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Abstract Ticks are parasitic arthropods that cause significant economic losses to livestock production worldwide. Although Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, the cattle tick, occurs throughout the Brazilian territory, there is no official program to control this tick, which is the vector of tick fever pathogens. We address the situation of R. (B.) microplus resistance to synthetic acaricides in Brazil, including cattle tick management; the status of tick resistance per Brazilian state; the history of resistance occurrence of different acaricides; multiple resistance occurrence; and the main strategies for integrated tick management. Tick control in Brazil is characterized by management errors. Local laboratories affiliated with federal and state research institutions and universities employ the Adult Immersion Test as a primary diagnostic method to assess acaricide resistance to topically applied drugs. Only three states (Acre, Amapá, and Amazonas) have no reports on resistant populations. Misinformation on tick control strategies, misuse of available products for tick control, no adoption of Integrated Parasite Management (IPM) practices, low technical support to producers, and the high-speed emergence of acaricide-resistant tick populations are the main problems. We also propose a list of needs and priorities for cattle tick control regarding communication, research, and policies.

Abstract The giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) is a semiaquatic carnivore and a top predator in the trophic chain, considered a sentinel of freshwater ecosystems. Ticks are common ectoparasites of worldwide distribution and potential vectors of diseases. In this study, we report the ectoparasitism by ticks on a giant otter carcass found during monitoring activity at the Negro River, that holds a viable population of this endangered species in the Brazilian Pantanal. A total of three tick specimens were collected: two adults were identified as Amblyomma sculptum and a nymph as Amblyomma spp. There is a lack of information about the health of free-ranging giant otters and this report contributes to elucidate some of the host-parasite relationships, although much more research is needed to expand the knowledge about which kinds of pathogens are circulating in the species, especially among those transmitted by ticks.

Abstract Ticks parasitizing 102 wild animals in the states of Mato Grosso and Goiás, Brazil were collected between 2015 and 2018. A total of 2338 ticks (865 males, 541 females, 823 nymphs, and 109 larvae) belonging to four genera (Amblyomma, Dermacentor, Haemaphysalis, and Rhipicephalus) and at least 21 species were identified. DNA extraction and a molecular survey for rickettsial agents were performed on 650 ticks. The results revealed parasitism by the following species: Rickettsia amblyommatis in Amblyomma cajennense s.s., A. cajennense s.l., Amblyomma coelebs, Amblyomma humerale, Amblyomma longirostre, Amblyomma nodosum, Amblyomma scalpturatum, Amblyomma sculptum, and Amblyomma romitii; Rickettsia parkeri in Amblyomma nodosum, Amblyomma ovale, Amblyomma scalpturatum, and Amblyomma triste; Rickettsia rhipicephali in Haemaphysalis juxtakochi; Rickettsia sp. in A. cajennense s.s., A. nodosum, and A. sculptum, and lastly, ‘Candidatus Rickettsia andeanae’ in Amblyomma parvum and Rhipicephalus microplus. This study expands the body of knowledge about tick parasitism among wild animals, including new data concerning tick-host associations, and provides information about the epidemiology of tick-borne pathogens in the Center-West region of Brazil.

Abstract A male of Pteronura brasiliensis (Carnivora: Mustelidae) was found dead on the banks of the Rio Negro, in the Pantanal wetlands of Mato Grosso do Sul state, Aquidauana municipality. Two ticks found attached to its skin were morphologically identified as a second-instar nymph of Ornithodoros rostratus (Argasidae) and a male of Amblyomma sculptum (Ixodidae). In order to complement the morphological identification, these tick specimens were subjected to DNA extraction, and tested using PCR assays to confirm the molecular identity the specimens. Also, the tick DNA samples were tested and were negative in the PCR assays for all the pathogens tested. We also examined 30 batches, consisting of 174 individuals of O. rostratus deposited in the Acari Collection of the Butantan Institute, and we found material from four Brazilian states, including one batch containing 2 males and 2 females from Aquidauana, of Mato Grosso do Sul state, collected from the soil. This was therefore the first record of O. rostratus parasitizing P. brasiliensis and the first locality record (Aquidauana). Likewise, A. sculptum is commonly found in the Pantanal and is reported here for the second time parasitizing the giant otter, which is a host little studied regarding the ectoparasites.

Background: Rhipicephalus microplus and Amblyomma mixtum are the most important tick species affecting livestock in tropical areas. They can have a direct harmful effect on cattle and humans due to transmission of pathogens of tick-borne diseases (TBD). Entomopathogenic fungi have an important role in crop pest control. However, data concerning the efficacy of use of entomopathogenic fungicombinations are scarce. Objective: For this reason, in this study, the efficacy of commercial fungal combinations was assessed: Trishok® (Trichoderma harzianaum and Trichoderma virens) and Esporomax® (Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium anisopliae, Paecelomyces fumosoroseus). Methodology: Adult immersion tests were performed with six different concentrations of fungal solutions. Results: In this study, Trishok® and Esporomax® showed potential efficacy against R. microplus. Different concentrations of fungal application tested on A. mixtum did not show any effect. The observed mortality of R. microplus was 85. 0 ± 2.0 and 65.0 ± 2.0 for Trishok® and Esporomax®, respectively. The estimated LC50 for R. microplus immersed in solutions of Trishok® and Esporomax® thereof were: 6.5x104 and3.9x105 conidia mL-1, respectively. Implications: These results should be considered in the design and implementation of alternatives based on the biological control of ticks. Conclusion: We can conclude that combined commercial strains of entomopathogenic fungi have in vitro acaricidal activity against R. microplus.

