Apart from information on the diversity of ticks which infest cattle in the region, the study has also shown a greater resistance by Bonsmara cattle (a mixed Bos taurus/Bos indicus breed) to tick infestation. Bos indicus cattle can play an increasingly important role in integrated tick-management practices in southern Africa.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

[Evaluation of methods of tick removal in human ixodidiasis].

BACKGROUND: There are two questions regarding tick transmitted diseases (Ixodidae) not sufficiently elucidated: How to remove the arthropod? and: should antibiotic prophylaxis be administered after the bite? SUBJECTS AND METHODS: From June 1st, 1991, to December, 31, 1992, all patients who were attended at La Rioja Hospital relating immediate bite or tick bite within the 48 hours before were prospectively studied. In all those patients an epidemiological inquiry was obtained, which included, apart from personal data and risk factors for tick bites, how arthropods had been removed, health exam and blood drawn for serological study for Borrelia burgdorferi and Rickettsia conorii. The protocol was repeated at one, two, four and six months after the bite. The removal method used at the Hospital was by pulling with fine tweezers and later disinfection with iodine povidone. RESULTS: Out of a total of 52 individuals who complied with the established criteria, only 41 ended the follow-up. A 63.4 percent of patients experienced some type of complication, including 3 cases of LB (erythema migrans). With regard to the type of removal method and the development of complications, only three patients who had ticks pulled with tweezers experienced complications compared with 23 patients who used other methods (p = 0.0058). With regard to specific complications (LB and/or spotted fever) and/or development of B. burgdorferi or R. conorii infection significant differences were also observed when tweezers were used for removal of ticks compared with other tick removal methods (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The removal of ticks with tweezers significantly protects from the development of complications and infection by tick-borne microorganisms. Antibiotic prophylaxis is recommended when the removal of the arthropod is carried out by using a method other than the recommended one.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[The functioning of foci of mixed tick-borne infections on Russian territory].

Based on the studies of behavioral variations in ixodes persulcatus ticks under the influence of their carried pathogens, the authors forward a hypothesis for that there is antagonism between Borrelia and tick-borne encephalitis virus in the vector. Experiments demonstrated that Borrelia-infected ticks had a lower viral sensitivity than did noninfected ticks. There was inhibited viral reproduction in the ticks with double infection. Evidence is presented for that the Borrelia-infected nymphal ticks display the specific behavioral and viral susceptible features that are physiologically peculiar to older Borrelia-free individuals. It is concluded that the prevalence of Borrelia in the populations of ticks in the foci of mixed infections is associated with their property to suppress viral reproduction in the Borrelia-infected ticks.

Animals↗
PubMed1976

[Significance of indices of potential epidemiologic valency of natural foci of tick-borne encephalitis and methods of determining them].

Potential epidemiological valency (PEV) of the natural foci of tick-borne encephalitis was characterized by the quantity of the infected ticks per unit of the area of the focal territory, and also by the section of the pathway of man's passage along this territory, at which encounter of a single viroforic tick is possible. PEV indices reflected the epidemiological intensity of the natural foci of infection both in the mastered and in the poorly developed areas, and therefore could be used for the epidemiological prognosis on tick-borne encephalitis and in epidemiological search of this infection on the newly-developing territories. The extent of PEV reduction as a result of anti-tick treatment of forests endemic by tick-borne encephalitis which as caricides with a prolonged residual action of the tick-vectors offered a possibility of assessing the epidemiological efficacy of the measures carried out the most objectively.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Tick-Theileria interactions in response to immune activation of the vector.

