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Background: Hepatozoonosis has been reported in many species around the world. Few incidences have been reported in various species of wild felids. Tigers are endangered large cats and are protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 under Schedule I. The study was carried out to estimate the positivity rate of hepatozoonosis in tigers of the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, India. Methods: Blood (n = 21) or tissue samples (n = 5) were collected from 26 wild captured / zoo-born or dead tigers during the quarantine period/post-mortem examination. Blood smear examination along with Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) studies were conducted for the detection of hepatozoonosis. All the amplicons from the positive samples were purified and sequenced, and the sequences were subjected to nBLAST analysis to detect the species of Hepatozoon. The sequences were deposited into public domain database of National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) and accession numbers were allotted. A phylogenetic study was undertaken to understand the evolutionary lineage of the pathogen. Tissue distribution studies were carried out on tissue samples received during post mortem. A clinical case in a tiger cub was managed and sub-clinical cases were monitored for relapse. Age-wise, sex-wise, region-wise and captive time-wise positivity rate was estimated. The data was analyzed using statistical tools. Results: A total of 12 tigers were found positive for H. felis during the screening. A clinical case was diagnosed and successfully treated. The age group of 0–3 years reported a positivity rate of 66.66%, and all the cases found positive were reported between the age group of 0–7 years. Males reported a positivity rate of 58.33 per cent, while females reported 35.71%. Taboba and Andhari Tiger Reserve of the state had a positivity rate of 52.94 per cent. However, the statistical analysis for blood parameters and positivity rate by 't' test and Chi-squared test were found to be non-significant. Conclusions: An overall positivity rate of 46.15% indicates the wide distribution of hepatozoonosis among wild tigers of the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, India, which is strategically important considering the gene flow and migration of tigers. Hepatozoonosis can progress to clinical outcomes in young animals and require veterinary intervention. Molecular tools and phylogenetic studies can supplement important data on circulating species of Hepatozoon in the field. Further studies on the clinical management and epidemiology of the infection in wild felids will comprehend the cause of wildlife conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyalomma anatolicum is an economically important ixodid tick infesting cattle all around the globe as it is a vector for bovine tropical theilerosis. The present study was conducted for a period of one year in coastal Odisha and the prevalence of Hyalomma ticks were found to be 23.84%. There was a higher abundance of ticks during summer (29.56%), followed by monsoon (24.74%) and winter (17.22%). Tick population were highest during the month of May when temperature, relative humidity and rainfall recorded were 26.4–38.8 °C, 64% and 114.9 mm respectively. The correlation analysis of monthly tick burden with climatic factors revealed temperature to be the most dominant factor in abundance of ticks with highly significant correlation (p < 0.01) for minimum temperature (r = 0.899) and maximum temperature (r = 0.774). A moderate and low correlation was recorded for rainfall (r = 0.418) and relative humidity(r = 0.134) respectively. The investigation underlines the importance of various climatic factors on the abundance of the tick species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ticks and tick borne diseases (TTBD) of cattle pose serious threats to the growth of dairy industry and cause a significant reduction in production. Impact of tick borne diseases on poor farming communities has been ranked very high. Considering the economic impact of tick infestation on livestock, the present epidemiological survey was undertaken. Methods: A total of 8872 cattle were examined from three different agro-climatic zones viz. central (Khammam, Warangal), north (Nizamabad, Karimnagar), south (Mahaboobnagar, Rangareddy) to know the influence of Agro-climatic factors and season on the prevalence of Ixodid ticks on cattle in Telangana State, India from March 2019 to February 2020. Result: An overall prevalence of 63.4% tick infestation was recorded in Telangana state out of which 78.05%, 71.3% and 51.9% of tick infestation was found in central, north and southern agro-climatic zones of Telangana, respectively. Among the six districts under study, highest prevalence was recorded in Khammam (79.7%) followed by Warangal (76.2%), Nizamabad (73.7%), Karimnagar (69.4%), Mahaboobnagar (55.8%) and Rangareddy (47.5%) districts. Seasonal influence showed significantly (P<0.05) highest tick infestation in rainy season (71.9%), followed by summer (66.1%) and lowest in winter season (52.2%). The results of present investigation aid in planning yearlong tick controlling measures on cattle in Telangana state, India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ectoparasitic infestation is one of the threats to the growth of the livestock industry. Ticks, one of the most notorious groups of ectoparasites on livestock, create issues for cattle rearers by causing a wide range of diseases like babesiosis, theleriosis, anaplasmosis, KFD, CCHF, etc. In addition, conditions like tick worry, metabolic debilitation, secondary infections, and loss of large quantities of blood due to parasitic feeding also pose severe health issues. The current study analyzed the ectoparasitic tick infestation on goats and cows, the common domesticated animals in south India. Gaining from rearing these animals support the economic status of the rural peoples of the region. The study discussed the abundance, diversity, and host selectivity of the ticks recorded from the area. Additionally, the role of each species in transmitting various diseases in animals and humans is also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tick and tick-borne diseases (TBDs) are increasing annually, and the study of ticks has gained importance after the outbreak of Kyasanur Forest disease (KFD) in the South Western Ghats of India. Wayanad district of Kerala, with the highest tribal population in South India, is a KFD endemic state, owing to the lack of knowledge, attitude, and practice studies on TBDs and ethnomedicines against ticks. This study was carried out to assess their baseline knowledge, attitude, and ethnomedicinal practice against ticks. A structured questionnaire was used to conduct a survey of 499 tribal members living in forest fringe areas. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the factors that influence the knowledge, attitude, and practice of tribes on TBDs. More than 70% of the population visit the forests on a regular basis, with 65.7% of the population regularly exposed to tick bites; however, only 47.7% were aware of TBDs. About 47.4% of the respondents took precautions like therapeutics and natural remedies to avoid tick bites. Ten species of medicinal plant belonging to eight different families have been identified from the survey. The tribal population use these plants to repel ticks as well as treat tick bites. From the study, we concluded that the limited in-depth knowledge displayed by the tribes can be strengthened by conducting community programs such as awareness classes on TBD and its control measures. The ethnobotanicals identified can be used to formulate novel tick repellents in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was aimed at the identification, molecular characterization, and risk factor assessment of Theileria infection among sheep of Haryana province, north India. A total of 402 blood samples were collected from three different climatic zones of Haryana from March 2020 to September 2021. Light microscopy of blood smears revealed Theileria spp. infection in 47.26% (n = 190), while 60.94% (n = 245) of blood samples were positive using nested PCR. Extensive molecular characterization of Theileria infection using four pairs of species-specific primers indicated the dominance of T. ovis (29.1%) followed by T. lestoquardi (12.69%), T. luwenshuni (5.97%) and T. annulata (1.49%). Mixed infection was detected in 11.69% of cases. Bidirectional sequencing and phylogeny further confirmed the presence of these four Theileria spp. in the investigated area under study. Hematology indicated a significant (p < 0.01) reduction in various haematological indices of animals infected with T. luwenshuni and T. lestoquardi compared to the healthy control group. Risk factors like