Background: Louse-fly (Lipoptena spp.) and ticks are blood-sucking ectoparasites of domestic and wild animals and accidentally of humans. Globally, there is little information on the medical importance of these ectoparasites, but there are studies that suggest that these ectoparasites might be involved in the transmission of pathogens. In Mexico, both ectoparasites have been reported parasitizing white-tailed deer (WTD, Odocoileus virginianus). Objective: To estimate the prevalence and intensity of Lipoptena spp. and ticks in WTD and its possible implication of louse-flies as a vector of Anaplasma spp. in Southeastern Mexico. Methodology: 25 WTD were inspected for their louse-flies and ticks. Pools of louse-flies were tested by a nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to identify the presence of a fragment of the 16S-rDNA gene of Anaplasma spp. Results: All louse-fly (96 specimens) were identified as Lipoptena mazamae and 348 ticks of the genera Amblyomma, Ixodes, Rhipicephalus and Haemaphysalis were also identified. The prevalence of WTD with L. mazamae was 56% with an intensity of 6.9 flies/WTD, meanwhile the prevalence of ticks was 92% with an intensity of 15.5 ticks/WTD. Anaplasma spp. was not detected in any of the pools of flies evaluated. Implications: WTD are parasitized by ectoparasites that affect their health and can be transmitters of pathogens to wild animals, domestic animals, and humans, therefore their identification is important for the design of prevention programs. Conclusion: WTD showed high prevelances of L. mazamae and different species of ticks, being the latter with high prevalence and intensity. Molecular tests showed that louse-flies evaluated in this study were not found to be infected with Anaplasma spp.

Species distribution patterns are important aspects of biogeography and conservation and are especially important in environments that have been under-investigated, such as caves in the semiarid region of northeastern Brazil. We collected argasid specimens from the guano of insectivorous bats in five caves of the Caatinga biome and identified six soft tick species of the genera Antricola and Ornithodorus. Ornithodoros rodoniensis was recorded for the first time in the Caatinga biome and had previously only been known to occur in the Amazon.

Background. In tropical and subtropical regions of the world, ticks and nematodes negatively affect the health and welfare of animals, the search for natural alternatives for parasite control is necessary to reduce resistance and dependence to antiparasitics. Objective. To present the main findings on the acaricidal and anthelmintic activity of Petiveria alliacea against ticks and nematodes of domestic animals. Methodology. Scientific articles were compiled from studies carried out by the animal health academic research group of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics of the Autonomous University of Yucatán. The review focused on the use of methanolic extracts and compounds from P. alliacea against larvae and adults of Rhipicephalus microplus, as well as against nematodes of the order strongylida such as Ancylostoma spp., Haemonchus spp. and cyathostomids. Main findings. Research on the biological activity of P. alliacea extracts have shown their acaricidal and anthelmintic potential. Extracts of P. alliacea showed high mortality rates on larvae and adult females of R. microplus resistant to ixodicides, as well as a decrease in reproductive parameters (inhibition of oviposition and hatching inhibition). The acaricidal activity of P. alliacea is attributed to the presence of the sulfur compounds dibenzyl trisulfide and dibenzyl disulfide, which cause histological damage to the reproductive system of adult females, affecting the oogenesis process. Additionally, P. alliacea demonstrated broad spectrum anthelmintic activity, exhibiting high percentages of hatching inhibition on A. caninum, H. placei and cyathostomid eggs. A difference was also observed in the acaricidal and anthelmintic activity depending on the part of the plant and the time of collection. Implications. Further studies are needed to identify anthelmintic active compounds of P. alliacea, elucidate the mechanisms of action of these compounds, and test both acaricidal and anthelmintic compounds in in vivo studies. Conclusions. The extracts of P. alliacea and its compounds showed high acaricidal and anthelmintic activity against R. microplus ticks and nematodes of the order strongylida of domestic animals, due to this, they are a potential control alternative for broad spectrum.