Watt, D. M., Walker, A. R., Lamza, K. A., and Ambrose, N. C. 2001. Tick-Theileria interactions in response to immune activation of the vector. Experimental Parasitology 97, 89-94. Immune mechanisms towards the haemoprotozoan parasite Theileria parva were investigated in their tick vector, Rhipicephalus appendiculatus. The exoskeletons of adult ticks were initially pierced with bacteria-coated, saline-coated, or sterile dry glass needles. Haemolymph was extracted from the ticks at 6, 24, 48, and 72 h postinjection and applied to bacterial plates to measure the growth inhibition effects. The inhibition zones were larger with all the injected groups compared to uninjected controls. The largest inhibition zones were seen 24 h after injection with bacteria-coated needles. An experiment was carried out to investigate whether antibacterial immune responses were relevant to the parasite/tick relationship and, if so, which parasite form was most vulnerable. R. appendiculatus nymphs were infected with T. parva by feeding on an infected calf and were then injected with needles on days 7, 13, 15, and 17 throughout their moult in an attempt to induce tick immune responses at the same time as different lifecycle forms of T. parva would be present. Salivary glands from the moulted adult ticks in the control and different treatment groups were dissected out and examined for the presence of T. parva sporoblasts. No difference in infection levels was seen in any of the treatment groups compared with the controls, suggesting that immune responses in R. appendiculatus, induced by bacterial injection, do not affect T. parva infections. The fecundity of injected ticks was compared with that of uninjected controls to ensure that the injection procedure itself was not detrimental to the ticks. Injected females had higher engorgement masses than controls but reduced levels of egg hatching.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Comparison of resistance in three breeds of cattle against African ixodid ticks.

Tick resistance in three breeds of cattle, two indigenous breeds (Arssi and Boran) and one Boran x Friesian cross-bread, were compared following natural tick infestations at Abernossa ranch in Ethiopia. The local Arssi breed was found to have the highest tick resistance, followed by the Boran breed, whereas the Boran x Friesian was the least resistant. Over a period of 12 months, from October 1991 to September 1992, a total of 32,897 ticks composed of four genera were collected from the animals. The four most abundant tick species were Amblyomma variegatum (61.7%), Boophilus decoloratus (16%); Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi (16.3%) and Hyalomma marginatum rufipes (3.7%). Furthermore, 63.5% of all ticks were collected from cross-breed cattle, and 26.2% from the Boran, whereas the local Arssi breed carried only 10.3%. The results indicated that cattle resistant to one species of tick were also resistant to other tick species.

Africa↗
PubMed1993

The Ixodes ricinus tick as a vector of Borrelia burgdorferi in Slovenia.

In many parts of Slovenia, the vegetation, climate and animals form an ideal natural environment for the persistence of different tick species. In this study, Ixodes ricinus ticks, the prevalent tick species in our country, are identified as the vectors of Borrelia burgdorferi in Slovenia. Ticks were collected by flagging between May and October 1990. All the ticks collected from different parts of Slovenia were I. ricinus and each one was examined individually. The ticks were tested to determine the presence of B. burgdorferi by indirect immunofluorescent assay. Among the 496 ticks examined for borreliae there were 85 adults and 411 nymphs. Twenty (23.5%) adults and 18 (4.4%) nymphs were found positive for Borreliae. This study discusses the importance of I. ricinus ticks in the role of Lyme borreliosis in Slovenia.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Prevalence of ticks infected with Francisella tularensis in natural foci of tularemia in western Slovakia.

The prevalence of ticks infected with F. tularensis was followed during a systematic surveillance in endemic area of tularemia in western Slovakia over the years 1984-93. Ticks were collected from vegetation in localities of Podunajské Biskupice, in the vicinity of the capital of Slovakia, Bratislava, near the river Danube. In total 6033 ticks, mostly adults of Dermacentor reticulatus and Ixodes ricinus (4994 and 1004, respectively) and 35 nymphs of Haemaphysalis concinna, were examined for the presence of F. tularensis. Out of 4542 starving ticks, 34 F. tularensis strains were isolated predominantly from D. reticulatus (30), and to a smaller extent also from I. ricinus (3) and H. concinna (1). Natural infection with F. tularensis was further proved from 1491 adults of D. reticulatus fed on laboratory animals, rabbits and white mice, together in 27 cases. From that, 21 times it was by positive isolation either from suspensions of partly or fully engorged ticks and their feaces, or from spleens of animals dead after the feeding of ticks. In addition, solely the development of antibodies against the agent was confirmed in 6 rabbit hosts. The presence of F. tularensis in all the above mentioned tick species and namely the relatively high and permanent infestation of D. reticulatus adults, ranging between 0.5-2% during the followed time period, demonstrated the maintenance of active natural focus of tularemia in the area under study. The present paper also emphasizes the epidemiologic consequence of various species of ticks in endemic foci of tularemia and the aspect of possible ways of transmission of the agent to humans.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Evaluation of four modelling techniques to predict the potential distribution of ticks using indigenous cattle infestations as calibration data.