age, sex, and zone were significantly associated with Theileria infection in sheep. The present investigation depicts the first comprehensive molecular report of ovine Theileria spp., which warrants further study to develop suitable control strategies against these haemoparasitic infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tick-borne diseases are the most common in cattle in the tropical and subtropical regions of India and lead to substantial economic losses to small and marginal farmers. This study aimed to identify the diverse species of ticks infesting cattle in the central part of Tamil Nadu, India, and to assess the prevalence of Theileria annulata infection in various species of ticks through PCR. Out of 123 cross-bred and 105 native breed cattle examined for tick infestation, 40 (18%) and 29 (12.7%) cattle were infested with Ixodid ticks, respectively. The most prevalent tick species identified was Rhipicephalus microplus (n=589), followed by Hyalomma anatolicum (n=532), Hyalomma marginatum (n=145), Haemaphysalis intermedia (n=79), and Rhipicephalus haemophysaloides (n=1) found in the study area. The prevalence and intensity of the tick infestation were found to be higher in cross-bred (71.04%) than native breed cattle (28.96%), and there was no significant difference between the studied breeds (chi-square value =24; df =20; p value =0.24) was observed. However, a significant difference in the H. anatolicum tick infestation was observed between the Cauvery Delta (14.30%) and the North-Western (20%) zones of Tamil Nadu (p<0.05). DNA fragments of 193 bp derived from 18S rRNA gene sequences of T. annulata were amplified using species-specific primers. Of these, 16 out of 37 (43.2%) and 10 out of 39 (29%) pooled samples of H. anatolicum and 4 out of 18 (22.2%) and 1 out of 5 (20%) pooled samples of H. marginatum were found positive for T. annulata from the Cauvery Delta and North-Western zones, respectively. R. microplus, H. intermedia, and R. haemaphysaloides from these regions were negative. These findings confirm that H. anatolicum (52.17%) is the predominant vector for T.annulata rather than H. marginatum (18.84%), and the PCR is a useful method of determining the infection rates in ticks collected from animals carrying low levels of T. annulata piroplasms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spotted fever group (SFG) of Rickettsia are zoonotic disease-causing pathogens, commonly transmitted by hard ticks to a wide range of hosts, including humans. Rickettsia conorii is the common SFG recognised in India, whereas most of the infections due to other group species go undifferentiated at the species level. Hence, this study was conducted to screen host-seeking ticks in the Western Ghats region, India, for the DNA of SFG Rickettsia. The ticks were collected from Kerala, Goa, and Maharashtra states of India during a survey conducted between November 2017 and January 2018. In total, 288 tick pools were screened for Rickettsia spp. DNA using pan-Rickettsia real-time PCR, and conventional PCR targeting the gltA, OmpA and 17-kDa protein-coding genes. Nucleotide sequences were subjected to phylogenetic analysis using the NCBI BLAST tool to identify submitted sequences with higher homology. Neighbour-joining trees were constructed using the reference sequences of the GenBank database. Overall, Rickettsia spp. DNA was detected in 27.2% (62/228 pools) of host-seeking ticks across the Western Ghats region, with an estimated minimum infection rate of 0.057. Upon phylogenetic analysis, it was identified that the detected sequences were highly similar (> 99% sequence homology) to R. africae, Candidatus R. laoensis and an un-categorised Rickettsia species, and they were widely carried by Haemaphysalis ticks. The current study is the first report of R. africae and Candidatus R. laoensis in ticks in India. Although the pathogenicity of these species is not well documented, they may pose a potential threat to both animal and the human population in this geographical region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rickettsia is an important pathogenic entity among tick-borne diseases (TBD), which are considered serious emerging public health problems globally. In India, though the widespread distribution of ticks and TBD has been documented, its real burden remains underreported. In a preliminary attempt, rickettsial surveillance was carried out in ticks collected from Sirumalai, Eastern Ghats in Tamil Nadu, India by using pathogen genome-based phylogenetic inferences generated through multi-locus sequence typing (MLST), targeting the genes 16s rRNA, OmpA, OmpB, and gltA by nested PCR. The laboratory evidence confirms the circulation of Rickettsia in Haemaphysalis intermedia species collected from this area. Analysis of the four gene sequences detected demonstrates their closest identity to the spotted fever group (SFG) available in the GenBank database. Further, multiple sequence alignment with other sequences derived from the GenBank database showed close relatedness to Rickettsia conorii subsp. raoultii (16s rDNA-99.32%, OmpA-93.38%, OmpB-97.39%, and gltA-98.57%) and Rickettsia felis (16s rDNA 99.54%, OmpA-100%, OmpB-100% and gltA-99.41%). With this genomic evidence, the circulation of rickettsial pathogens in the pools of H. intermedia ticks infesting livestock in the Sirumalai foothill area has been demonstrated and to complement the microscopic identification of the tick species, DNA barcodes were generated for H. intermedia using the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene (COI). Nevertheless, R. raoultii and R. felis were found to be the aetiological agents of tick-borne lymphadenopathy and flea-borne spotted fever in human cases, respectively, further study on the determination of their diversity, distribution, clinical relevance, and potential risk to the local community in these areas is highly warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kyasanur Forest Disease is a tick-borne flavivirus is endemic in the Southern India. The recent expansion and resurgence of sporadic outbreaks in southern parts of country is the most important concern. Although only formalin inactivated vaccine is available for treatment with limited efficacy the early detection and timely identification is a only way to prevent spread of cases. If the disease can be identified prior to infection in humans like in forest areas from ticks and vectors the disease spread supposed to be managed quickly. Here we have standardized a single tube ready to use dry-down probe free real time RT-PCR targeted against virus envelope gene for detection of KFDV infection. The assay was standardized in liquid format first, later it was converted into dry-down format with addition of stabilizers with a similar sensitivity and specificity (10RNA Copies/rxn). The sensitivity was comparable to the most widely used and accepted diagnostic platform i.e. TaqMan qRT-PCR. However as the reported assay here omit the need of probes makes it cost effective and dry-down reagents makes more stability to the developed assay in this study if compare to TaqMan qPCR. The assay was evaluated with KFD positive samples and healthy sample panel which revealed high concordance with TaqMan qRT-PCR. Stability was unaffected by temperature fluctuations during transportation even in cold chain free conditions, thus reduce the maintenance of strict cold storage. These findings demonstrated that the reported assay is convenient with 100% sensitivity and specificity to TaqMan qPCR. Thus this assay has the potential usefulness for diagnosis KFDV for routine surveillance in resource limited laboratory settings omitting the use costly and heat sensitive TaqMan qRT-PCR reagents without compromising the sensitivity and specificity of the diagnosis assay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theileriosis is a tick-borne disease that causes enormous losses in the dairy industry. There are several species of Theileria that can infect bovines. Generally, more than one species are prevalent in any geographical area; thus, chances of co-infections are high. Differentiation of these species may not be possible by microscopic examination or serological tests. Therefore, in this study, a multiplex PCR assay was standardized and evaluated for rapid and simultaneous differential detection of two species of Theileria viz., Theileria annulata and Theileria orientalis. Species-specific primers were designed to target the merozoite piroplasm surface antigen gene (TAMS1) of T. annulata and the major piroplasm surface protein gene of T. orientalis, yielding specific amplicon of 229 bp and 466 bp, respectively. The sensitivity of multiplex PCR was 102 and 103 copies for T. annulata and T. orientalis, respectively. The simplex and multiplex PCRs were specific and showed no cross-reactivity with other hemoprotozoa for either primer. For