Kowalczyk Anna, Kozłowska Ewelina, Pacian Anna, Skórzyńska Hanna. Świadomość studentów na temat występowania i żerowania kleszczy w Polsce = Student’s awareness about appearance and feeding of ticks in Poland. Journal of Education, Health and Sport. 2015;5(9):469-480. ISSN 2391-8306. DOI10.5281/zenodo.31176 http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.31176 http://ojs.ukw.edu.pl/index.php/johs/article/view/2015%3B5%289%29%3A469-480 https://pbn.nauka.gov.pl/works/628573 Formerly Journal of Health Sciences. ISSN 1429-9623 / 2300-665X. Archives 2011–2014http://journal.rsw.edu.pl/index.php/JHS/issue/archive Deklaracja. Specyfika i zawartość merytoryczna czasopisma nie ulega zmianie. Zgodnie z informacją MNiSW z dnia 2 czerwca 2014 r., że w roku 2014 nie będzie przeprowadzana ocena czasopism naukowych; czasopismo o zmienionym tytule otrzymuje tyle samo punktów co na wykazie czasopism naukowych z dnia 31 grudnia 2014 r. The journal has had 5 points in Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Poland parametric evaluation. Part B item 1089. (31.12.2014). © The Author (s) 2015; This article is published with open access at Licensee Open Journal Systems of Kazimierz Wielki University in Bydgoszcz, Poland and Radom University in Radom, Poland Open Access. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial License which permits any noncommercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and source are credited. This is an open access article licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted, non commercial use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the work is properly cited. This is an open access article licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted, non commercial use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the work is properly cited. The authors declare that there is no conflict of interests regarding the publication of this paper. Received: 26.08.2015. Revised 05.09.2015. Accepted: 15.09.2015. Świadomość studentów na temat występowania i żerowania kleszczy w Polsce Student’s awareness about appearance and feeding of ticks in Poland Anna Kowalczyk1, Ewelina Kozłowska2, Anna Pacian3, Hanna Skórzyńska3 1. Studenckie Koło Naukowe Zdrowia Publicznego, Wydział Nauk o Zdrowiu, Uniwersytet Medyczny w Lublinie 2. Samodzielna Pracownia Epidemiologii, Wydział Nauk o Zdrowiu, Uniwersytet Medyczny w Lublinie 3. Katedra Zdrowia Publicznego, Wydział Nauk o Zdrowiu, Uniwersytet Medyczny w Lublinie Autor do korespondencji / Author for correspondence lic. Anna Kowalczyk e-mail: annakowalczyklublin@gmail.com Streszczenie Wprowadzenie. Kleszcze to jedne z najbardziej niebezpiecznych zewnętrznych pasożytów człowieka. Bytują one głównie w lasach liściastych i mieszanych lub otaczających je miejscach o bogatej roślinności. Pod wpływem zachodzących zmian obszar ich występowania uległ znacznemu poszerzeniu. Wędrując w kierunku potencjalnych żywicieli dotarły i zaklimatyzowały się nie tylko na terenach wiejskich, ale także w miejskich parkach, ogrodach czy skwerach. Cel badań. Zbadanie świadomości studentów kierunków przyrodniczych na temat występowania i żerowania kleszczy w Polsce. Materiał i metoda. Badanie przeprowadzono wśród 184 studentów Uniwersytetu Przyrodniczego w Lublinie, w okresie od V – VI 2014 roku. Zastosowaną metodą badawczą był sondaż diagnostyczny przeprowadzony techniką ankietowania. Wyniki. Zaledwie co piąty student wiedział, iż najwięcej kleszczy w lesie występuje w okolicach ścieżek. Aby mogły przeżyć potrzebują krwi żywiciela, wiedziało o tym ponad 78% ankietowanych. Jedynie 22% studentów było świadomych tego, iż każda forma rozwojowa kleszczy stanowi potencjalne zagrożenie dla człowieka. Prawidłowe postępowanie w przypadku ukąszenia przez kleszcza potrafiło opisać 58% ankietowanych. Wnioski. Świadomość studentów na temat występowania i żerowania kleszczy w Polsce kształtuje się na średnim poziomie. Nakazuje to zarówno kontynuowanie istniejących działań edukacyjnych w zakresie środowiskowych zagrożeń zdrowia, jak i podejmowanie nowych inicjatyw w celu kształtowania kompleksowej wiedzy i umiejętności niezbędnych do ochrony przed zagrożeniami. Słowa kluczowe: studenci, świadomość, zagrożenia środowiskowe, kleszcze. Abstract Introduction. Ticks are the most dangerous human external parasites. They live mainly in deciduous and mixed coniferous forests or in places surrounded by rich flora. Under the influence of changes their area of appearance significantly expanded. Wandering towards potential hosts they reached and acclimatized not only on country areas, but also in municipal parks, gardens and squares. Research Aim. An aim of research is to examine student’s awareness from the faculty of sciences about appearance and feeding of ticks in Poland. Material and Method. Examination was conducted amongst 184 students of the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, in a period of 05-06.2014. Diagnostic survey method was conducted surveys technique. Results. Only every fifth student knew that most ticks in the forest can be found in surroundings of paths. Over 78% of respondents knew that ticks in order to survive need a blood of the host. Only 22% of students were aware of the fact that every developmental form of ticks creates a threat to the man. Proper behavior in case of tick bite was able to describe 58% of respondents. Conclusions. Student’s awareness about appearance and feeding of ticks in Poland develops on an average level. This requires both the continuation of existing educational activities in the field of environmental health threats, and new initiatives in order to gain a comprehensive knowledge and essential abilities to protection against threats. Key words: students, awareness, enviromental risks, ticks.