Rhipicephalus microplus and Amblyomma sculptum (Ixodidae) infestation of Nellore cattle (Bos taurus indicus) in a farm of the Brazilian Cerrado: seasonality and infestation patterns.
Abstract: We herein describe zebuine cattle tick infestation in a farm in southeast Brazil with an examination accurate enough to detect tick immatures and species other than R. microplus. Cattle were inspected monthly for ticks from May 2015 to May 2017 and 7604 ticks were collected along 276 bovine inspections. Rhipicephalus microplus was the dominant species (7197 specimens, 94.5% from the total), but Amblyomma sculptum was also collected (407/5.5%). Horse tick infestations were evaluated for comparison purposes of A. sculptum infestations of a primary host sharing pastures with bovines. Ticks were counted on the left side of 4-12 horses every 3 months from October 2015 to October 2017. Overall, 68 horse inspections were performed and 1702 ticks were collected: Dermacentor nitens (805 specimens/47.3% of the total), A. sculptum (733/43.1%) and R. microplus (164/9.6%). Overall mean tick abundance on bovines was low if compared to that of taurine cattle and counting revealed four annual generations of R. microplus. The interval between infestation peaks was 3 months, irrespective of the season, and an increase in tick counts from spring onward, as described in the south of Brazil, was not seen. Amblyomma sculptum infestation abundance was minor but constant and in high prevalence. Cattle infestation with A. sculptum seems to depend on pasture sharing with other domestic and wild hosts that are its primary hosts and provide engorged females to complete their life cycle. The impact of such tick sharing among several host species on tick-borne pathogen transmission remains to be elucidated.
Publication Date: 2021-06-17 PubMed ID: 34138398PubMed Central: 3890524DOI: 10.1007/s10493-021-00636-0Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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This study examines tick infestation patterns in Nellore cattle in Brazil during a two-year period, with particular focus on the species Rhipicephalus microplus and Amblyomma sculptum. The findings show that R. microplus is the dominant species, with four annual generations identified. The prevalence of A. sculptum is lower, but consistent, suggesting infestations are influenced by the sharing of pastures with other host species.
Methodology
- The research was carried out on a farm in southeast Brazil from May 2015 to May 2017. The team carried out monthly cattle inspections and collected a total of 7604 ticks.
- For comparison purposes, and to understand the infestation patterns of A. sculptum, a tick species which uses a variety of hosts, horse tick infestations were also studied. Here, horses sharing pastures with the cattle were inspected every three months from October 2015 to October 2017.
Findings
- The dominant tick species infesting the cattle was Rhipicephalus microplus, accounting for 94.5% (7197) of the total ticks collected.
- Amblyomma sculptum was also collected, but in smaller numbers (407 or 5.5% of the total).
- For horses, three types of ticks were identified – Dermacentor nitens (47.3% of the total), A. sculptum (43.1%) and R. microplus (9.6%).
- The average tick abundance on the cattle was lower compared to that of taurine cattle.
- R. microplus presented four generations per year, with infestation peaks occurring every three months, irrespective of the season.
- Infestation with A. sculptum was minor but had high prevalence. Its infestation patterns seem to be linked to pasture sharing with other primary hosts, which provide engorged females for it to complete its lifecycle.
Implications
- The findings of this study shed light on the behavior of two different tick species that infest cattle under specific conditions. This is important for developing effective control strategies.
- Understanding the spread and prevalence of A. sculptum is particularly significant, as the tick is known to transmit a dangerous bacterium to humans and animals.
- Though the study reveals interesting patterns, the impact of tick sharing among several host species on the transmission of tick-borne pathogens still needs to be further investigated.
Cite This Article
APA
de Siqueira SM, da Costa Maia R, do Nascimento Ramos V, da Silva Rodrigues V, Szabó MPJ.
(2021).
Rhipicephalus microplus and Amblyomma sculptum (Ixodidae) infestation of Nellore cattle (Bos taurus indicus) in a farm of the Brazilian Cerrado: seasonality and infestation patterns.
Exp Appl Acarol, 84(3), 659-672.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10493-021-00636-0 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Laboratório de Ixodologia, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Av. Mato Grosso, 3289/Campus Umuarama - Bloco 2S, Uberlândia, MG, 38405-314, Brazil.
- Laboratório de Ixodologia, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Av. Mato Grosso, 3289/Campus Umuarama - Bloco 2S, Uberlândia, MG, 38405-314, Brazil.
- Laboratório de Ixodologia, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Av. Mato Grosso, 3289/Campus Umuarama - Bloco 2S, Uberlândia, MG, 38405-314, Brazil.
- Laboratório de Ixodologia, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Av. Mato Grosso, 3289/Campus Umuarama - Bloco 2S, Uberlândia, MG, 38405-314, Brazil.
- Laboratório de Ixodologia, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Av. Mato Grosso, 3289/Campus Umuarama - Bloco 2S, Uberlândia, MG, 38405-314, Brazil. szabo@ufu.br.
MeSH Terms
- Amblyomma
- Animals
- Brazil / epidemiology
- Cattle
- Cattle Diseases / epidemiology
- Farms
- Female
- Ixodidae
- Rhipicephalus
- Tick Infestations / epidemiology
- Tick Infestations / veterinary
Grant Funding
- 445490/2014-4 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientu00edfico e Tecnolu00f3gico
- CVZ PPM 00191-16 / Fundau00e7u00e3o de Amparo u00e0 Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais
- P11RT0292 / CYTED Ciencia y Tecnologu00eda para el Desarrollo
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Citations
This article has been cited 6 times.- Nassar M, Martins LA, de Assis JB, Esteves E, Sá-Nunes A, Labruna MB, Daffre S, Fogaça AC. The survival of Amblyomma sculptum ticks upon blood-feeding depends on the expression of an inhibitor of apoptosis protein. Parasit Vectors 2023 Mar 10;16(1):96.
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