comparative evaluation, blood samples from 216 cattle were tested by simplex and multiplex PCR for both species. Using multiplex PCR, 131 animals were found infected for theileriosis, of which 112 were infected with T. annulata, five were infected with T. orientalis, and 14 had mixed infections. This is the first report of T. orientalis from Haryana, India. Representative sequences of T. annulata (ON248941) and T. orientalis (ON248942) were submitted in GenBank. The standardized multiplex PCR assay used in this study was specific, sensitive, for the screening of field samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ticks are vectors for a range of human and animal diseases. Accurate species identification is a crucial step for effective pest management, as each species plays host to specific parasites. Species identification based on morphological characteristics is prone to error in cryptic species. Molecular techniques have been used in recent times for accurate species identification; however, few studies are available on Indian tick species. The present study aims to bridge this gap in species identification of Hyalomma ticks from India using conventional morphological and recent molecular methods. We also studied the evolutionary relationships between species using a phylogenetic approach. The study included historical samples (N = 14) representing four species obtained from the National Zoological Collection of the Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata. Genetic analysis was done using universal barcoding with COI primers. The results indicate a 99–100% match between the genetic and morphological analyses for the four samples of Hyalomma species collected, i.e. Hyalomma hussaini, Hyalomma aegyptium, Hyalomma kumari and Hyalomma anatolicum. The findings were also supported by phylogenetic and evolutionary tree analyses. The present study is helpful in identifying tick species using integrated approach, interpreting evolutionary relationships between different species, and solving taxonomic problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bovine babesiosis caused by an intraerythrocytic apicomplexan protozoon responsible for the most prevalent and costly tick borne diseases (TBD’s) of cattle throughout the globe. Cerebral babesiosis of bovine is fatal and mainly caused by Babesia bovis. To the knowledge of author, there is no confirm molecular report of Babeisa bigemina caused cerebral babesiosis in cattle. Therefore, authors want to report Babesia bigemina caused cerebral babesiosis on record. Methods: In the year 2015, a Holstein-Friesian cow aged 3 years and weighing approximately 300 kg, was attended at Jabalpur, (M.P.) with the clinical signs of high rise in temperature (104F), recumbency, severe dysponea, peculiar sound during open mouth breathing, pale color of eye conjunctiva and mucous membrane of vagina, convulsions, sever anaemia, paddling of legs at frequent interval. After preparation of peripheral thin blood smear from animal at the site of collection and fixation with methanol, blood sample brought to Department of Veterinary Parasitology, College of Veterinary Science and A.H, Jabalpur and stained by standard protocol for Giemsa staining. Genomic DNA was isolated from the collected blood sample using QIAamp® DNA blood mini kit following the manufacturer’s recommendations and PCR was performed. Conclusion: The thin blood smear examination revealed the presence of Babesia parasite. The species of Babesia was confirmed by molecular amplification of genomic DNA as B. bigemina. This might be the first confirmed report of cerebral babesiosis caused by B. bigemina from Central India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ticks are economically important obligatory blood feeding arthropods that have a pivotal role in transmission of infection. The present study was conducted in ixodid ticks collected from four districts of coastal Odisha, India to investigate the prevalence of Theileria annulata. Adult semi engorged Hyalomma anatolicum ticks (n = 178) were dissected, the salivary gland was isolated and DNA was extracted. A nested PCR targeting the Tams1 gene of T. annulata, utilizing two sets of primers (N516F, N517R, and Ta14136iF, Ta249R) was utilized for detection of the parasite. The PCR products were then sequenced and subjected to BLAST analysis, alignment, and phylogenetic study. Two sequences deposited in GenBank were assigned Accession No MH477290.1 and Accession No MH477291.1. The molecular investigation of T. annulata revealed an overall prevalence of 14.6% in tick vectors, and nested PCR was found to have significant (p < 0.05) higher results than primary PCR. A significant higher presence (p < 0.05) was recorded in female ticks compared with male ticks. This is the first report of detection of the parasite in tick vectors in the state of Odisha. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuous and indiscriminate use of synthetic acaricides contribute to the development and establishment of acaricide-resistant tick populations. Monitoring of acaricide resistance in field ticks and use of suitable practices are essential for managing tick populations, infesting animals. In the present study, adult immersion test (AIT) was used for evaluation of resistance against commercially available synthetic pyrethroids (deltamethrin and cypermethrin) in Rhipicephalus microplus ticks collected from various villages of Rewa district of Madhya Pradesh, India. All the eight isolates of R. microplus were found resistant with deltamethrin and their resistance factors (RFs) were between 3.91 to 57.92, whereas, seven isolates were found resistant with cypermethrin and their resistance factor ranges from 0.56 to 9.98. Lethal concentrations (LC50 and LC95), confidence intervals (CI) and slope(s) were estimated by probit analysis and the highest and lowest level of resistance appeared in Sagra Bekchera and Silpara isolates of R. microplus for both deltamethrin and cypermethrin. It was observed that of the two compounds used for tick management, the resistance to deltamethrin was comparatively higher than cypermethrin. Data generated on pyrethroid resistance status of ticks in this region will provide new insights in acaricidal resistance scenario particularly from remote areas of this region and will help in formulating suitable tick management strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study was carried out to characterize the hard tick species and risk factors associated with tick prevalence in bovines in Andhra Pradesh, India on 3720 animals (1942 cattle and 1778 water buffaloes) in 344 livestock farms covering the tropical wet and dry zone and the tropical semi-arid zone. Overall, 10,371 ticks were collected from 947 animals reared on 216 farms. Analysis of morphology, 16S r RNA, andCOI gene sequences identified four tick species, namely Haemaphysalis bispinosa, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (clade C), Hyalomma anatolicum, and Hyalomma isaaci. Haemaphysalis bispinosa was the predominant species in two zones, and the occurrence of Hy. anatolicum was restricted to the semi-arid zone. The overall prevalence of tick infestation was 25.5% and was 25.8% and 25.0% in cattle and buffaloes, respectively. The prevalence of tick infestation did not vary (P>0.05) between the two zones. The overall median tick burden per animal differed (P<0.01) between the two zones; but not among cattle and buffaloes. Age, sex, and breed (P<0.001) the overall prevalence of tick infestation. The conventional housing system, absence of rural poultry, soft floor, presence of a boundary wall, and rearing multiple ruminant species were observed to be potential risk factors associated with higher tick prevalence in livestock farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An epidemiological study was performed to determine the role of dogs and ticks infesting dogs in the transmission of Q fever in humans and animals from April 2019 to March 2020 in the northeastern hill states of India. In total, 245 pet and stray dogs irrespective of age or sex were sampled, without specific inclusion or exclusion criteria. In total, 478 ticks belonging to three species were detected, namely Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus and Hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum. The DNA extracted from blood and tick samples was assayed for molecular characterization of Coxiella burnetii targeting the 16S rRNA and superoxide dismutase (SOD) genes. Amplified PCR products were purified, cloned and custom sequenced. PCR assay showed 3.3% (8/245) of the dogs were positive for Coxiella-like bacteria. Coxiella-like bacterial DNA was detected in adult fully engorged females of R. sanguineus (7.7%, 13/168), R. (B.) microplus (3.3%, 4/123) and H. anatolicum (1.9%, 1/54). Coxiella-like bacterial DNA lacked in adult male or nymphal stage. The