Efficient tick and tick-borne disease control is a major goal in the efforts to improve the livestock industry in developing countries. To gain a better understanding of the distribution and abundance of livestock ticks under changing environmental conditions, a country-wide field survey of tick infestations on indigenous cattle was recently carried out in Tanzania. This paper evaluates four models to generate tick predictive maps including areas between the localities that were surveyed. Four techniques were compared: (1) linear discriminant analysis, (2) quadratic discriminant analysis, (3) generalised regression analysis, and (4) the weights-of-evidence method. Inter-model comparison was accomplished with a data-set of adult Rhipicephalus appendiculatus ticks and a set of predictor variables covering monthly mean temperature, relative humidity, rainfall, and the normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI). The data-set of tick records was divided into two equal subsets one of which was utilised for model fitting and the other for evaluation, and vice versa, in two independent experiments. For each locality the probability of tick occurrence was predicted and compared with the proportion of infested animals observed in the field; overall predictive success was measured with mean squared difference (MSD). All models exhibited a relatively good performance in configurations with optimised sets of predictors. The linear discriminant model had the least predictive success (MSD>or=0.210), whereas the accuracy increased in the quadratic discriminant (MSD>or=0.197) and generalised regression models (MSD>or=0.173). The best predictions were gained with the weights-of-evidence model (MSD>or=0.141). Theoretical as well as practical aspects of all models were taken into account. In summary, the weights-of-evidence model was considered to be the best option for the purpose of predictive mapping of the risk of infestation of Tanzanian indigenous cattle. A detailed description of the implementation of this model is provided in an annex to this paper.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) parasitizing humans in an Atlantic rainforest reserve of Southeastern Brazil with notes on host suitability.

While conducting projects on ticks from deer and on tick ecology in animal trails in an Atlantic rainforest reserve in Southeastern Brazil, researchers of our group were bitten by ticks several times. Some of these episodes were recorded. Three species of adult ticks attached to humans: Amblyomma brasiliense Aragão, Amblyomma incisum Neumann, and Amblyomma ovale Koch. Eight nymphal attachments with engorgement on humans were recorded. From these, six molted to adults of A. incisum, one to an adult of A. brasiliense, and one had an anomalous molting, therefore the adult tick could not be properly identified. Local reactions to tick attachment varied among individual hosts from almost imperceptible to intense. Especially itching, but hyperemia and swelling as well, were prominent features of the reaction. Overall it can be affirmed that human beings can be a physiologically suitable host species for ticks in the Atlantic rainforest and that itching was an important if not the major component of the resistance to tick bite.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Ornithodoros moubata: host immunoglobulin G in tick hemolymph.

Hemolymph proteins of a soft tick, Ornithodoros moubata, were analyzed immunochemically and biochemically. The components of tick hemolymph proteins were shown to be totally different from the host (rabbit) serum proteins by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with sodium dodecyl sulfate and Coomassie blue or silver stain. However, in the hemolymph of ticks engorged from rabbits immunoglobulin G was detected by immunoblotting analysis with goat anti-rabbit immunoglobulin G. The concentration of rabbit Immunoglobulin G in tick hemolymph changed with the physiological stages after a blood meal. Immunoglobulin G was isolated from tick hemolymph by affinity chromatography on a Protein A-Sepharose 4B column. Analysis of the isolated immunoglobulin G from tick hemolymph with sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Ouchterlony double diffusion test showed it to be composed of the same subunits as heavy and light chains of host (rabbit) immunoglobulin G. Tracer experiments showed that 125I-labeled heavy and light chains of immunoglobulin G were detected in an intact form in hemolymph from ticks that sucked 125I-labeled rabbit immunoglobulin G through an artificial membrane. These facts suggested that the host rabbit immunoglobulin G ingested in the tick midgut passed through the gut wall without digestion. By solid-phase enzyme immunoassay, immunoglobulin in the hemolymph was shown to retain its antibody activity.

Animals↗