Article
Parasitology
Rohit Sharma, Duncan W. Cozens, Philip M. Armstrong, Douglas E. Brackney
Summary: The study shows that non-Ixodes tick species can effectively acquire POWV II by feeding on viremic hosts, maintain infection through molting, and successfully transmit the virus to naive hosts at comparable rates across all three species.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Skyler M. Kerr, Jonathan O. Rayner, R. Ryan Wood, Steven Schultze, John McCreadie
Summary: This study investigated the distribution of medically important ticks in Alabama and provided the latest data since 1972. The results showed a linear increase of tick abundance from south to north, with higher abundance in areas with lower temperatures, greater precipitation, and higher canopy cover.
JOURNAL OF VECTOR ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Lina B. Flor-Weiler, Robert W. Behle, Fred J. Eller, Ephantus J. Muturi, Alejandro P. Rooney
Summary: This study evaluated the repellency and toxicity of a CO2-derived cedarwood oil against nymphs of four hard tick species, showing its potential as an eco-friendly repellent and acaricide.
EXPERIMENTAL AND APPLIED ACAROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Parasitology
Alec T. Thompson, Seth A. White, Emily E. Doub, Prisha Sharma, Kenna Frierson, Kristen Dominguez, David Shaw, Dustin Weaver, Stacey L. Vigil, Denise L. Bonilla, Mark G. Ruder, Michael J. Yabsley
Summary: This study surveyed ticks collected from animals in 23 different states in the eastern USA, with the primary goal of better characterizing the distribution and host associations of the exotic tick H. longicornis. New distribution data on tick species of veterinary or medical importance were also obtained.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Lindsey Bidder, Holly Gaff
Summary: Adult unfed Amblyomma americanum, Amblyomma maculatum, and Dermacentor variabilis ticks were placed in environmental containers in southeastern Virginia from May to August 2015. Analysis showed significant differences in survival rates among the three species across all field sites. A. maculatum had a higher risk of mortality compared to A. americanum and D. variabilis, and D. variabilis had a higher risk of mortality compared to A. americanum. There was also higher mortality in flooding-prone habitats compared to drier upland habitats. The study concluded that A. americanum was not negatively affected by increased flooding, while A. maculatum was more susceptible to mortality in both dry and flood-prone environments.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Parasitology
Kellee D. Sundstrom, Megan W. Lineberry, Amber N. Grant, Kathryn T. Duncan, Michelle M. Ientile, Susan E. Little
Summary: This study reveals that common ticks on horses in North America show preferences for attachment sites and infest horses in Oklahoma throughout the year, including during the winter months. More research is needed to fully understand the health risks posed by these infestations on equine health.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2021)
Review
Parasitology
Laura H. Backus, Emily L. Pascoe, Janet Foley
Summary: Invasive tick species thrive in anthropogenically modified habitats, feed on high-density domestic animals or wildlife, and can adapt to a broad range of climatic conditions. Invasions occur when multiple characteristics converge.
TRENDS IN PARASITOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Delonta Price, Sara A. Benham, Holly D. Gaff, Zachary J. Bement, Christian Blaise, Hannah K. Cummins, Rebecca Ferrara, Joshua Moreno, Erika Parker, Anna Phan, Tori Rose, Sarah Azher, Delonta Price, David T. Gauthier
Summary: The Gulf Coast tick, Amblyomma maculatum, is expanding northward along the US East Coast, establishing populations in Virginia with high prevalence of Rickettsia parkeri. Investigation into connectivity between sites colonized with A. maculatum suggests that higher prevalence sites may not be well-connected. This contrasts with genetic structure and connectivity observed in congeneric Amblyomma americanum populations.
TICKS AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Caleb Nielebeck, Sang Hyo Kim, Antonio Pepe, Lucian Himes, Zachary Miller, Sophia Zummo, Mary Tang, Javier D. Monzon
Summary: Ticks, vectors of diseases, are expanding their geographic distribution. This study shows that extreme climatic stress reduces tick survival but increases their questing behavior.
Article
Entomology
Bruce H. Noden, Megan A. Roselli, Scott R. Loss
Summary: Urbanization can affect tick abundance and disease prevalence, and little is known about the impact of urbanization on ticks in North America. This study found that there is a risk of encountering ticks across the entire urbanization gradient in Oklahoma City, USA. Vegetation variables were also associated with tick abundance.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Terry L. Schulze, Robert A. Jordan
Summary: The density of tick nymphs varies significantly depending on sampling date, habitat, and ambient weather conditions, which could result in substantially different rates of human-tick encounters. Due to differences in the host preferences and questing strategies of sympatric tick species, surveillance efforts may need to be standardized and caution should be exercised when interpreting sampling data collected over large temporal and spatial scales.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Julia R. Brennan, Samantha Boychuck, Anthony John Washkwich, Henry John-Alder, Dina M. Fonseca
Summary: Forest thinning is a management practice used to improve forest health, reduce wildfire risk, and manage wildlife. This study found that forest thinning resulted in warmer and drier microclimates, leading to a significant reduction in tick abundance. The results suggest that forest management strategies can effectively lower the risk of tick-borne diseases. Rating: 8/10.
TICKS AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Julia Gonzalez, Dina M. Fonseca, Alvaro Toledo
Summary: People frequently use parks and forested areas for outdoor activities. This study monitored the seasonal dynamics of ticks in forest/meadow and forest/path ecotones in Middlesex County, New Jersey. The most abundant tick species collected was Haemaphysalis longicornis, an invasive tick species. The presence of anthropophilic ticks suggests the need for specific control approaches, and the high numbers of H. longicornis collected highlight the importance of monitoring its expansion as a potential vector of diseases.
Article
Entomology
R. A. Butler, K. C. Randolph, J. T. Vogt, D. J. Paulsen, R. T. Trout Fryxell
Summary: This study identified environmental variables associated with tick encounters and found that different tick species have different associations with environmental conditions. Understanding these associations can help prevent human-tick encounters through land management decisions.
ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Entomology
Daniel C. Mathisson, Sara M. Kross, Matthew Palmer, Maria A. Diuk-Wasser
Summary: Ticks have distinct habitat preferences, with different species showing varying associations with vegetation. For example, blacklegged ticks are positively associated with closed canopy forests and dense vegetation thickets, while American dog ticks prefer grasslands and open-canopy fields. Lone star ticks, on the other hand, exhibit habitat generalism without consistent associations with particular types of vegetation. The habitat associations of the recently introduced Asian longhorned tick in the northeastern United States and other invaded regions remain unclear.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2021)