infection rate did not vary significantly between seasons, nor according to sex or age of the host. Six nucleotide sequences of 16S rRNA and SOD genes are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the fact that the climate of North-East (NE) India is suitable for tick diversity, no systematic study has been done regarding the prevalence of ticks and tick-borne pathogens affecting small ruminants. A total of 1053 goats belonging to different age groups, breeds, and sex were examined from April 2019 to March 2020. Blood smear examination and PCR assays were conducted to detect tick-borne pathogens in the collected samples. The tick species recorded were Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, Hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum, and Haemaphysalis bispinosa. The overall prevalence of tick-borne pathogens was 32.28%. Mixed infection with Theileria sp. and Anaplasma sp. was most common followed by single infections of Anaplasma sp. and Theileria sp. A significantly higher rate of infection was observed in female animals. Species-specific PCR revealed different tickborne pathogens like Anaplasma marginale, Anaplasma centrale, and Theileria luwenshuni in goats. Isolated DNA samples of ticks were found to be positive for A. marginale, A. centrale, and T. luwenshuni and Coxiella burnetii in three genera of ticks with PCR assay. The results showed that vector-borne intracellular haemoprotozoa and Anaplasma are prevalent in the study area in apparently healthy small ruminants and the identified ticks have an endosymbiotic relationship with C. burnetii. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Rodents and shrew living in the vicinity of human beings perform significant role to harbor different species of ectoparasites and thus act as the reservoir host for the spread of diseases to human and animals. Methods: This study was undertaken to determine the species composition of the medically important ectoparasites present in the scrub typhus affected places of Vellore District using wonder and Sherman traps for trapping of live Rodent/Shrew during September 2017 to August 2018. Results: Rodent/shrew hosts belonged to two Families, three sub families and five genera and five different species. These animals carried 23 species of ectoparasites including 17 trombiculid mites, two non-trombiculid mites, two ticks and two fleas. A total of 940 chigger mites were collected which belonged to three Tribes, six Genera, two Subgenera and 17 species. Adult mites collected belonged to two families, three genera and three species. Ticks collected were classified under one family, two genera and two species. Fleas fall under one family, one subfamily, one tribe, one genus and two species. Conclusion: This is the first record of 14 species of chigger mites and three species of adult mites from Vellore District, Tamil Nadu. Surveillance of these keystone ectoparasites helped to identify the medically important disease vectors causing acari-borne zoonotic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tick and tick-borne diseases significantly affect the animal husbandry sector worldwide. To overcome this menace, chemically synthesized acaricides are being used. However, these acaricides are toxic to the animals, pose environmental threat and also have led to the development of resistance in ticks. Objectives: Search for safe and efficacious plant-based alternatives to the chemical acaricides and to assess chemical variability among intra-specific germplasms. Materials and Methods: Ageratum conyzoides L. samples were collected from different locations and pharmacognostic analysis was performed. The plant extract was subjected to chromatographic profiling and quantification of three bioactive markers precocene I, precocene II, and caryophyllene oxide followed by in vitro anti-tick activity through the adult immersion test. Results: Precocene I content ranged from 0.001% to 0.019% while precocene II and caryophyllene oxide content varied from 0.003% to 0.11%. In the Indus plain samples, adult tick mortality (%) ranged from 15.0 ± 2.9 to 78.5 ± 4.1, whereas in the Central India, it ranged from 30.0 ± 12.9 to 81.4 ± 7.7 at 8% concentration of plant extract. Precocene II showed weak positive correlation (r = 0.11) with tick mortality. The results indicate that there is considerable variation in the marker compounds content and anti-tick potential of the plant extracts analyzed. There is significant (P < 0.05) variation in marker compound content as well as anti-tick potential of A. conyzoides. Conclusion: The results indicate there apart from the analyzed marker compounds there might be some other phytomolecules playing a role in the tick mortality which needs further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Kyasanur forest disease (KFD), known as monkey fever, was for the first time reported in 1957 from the Shivamogga district of Karnataka. But since 2011, it has been spreading to the neighbouring state of Kerala, Goa, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu. The disease is transmitted to humans, monkeys and by the infected bite of ticks Haemaphysalis spinigera. It is known that deforestation and ecological changes are the main reasons for KFD emergence, but the bio-climatic understanding and emerging pathways remain unknown.Methods: The present study aims to understand the bio-climatic determinants of distribution of tick vector of KFD in southern India using the Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) model. The analysis was done using 34 locations of Haemaphysalis spinigera occurrence and nineteen bio-climatic variables from WorldClim. Climatic variables contribution was assessed using the Jackknife test and mean AUC 0.859, indicating the model performs with very high accuracy.Results: Most influential variables affecting the spatial distribution of Haemaphysalis spinigera were the average temperature of the warmest quarter (bio10, contributed 32.5%), average diurnal temperature range (bio2, contributed 21%), precipitation of wettest period (bio13, contributed 17.6%), and annual precipitation (bio12, contributed 11.1%). The highest probability of Haemaphysalis spinigera presence was found when the mean warmest quarter temperature ranged between 25.4 and 30 °C. The risk of availability of the tick increased noticeably when the mean diurnal temperature ranged between 8 and 10 °C. The tick also preferred habitat having an annual mean temperature (bio1) between 23 and 26.2 °C, mean temperature of the driest quarter (bio9) between 20 and 28 °C, and mean temperature of the wettest quarter (bio8) between 22.5 and 25 °C.Conclusions: The results have established the relationship between bioclimatic variables and KFD tick distribution and mapped the potential areas for KFD in adjacent areas wherein surveillance for the disease is warranted for early preparedness before the occurrence of outbreaks etc. The modelling approach helps link bio-climatic variables with the present and predicted distribution of Haemaphysalis spinigera tick. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The resistance status against deltamethrin, cypermethrin, coumaphos and ivermectin was assessed of Rhipicephalus microplus from five districts of Uttarakhand, through adult immersion test and larval packet test. The field isolates were highly resistant to deltamethrin (median resistance ratio [RR50] = 9.10–29.13-fold) followed by cypermethrin (2.23–3.55). Surprisingly the isolates were susceptible to coumaphos (0.34–3.17). Emerging resistance against ivermectin (1.55–3.27) was also observed in all the isolates. Elevated levels of esterases (enzyme ratio = 2.93–5.84-fold), glutathione S-transferases (5.10–10.06) and monooxygenases (1.68–4.02) in resistant fields isolates were highly correlated (47.4–86.0%) with the resistant factor (RR50) determined by bioassay. All the isolates except Uttarkashi possess mutation at the 190th position in domain II of the sodium channel gene. As a mitigation strategy an Ageratum conyzoides-based characterized natural formulation was tested against all the isolates and was found effective at the concentration of 10.1–11.5%. The possibility of using the natural formulation for the management of multi-acaricide resistant ticks is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present scenario, tick-borne diseases (TBDs) are well known for their negative impacts on humans as well as animal health in India. The reason lies in their increased incidences due to global warming, environmental and ecological changes, and availability of suitable habitats. On a global basis, they are now considered a serious threat to human as well as livestock health. The major tick-borne diseases in India include Kyasanur forest disease (KFD), Crimean-congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF), Lyme disease (LD), Q fever (also known as coxiellosis), and