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Parasites & vectors2021; 14(1); 404; doi: 10.1186/s13071-021-04927-8

Equine attachment site preferences and seasonality of common North American ticks: Amblyomma americanum, Dermacentor albipictus, and Ixodes scapularis.

Abstract: Ticks are common on horses, but recent publications characterizing equine tick infestations in North America are lacking. Methods: To further understand attachment site preferences of common ticks of horses, and to document the seasonality of equine tick infestation in northeastern Oklahoma, horses from eight farms were evaluated twice a month over a 1-year period. Each horse was systematically inspected beginning at the head and moving caudally to the tail. Attachment sites of ticks were recorded and all ticks collected were identified to species and stage. Results: Horses (26 males and 62 females) enrolled in the study ranged in age from 1 to 23 years (mean = 12, 95% CI 11-13). A total of 2731 ticks were collected; 84.1% (74/88) of the horses were infested (median = 3 ticks) at one or more examinations. Five tick species were identified, including Amblyomma americanum (78.2%; 2136/2731), Ixodes scapularis (18.2%; 497/2731), Dermacentor albipictus brown variant (2.6%; 71/2731), Dermacentor variabilis (0.7%; 20/2731), and Amblyomma maculatum (0.3%; 7/231). Most ticks were adults (83.6%; 2282/2731), but immature A. americanum (436/2136; 20.4%), D. albipictus (12/71; 16.9%), and A. maculatum (n = 1) were occasionally recovered. Amblyomma americanum were most often attached to the inguinal area, and I. scapularis and D. albipictus were most commonly found on the chest and axillary region (P < 0.0001). Ticks were found on horses in every month of the year. The largest number of ticks (638/2731; 23.4%) were collected in May (P < 0.0001). Amblyomma americanum, primarily immature, was the only tick recovered in September, I. scapularis and D. albipictus predominated October through February, and both A. americanum and I. scapularis were common in March. In the warmer months, April through August, A. americanum was the most common tick, followed by D. variabilis and A. maculatum. Conclusions: This research confirms that ticks common on horses in North America have attachment site preferences and that ticks infest horses in Oklahoma throughout the year, including during the winter. Additional research is warranted to fully understand the risk these infestations pose to equine health.
© 2021. The Author(s).
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Publication Date: 2021-08-14 PubMed ID: 34391460PubMed Central: PMC8364019DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-04927-8Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research aims to study the various types of ticks that infest horses in North America, particularly focusing on their attachment site preferences and the seasonality of their infestation. Data was collected over one year from horses across eight farms in northeastern Oklahoma.

Methodology

  • The researchers conducted a systematic inspection of horses, moving from the head to the tail, twice a month for one year.
  • The specific locations where ticks were attached to the horses were recorded.
  • These collected ticks were then identified to their species and stage (adult or immature).

Results

  • Out of the 88 horses examined, 74 were infested with ticks at one or more examinations.
  • Overall, a total of 2731 ticks were collected. These ticks represented five different species, with Amblyomma americanum being the most predominant, followed by Ixodes scapularis and Dermacentor albipictus.
  • The majority of these ticks were adults, though immature ticks of certain species were also occasionally found.
  • The researchers noted specific attachment site preferences for different species of ticks. For instance, Amblyomma americanum most often attached to the inguinal area, while Ixodes scapularis and Dermacentor albipictus were most commonly found on the chest and axillary region.
  • The study found that ticks were present on horses every month of the year, with the largest number of ticks collected in May.
  • The study also observed variations in the predominant tick species across different months. Amblyomma americanum, for example, were the only ticks found in September, while they and Ixodes scapularis were commonly found in March. From April to August, Amblyomma americanum were the most common.

Conclusions

This study affirms that different tick species common to American horses have different attachment site preferences and can infest horses all year round, even during winter. It suggests that further research is needed to understand the potential risks these tick infestations pose to equine health.

Cite This Article

APA
Sundstrom KD, Lineberry MW, Grant AN, Duncan KT, Ientile MM, Little SE. (2021). Equine attachment site preferences and seasonality of common North American ticks: Amblyomma americanum, Dermacentor albipictus, and Ixodes scapularis. Parasit Vectors, 14(1), 404. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-021-04927-8

Publication

Parasites & vectors
ISSN: 1756-3305
NlmUniqueID: 101462774
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 14
Issue: 1
Pages: 404
PII: 404

Researcher Affiliations

Sundstrom, Kellee D
  • Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA.
Lineberry, Megan W
  • Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA.
Grant, Amber N
  • Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA.
Duncan, Kathryn T
  • Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA.
Ientile, Michelle M
  • Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA.
Little, Susan E
  • Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA. susan.little@okstate.edu.

MeSH Terms

  • Amblyomma / physiology
  • Animals
  • Dermacentor / physiology
  • Female
  • Head / parasitology
  • Horses / anatomy & histology
  • Horses / parasitology
  • Ixodidae / physiology
  • Male
  • Neck / parasitology
  • Oklahoma / epidemiology
  • Seasons
  • Thorax / parasitology
  • Tick Infestations / epidemiology
  • Tick Infestations / veterinary

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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Citations

This article has been cited 7 times.
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