Rickettsial infections. In recent years, other tick-borne diseases such as Babesiosis, Ganjam virus (GANV), and Bhanja virus (BHAV) infections have also been reported in India. The purpose of this paper is to review the history and the current state of knowledge of tick-borne diseases in the country. The conclusion of this review is extending the requirement of greater efforts in research and government management for the diagnosis and treatment and as well as prevention of these diseases so that tick-borne disease burden should be minimizing in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regular monitoring of the status of acaricide resistance in field ticks is the need of the hour. Synthetic pyrethroids (cypermethrin and deltamethrin) are most commonly used acaricides against field ticks. There is bulk of literature on development of deltamethrin resistance; however, scarce information is available regarding current status of cypermethrin efficacy against field ticks. In the present study, the cypermethrin resistance status in Rhipicephalus microplus and Hyalomma anatolicum ticks infesting cattle and buffaloes of five districts located in the Northern Indian state, Haryana was determined using larval packet test. The linear regression graphs of probit mortality of tick larvae were plotted against log concentrations of cypermethrin to determine the slope of mortality, LC50, LC95 and the resistance factor (RF).Seven isolates of R. microplus were found resistant with their RF ranges from 1.83 to 25.35, whereas, 5 isolates of H. anatolicum were recorded as resistant with their RF ranging from 1.54 to 2.56 indicating a slower pace of development of cypermethrin resistance in multi-host ticks. Jarwa isolate of R. microplus and Dhangar isolate of H. anatolicum was found susceptible (RF < 1.5) to cypermethrin. The RF values of Agroha and Siwani isolate of R. microplus (10.73 and 25.35) were much higher as compared to other isolates indicating an urgency to address the growing cypermethrin resistance problem at grassroots level. Data generated in the present technical program could be of enormous help in formulating a suitable strategy against ticks and tick-borne infections of humans and animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During a study, two tick species viz. Amblyomma gervaisi and Am. helvolum were collected from snakes covering 15 species belonging to 12 genera. The period of extended survey of snake-tick association was undertaken from 2009 to 2015 covering both natural and captive habitats from six districts of West Bengal, India. It was observed that Am. gervaisi mostly prefers Naja naja, Daboia russelii and Ptyas mucosa as host, whereas Am. helvolum prefers N. kaouthia and Bungarus fasciatus. Naja kaouthia is preferred as host by both Am. gervaisi and Am. helvolum. Eryx johnii and Gongilophis conicus are found to be infested by both Am. gervaisi and Am. helvolum, whereas Python molurous is only infested by Am. helvolum. No ticks are found to associate with six snake species viz., Xenochrophis piscator, Lycodon aulicus, L. jara, Ahaetulla nasuta, Chrysopelea ornata, and Boiga trigonata. It is noted that tick loads on host snakes in natural habitats is greater than captivity, with few negligible exceptions. Statistical analysis of tick prevalence and abundance are done stating that Am. gervaisi is dominant snake infesting tick compared to Am. helvolum in West Bengal. Species population of both Am. gervaisi and Am. helvolum denote female's domination with low species specificity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of 2809 ixodid ticks were collected by screening 4560 household cattle from six different agro-climatic zones of Tamil Nadu, a southern state of India. Among the ixodid ticks, Rhipicephalus microplus tick isolates were subjected to Adult Immersion Test (AIT) and Larval Packet Test (LPT) using deltamethrin. The mean % of ixodid tick infested cattle population was 63.2%±10.9. Positive correlation was found between the tick burden on household cattle and Resistance Factor (R=0.66). Further, 44% variance in the tick burden on cattle is explained by LPT based resistance factor suggesting deltamethrin resistance level is one of the contributing factors to the tick load on cattle. Analysis of DNA sequence of sodium channel gene domain II-S4-5 linker region of all deltamethrin resistant R. microplus tick isolates, confirmed the absence of point mutation at the 190th nucleotide which suggests the possible mutation in other regions of sodium channel gene of R. microplus tick isolates of south India and/or alternate resistance mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In India, tick-borne diseases are prevalent in many states due to the presence of tick vectors. However, information on disease-causing ticks from domestic animals and the associated risk factors for residents living in the disease-endemic area is lacking. Therefore, we conducted this study to identify ixodid ticks in goats and human risk factors in three villages of the Wayanad district of Kerala. We examined 202 goats and collected 741 ticks, of which 69.8% were ticks belonging to the genus Haemaphysalis. The maximum number of ticks was collected from Thirunelli (81.3%), followed by Noolpuzha (76.27%) and Pulpally (45.6%). Overall, H. bispinosa Neumann, 1897 (54.6%), was the most common species, followed by H. turturis Nuttall and Warburton, 1915 (38.0%), H. spinigera Neumann, 1897 (5.4%), and H. intermedia Warburton and Nuttall, 1909 (1.8%). We included 428 participants (men and women) in this study. The average age of the respondents was 43 years. We found significant associations between accessing the forest for cattle grazing and other activities and tick-borne diseases (χ 2  = 9.5, p = 0.002), between workers who were bitten by ticks and tick-borne diseases (χ 2  = 3.8, p = 0.05), and between number of tick bites per day > 6 and tick-borne diseases (χ 2  = 12.1, p = 0.001). The high frequency of Haemaphysalis spp. found in goats highlighted the risk of tick exposure and tick-borne diseases, such as Kyasanur forest disease in humans, and the need for the development and implementation of effective measures to control ticks., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background Objectives: Scrub typhus, caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi present in small mammals harbouring the ectoparasites. A study was undertaken to detect the pathogen present in small mammals and its ectoparasites in the scrub typhus-reported areas., Methods: The small mammals (rodents/shrews) and its ectoparasites were screened for O. tsutsugamushi using nested PCR amplification of the groEL gene. Small mammals were collected by trapping and screened for ectoparasites (mites, ticks and fleas) by combing method., Results: All the chigger mites collected were tested negative for O. tsutsugamushi . Interestingly, adult non-trombiculid mites ( Oribatida sp., Dermanyssus gallinae ), fleas ( Xenopsylla astia, X. cheopis, Ctenophalides felis and Ctenophalides sp.) and ticks ( Rhipicephalus sanguineus , R. haemaphysaloides ) screened were found to be positive for O. tsutsugamushi , which the authors believe is the first report on these species globally. Bandicota bengalensis with O. tsutsugamushi infection is reported for the first time in India. The O. tsutsugamushi groEL sequences from the positive samples were similar to the reference strains, Karp and Ikeda and phylogenetically clustered in clade IV with less evolutionary divergence. The blood samples of Rattus rattus , Suncus murinus and B. bengalensis collected from this area were tested positive for O. tsutsugamushi ; interestingly, the sequence similarity was much pronounced with their ectoparasites indicating the transmission of the pathogen to host or vice versa ., Interpretation Conclusions: The outcome of the present investigations widened our scope on the pathogens present in ectoparasites and rodents/shrews from this area. This will help to formulate the required vector control methods to combat zoonotic diseases., (Copyright © 2024 Copyright: © 2024 Indian Journal of Medical Research.)

A study was conducted to investigate the tick infestation on cattle in the plain region of Chhattisgarh state. During the period of study, 832 ticks of 47 animals were examined for the different tick species. The most prominently infested ixodid tick belonged to Hyalomma anatolicum (68.38%) followed by Rhipicephalus microplus (30.40%).The females showed higher infestation than males. A single tick species infestation pattern was observed in 17 animals while 30 animals were infested by both tick species. Single species infestation of H. anatolicum was encountered in 15 animals while R. microplus was observed in 2 animals. The intensity of tick infestation on each animal varied from 6 to 65 ticks per animal at different locations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reviewing the economic concussion of various tick species on livestock, the present study cum survey was undertaken to understand the epidemiological characteristics of ticks infesting bovines (cattle and buffaloes). The survey was conducted at various locations of Dehradun region of Uttarakhand state in India. A total of 490 bovines were examined on a random basis between the month of July 2017 and June 2018. Overall tick infestation rate was found to be 66.32%. The month of September showed the highest prevalence (52.32%), while the lowest rate was reported in January (39.73%). Similarly, the season-wise prevalence was recorded highest in rainy season (61.29%), followed by summer (51.62%) and lowest in winter (41.09%). Age-wise tick infestations were observed highest in Group I animals of less than 1 year age (60%), followed by Group II animals aged between 1 and 3 years (47.5%), and lowest in Group III animals of age greater than 3 years (32.25%). Sex wise, the females had higher infestation rate than the males (66.67% and 45.2%, respectively). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato are intracellular bacteria of great zoonotic importance. To detect these two pathogensin ticks as well as in blood samples, a nested PCR and conventional PCR was used. A total of 525 ticks were collected randomly from infected goats. Blood samples were also collected from tick-infested goats. Both samples were assessed for the presence of these organisms using Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays targeting a fragment of 16S rRNA, superoxide dismutase (SOD) of C. burnetii and ospA gene of B. burgdorferi s.l. Sequence analysis of the amplified fragment was used to confirm PCR findings. The PCR products were purified, cloned and custom sequenced. A few blood samples were found positive for both C. burnetii and B. Burgdorferi sensu lato. A total of 12 isolates of the 16S rRNA gene fragment and one isolate of the SOD gene fragment of C. burnetii were obtained. The sequences were aligned and a phylogenetic tree was made with other published C. burnetii sequences. Our finding indicated that ticks were infesting goats as well as blood samples harbour C. burnetii and B. burgdorferi sensu lato providing possible zoonotic transmission of these bacteria from animals to humans through ticks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In Indian subcontinent, the epidemiological studies on the status of ticks in the transmission of Coxiella burnetii have not been explored comprehensively. The objective of the present study was to investigate the status of ticks for C. burnetii among coxiellosis positive cattle. Methods: The present study was carried out in three locations of the northern states of India. A total of 1648 tick samples were collected from the tick infested cattle (n = 146) that were tested positive for coxiellosis by indirect serum-ELISA assay and/or the trans-PCR assay. The tick samples were screened using the trans-PCR assay targeting species-specific IS1111 transposase gene of C. burnetii. The sequencing of PCR products was planned to differentiate C. burnetii and Coxiella-like bacteria (CLB). Results: The collected ticks were identified as Rhipicephalus microplus (n = 1049), Hyalomma anatolicum (n = 416), and Hyalomma spp. (n = 183). On molecular investigation, none of the collected tick samples were found to be positive for the IS1111 gene. Conclusion: The findings of the present study ruled out the involvement of ticks in circulation of the pathogen within the cattle population that were screened. However, extensive epidemiological studies are needed to conclusively rule out or establish the role of ticks as a competent vector for C. burnetii transmission in cattle and other hosts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) is well adapted in most regions of the eastern part of Uttar Pradesh, India. Despite its socio-economic importance, little is known about the prevalence of ectoparasites of buffalo in this region. We aimed to identify buffalo ectoparasite (tick) prevalence in the eastern part of Uttar Pradesh and to determine the possible risk factors associated with tick infestation. A cross-sectional study was conducted by sampling 120 farms and 1264 buffaloes for ectoparasites. Of the buffaloes sampled, 59.8% (756/1264) had tick infestation from the species Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus and Hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum. The prevalence of infestation of buffalo with tick was associated with sex [male (78.5%); female (51.8%)] (OR: 1.68; P < 0.05), age [buffaloes of (1–12 months) (97.2%); buffaloes of (>24 months) (24.3%)] (OR: 4.2; P < 0.05) and origin [brought from other farm (81.1%); born in same farm (54.2%)] (OR: 1.6; P < 0.03). Buffaloes bred in the eastern part of Uttar Pradesh, India present high level of tick infestation probably due to the climatic and poor sanitary conditions of the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vector-borne diseases, mainly transmitted by ticks, have a significant impact on the productivity and health of the animals in the developing countries. The quest for vaccine candidates to control these arthropod vectors remains pivotal and only rationale approach in controlling these diseases. Several candidate antigens have been screened over the years of which 4D8 tick protective antigen have shown promising results in controlling ixodid tick infestations. The 4D8 tick protective antigen is a structural and functional ortholog of insect subolesin/akirin and an evolutionary conserved protein, associated with multiple essential cellular processes in tick biology. Variable efficacy of recombinant subolesin/4D8 vaccine in field trials propels the approach towards synthetic peptide vaccine through reverse vaccinology. Advancement in reverse vaccinology has opened a new paradigm in the search of a perfect candidate antigen. The present study focused on full length amplification, cloning and sequencing of the 4D8 gene from Hyalomma antolicum. Combination of bioinformatics analysis and computational modeling tools identified linear as well as conformational B-cell and MHC class II epitopes conserved in many ixodid ticks which may be useful to design an universal synthetic peptide vaccine against multiple tick species. Western blot analysis using rabbit antisera against recombinant 4D8 protein has also confirmed the immunogenic potential of the candidate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ageratum conyzoides L. is a common weed in many tropical and subtropical countries including India. The present study aimed to evaluate the antitick potential using Adult Immersion Test (AIT) and variability of its phytoconstituents with the developed HPTLC method in germplasms collected from Eastern and Western Ghats of India. Percent tick mortality at 8% concentration ranged from 10.0 ± 0.2 to 85.0 ± 2.9. Precocene I content ranged from 0.0004% to 0.072%, Precocene II content varied from 0.001% to 0.035%, and Caryophyllene oxide content was found to range from 0.0001% to 0.0023% in crude drug. Precocene II was positively correlated (coefficient = 0.656) with tick mortality (%) in the germplasm collected from Western Ghats. However, in Eastern Ghat samples, Precocene I was positively correlated (coefficient = 0.550) with per cent tick mortality. There is significant variation in marker compound content as well as antitick activity of the extracts; however, a direct correlation among marker compounds and antitick activity was not observed. This indicates there may be some other phytomolecules responsible for antitick activity of the extract. This study will lead to a potential source of quality raw material for the industry in developing herbal acaricide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and methods: This study described the detection, prevalence and phylogeny of Anaplasma marginale in the bovine (cattle and buffaloes) and Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus tick belonged to the tribal area of coastal South Gujarat, India, by amplifying 576 bp of major surface protein (msp) 5 gene using custom designed primers in the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results: The PCR detection limit was up to 20 parasites/µl of blood in sensitivity experiment, and observed 100% specificity against Trypanosoma evansi, Babesia bigemina and Theileria annulata. Prevalence rate of the A. marginale in the bovine (n = 211)) was 18.48% and 6.64% (p < 0.05) as per the PCR and Giemsa stained blood smear, respectively. Febrile animals (35%) observed significantly (p < 0.05) higher incidence rate than the non-febrile (14.62%). The amplified msp5 had single cut site for the EcoR1 enzyme, upon digestion yielded two fragments of 365 and 211 bp on 1.0% agarose gel. The current sequence (KC811329) showed 100% homology and 1064 total score with the published nucleotide sequences of msp5 of A. marginale in the NCBI-BLAST study. Monophyletic relationship was observed with high bootstrap proportion (> 76% in Neighbor-Joining/ Maximum Likelihood) between the current and published nucleotide sequences in the phylogeny. Twenty out of 39 A. marginale infected bovine recorded R. (B.) microplus on their body surface, out of which 18 had detected the infection. The rickettsia was in 55%, 65% and 25% of anterior half, posterior half and egg of tick, respectively. Conclusion: The test detected A. marginale in a carrier, pre-symptomatic and symptomatic vertebrate hosts (cattle and buffalo) and different body parts of the starved R. (B.) microplus including its egg. The current genotype could be an explanation for the frequent outbreaks of bovine anaplasmosis in the targeted areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This communication reports a comprehensive profile of mitogenome analysis of Rhipicephalus microplus , isolated and identified from Andaman and Nicobar islands, a part of Maritime South East Asia. Complete mitogenome of Indian isolate of R. microplus (MK234703) was 14,903 bp. Mitochondrial (mt.) genome had 13 protein coding genes (PCGs), 22 tRNAs, two ribosomal subunits and two control regions. All PCGs were located on the H-strand except nad1, nad5, nad4 and nad4L. All start codons were ATN codon and abbreviated stop codons were seen in cox-2-3, nad-5 and cytb. A purine rich tick-box motif has been identified. A tandem repeat unit (TTTATT), described as a region alike to nad1 was identified in 130 bp insertion in between nad1 and tRNA-Glu and in nad1 sequence. Presence of two control regions (CRs) proved that, two CRs have evolved in concert rather than independently. Strong biasness towards A and T in Indian isolate of R. microplus is a typical feature for most of the arthropods. Subtracted values of dn and ds suggested that, there was least effect of nt. sequence of cox1 gene when Indian isolate was compared with other isolates of Rhipicephalus. On the basis of phylogenetic analysis, species of the genus Rhipicephalus could be clustered in three groups; ticks of the genera belonging to sub-family Rhipicephalinae could be grouped in a single cluster. Finally, cox1 sequence of MK234703 indicated that the isolate belonged to clade A sensu Burger et al., 2014 which has not been reported earlier from India. • This communication is the first mitogenome based molecular signature of Indian isolate of Rhipicephalus microplus. • Analysis of COX1 sequence information resolved that the tick belonged to clade A sensu Burger et al., 2014. • Control region analysis and its comparison with metazoan proved the hypothesis of concerted evolution. • Gene orientation of Indian isolate of R. microplus was comparable with other Metastriata ticks. • A tick-box motif was identified which was described in dicotyledonous plants as post transcription regulatory element. • A tandem repeat unit (TTTATT) was identified in 130 bp insertion present in between nad1 and tRNA-Glu and in nad1 sequence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical control of tick infestation on dairy farms in India strongly relies upon the use of synthetic pyrethroids (deltamethrin) and organophosphate (coumaphos) drugs. Therefore, the present manuscript aims to investigate the resistance status of Rhipicephalus microplus ticks against these acaricides. Fully engorged adult R. microplus ticks were randomly collected from 8 dairy farms in North India and evaluated for acaricide resistance by using the Larval Packet Test (LPT). Of these, ticks collected from one and three farms showed the emergence of Level I acaricide resistance against deltamethrin and coumaphos, respectively. Significant positive correlations were found in the enzymatic activity (α-esterase, β-esterase, glutathione-S-transferase, and mono‐oxygenase) of R. microplus tick resistant against coumaphos. Native electrophoretogram analysis showed six different types of esterase activity in R. microplus (EST-1b to EST-6b), and EST-5b activity was more predominantly expressed in resistant ticks. Further, inhibitor studies using various esterase inhibitors suggested that EST-5b is a putative acetylcholine-esterase (AchE), and increased expression of one of the AchE might be responsible for the emergence of acaricide resistance. Further, no mutations were detected in the carboxylesterase (G1120A) and domain II S4‐5 linker region (C190A) of the sodium channel genes of resistant R. microplus ticks, indicating that increased expression of detoxification enzymes was the probable mechanism for the development of acaricide resistance in the resistant ticks. [Display omitted] • R. microplus ticks collected from dairy farms showed resistance against deltamethrin and coumaphos. • Significant correlations were found in the enzymatic activity and resistance factor of the ticks, resistant to coumaphos. • Native PAGE analysis showed an acetylcholinesterase to be more predominantly expressed in coumaphos resistant ticks. • Widely proposed genetic mutations were not recorded in carboxylesterase and sodium channel genes of resistant ticks. • Increased expression of detoxification enzymes was concluded as the probable mechanism for acaricide resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the present study was to detect the chosen nucleotide DNA or RNA sequences of the pathogens in ticks of domestic and wild animals of Kerala, South India based on molecular techniques. Among 602 ticks collected, 413 were from bovines (cattle and buffalo), 26 from goats, 101 from dogs and 62 from wild animals. Amblyomma integrum, Am. gervaisi, Dermacentor auratus, Haemaphysalis bispinosa, Ha. intermedia, Ha. shimoga, Ha. spinigera, Rhipicephalus annulatus, Rh. microplus, Rh. haemaphysaloides and Rh. sanguineus s.l. were identified from various domestic and wild animals of Kerala. The cDNA synthesized from the RNA isolated from fully or partially engorged adult female/nymphal ticks was used as template for the specific polymerase chain reactions (PCR). Out of 602 ticks examined, nucleotide sequences of pathogens were detected in 28 ticks (4.65%). The nucleotide sequences of tick-borne pathogens like Theileria orientalis, Babesia vogeli, Hepatozoon canis, Anaplasma marginale, An. bovis, Rickettsia sp. closely related to Ri. raoultii, Ri. massiliae, Ri. africae and Ri. slovaca were detected. The identification of the previously unreported nucleotide sequences of rickettsial pathogens from India is of particular interest due to their zoonotic significance. The phylogenetic analysis of the major piroplasm surface protein (MPSP) gene of T. orientalis amplified from Rh. annulatus ticks revealed that they were genetically close to type 7, which belong to the highly pathogenic Ikeda group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zoonotic diseases transmitted through ticks and other ectoparasites often travel across the globe with illegally traded wildlife parts and products. In this study, we analyzed a confiscated case of pangolin scales and observed a few dead ticks attached. On genetic analysis, the pangolin scales were identified to be originated from Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla), an IUCN listed Critically Endangered species, and ticks were identified as Amblyomma javanense. Here, we provide the first authentic physical record of A. javanense from India as a parasite of Chinese pangolin and also generated its species DNA barcode that may be useful for biologists working on ticks in species validation and constructing phylogenies across the globe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ectoparasites of bats (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae), with a description of three species of of which two belong to order Mesostigmata (family: Ameroseiidae and Macronyssidae) and one belong to order Ixodida (family: Ixodidae), from northeastern India are discussed. The present study was carried out for six months (January–June 2014) to identify the various ectoparasites of the Short-nosed Fruit Bat Cynopterus sphinx in Cachar District of Assam, northeastern India. A total of 12 individuals of C. sphinx was captured using mist nets from eight different localities of the study area. During the study, a total of 125 parasites was collected from C. sphinx. The identified parasites were Dermacentor sp. Indet., Ameroseius sp. Indet., and Steatonyssus sp. Indet. and falls under the class Arachnida. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ticks, being hematophagous ectoparasites, are notorious vectors that transmit an array of pathogenic viruses, bacteria, and protozoa while simultaneously exhibiting a zoonotic potential by transmitting pathogens that affect the health of owners in contact. The distribution of ixodid ticks of the genera Rhipicephalus and Haemaphysalis spp. in tropical climate of the state contributes to many serious tick-borne parasitic and rickettsial infections in domestic and wild canines. In south India, canine babesiosis is one of the most prevalent vector-borne parasitic diseases. Detection of parasites in tick vectors has significant epidemiological implications. The present study was designed to identify the presence of the most common vector-borne parasites of dogs in ixodid ticks using sensitive detection protocols. SYBR green-based real-time protocols detected Babesia vogeli in Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato, while B. gibsoni was detected in R. sanguineus (s.l.) and Haemaphysalis bispinosa. The present study points out the need to reinvestigate the vectorial capacity of ticks in different geographical regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In the past, tick typhus caused by Rickettsia conorii has been reported from different parts of India. However, during the last two decades, reports are few and far between with only some case reports and very few seroprevalence studies. Aim: To estimate the seroprevalence of Indian tick typhus among febrile patients of Puducherry and surrounding Tamil Nadu, employing Indirect Fluorescence Antibody (IFA) test, which is considered as the 'gold standard' serological test for diagnosing rickettsial diseases. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted during the period February 2018 to March 2019 at Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute and Indira Gandhi Government General Hospital and Post Graduate Institute, Puducherry, India. The study included 114 febrile patients who provided both acute and convalescent serum samples. Forty ante-natal women and 23 voluntary blood donors were included as healthy controls. All sera were examined for IgG antibodies to Rickettsia conorii by IFA test (Fuller Laboratories, Fullerton, California, USA). Mean±Standard deviation with 95% confidence interval was calculated for age of the patients and duration of illness using Graph Pad Quick Calcs Software, USA. Chi-square and Fisher's-exact tests were performed and p-value ≤0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results: Out of 114 febrile patients screened for Spotted Fever (SF) IgG IFA, 27 were positive in IgG IFA with titres ranging from 1:128 to 1:2048 (23.68%). Among the control group (n=63), only one participant was seropositive for R. conorii IgG IFA (1.59%). Statistical difference in seropositivity between the febrile patients and healthy controls was quite significant (p=0.0001). Conclusion: Due to large number of false positivity, presence of IgM antibodies in acute SF is of doubtful significance. Presence of significant titres of Spotted Fever Group (SFG) IgG antibodies in IFA (≥1:128) in acute serum or four fold increase in titres in paired sera are the recommendation of Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to confirm SF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) is a highly infectious zoonotic disease of humans transmitted by Hyalomma ticks. Earlier studies have shown CCHF seroprevalence in livestock throughout India, yet sporadic outbreaks have been recorded mostly from the Gujarat state of India since 2011. Occupational vulnerability to CCHF for animal handlers, veterinarians, abattoir workers, and healthcare workers has been documented. The current study was planned to determine the seroprevalence of CCHF with an intention to identify the high -risk population and high -risk areas from Gujarat state, India.Methods: Based on the socio-clinical data, the human population of Gujarat was divided into eight categories viz. A: CCHF affected person/house/close contact, B: Neighborhood contacts, C: Animal handlers, D: General population, E: Farmers, F: Abattoir workers, G: Veterinarian, H: Healthcare workers. A total of 4978 human serum samples were collected from 33 districts of Gujarat during year 2015, 2016 and 2017. All the samples were screened for the presence of anti-CCHFV IgG using indigenously developed anti-CCHFV IgG ELISA. Univariate regression analysis was performed to recognize significant risk factors for CCHF seropositivity.Results: Twenty-five serum samples were found to be positive with an overall CCHF human seropositivity of 0.5% (95% CI 0.30-0.74%). Gender predisposition to CCHF prevalence was observed in males (OR: 2.80; p-value: 0.020). The risk for seropositivity increased sevenfold when a person was in contact or neighbor with a CCHF case (OR 7.02; p-value: < 0.0001). No significant difference in seropositivity was observed within different age groups. Veterinarians, healthcare workers, and control group were found to be seronegative for CCHF.Conclusions: In-spite of CCHF sporadic outbreaks reported in Gujarat, the seropositivity for CCHF in the state was low as compared to other endemic countries. Males, close contacts and neighbors were identified as a high-risk population for CCHF infection. To recognize the high-risk area, tick screening and animal serosurvey would be a wiser choice. The study also suggests circulation and under diagnoses of CCHFV in the naïve regions of Gujarat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of ticks and tick borne diseases is a global threat and growing reports of resistance to commonly used insecticides further aggravated the condition and demands for country specific resistance monitoring tools and possible solutions of the problem. Establishment of standard reference is prerequisite for development of monitoring tools. For studying possible role of different mechanisms involved in development of resistance in Rhipicephalus ( Boophilus ) microplus population and to develop newer drug to manage the problem of resistance, a deltamethrin exposed and selected tick colony, referred to as IVRI-IV, was characterized using reference susceptible IVRI-I tick line as control. The RF values of IVRI-IV ticks against deltamethrin, cypermethrin and diazinon were determined as 194.0, 26.6, 2.86, respectively, against adults. The esterase enzyme ratios of 2.60 and 5.83 was observed using α-naphthyl and β-naphthyl acetate while glutathione S–transferase (GST) ratio was 3.77. Comparative analysis of IVRI-I and IVRI-IV carboxylesterase gene sequences revealed 13 synonymous and 5 non synonymous mutations, reported for the first time. The C190A mutation in the domain II S4-5 linker region of sodium channel gene leading to leucine to isoleucine (L64I) amino acid substitution was also detected in the IVRI-IV population. In the present study, monitorable indicators for the maintenance of the reference IVRI-IV colony, the first established deltamethrin and cypermethrin resistant tick line of India, were identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The risk of spillover of zoonotic diseases to humans is changing in response to multiple environmental and societal drivers, particularly in tropical regions where the burden of neglected zoonotic diseases is highest and land use change and forest conversion is occurring most rapidly. Neglected zoonotic diseases can have significant impacts on poor and marginalised populations in low-resource settings but ultimately receive less attention and funding for research and interventions. As such, effective control measures and interventions are often hindered by a limited ecological evidence base, which results in a limited understanding of epidemiologically relevant hosts or vectors and the processes that contribute to the maintenance of pathogens and spillover to humans. Here, we develop a generalisable next generation matrix modelling framework to better understand the transmission processes and hosts that have the greatest contribution to the maintenance of tick-borne diseases with the aim of improving the ecological evidence base and framing future research priorities for tick-borne diseases. Using this model we explore the relative contribution of different host groups and transmission routes to the maintenance of a neglected zoonotic tick-borne disease, Kyasanur Forest Disease Virus (KFD), in multiple habitat types. The results highlight the potential importance of transovarial transmission and small mammals and birds in maintaining this disease. This contradicts previous hypotheses that primates play an important role influencing the distribution of infected ticks. There is also a suggestion that risk could vary across different habitat types but currently more research is needed to evaluate this relationship. In light of these results, we outline the key knowledge gaps for this system and future research priorities that could inform effective interventions and control measures., Competing Interests: The authors have declared no competing interests., (Copyright: © 2023 Hassall et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Ticks of the genus Rhipicephalus infesting cattle are the primary animal pests responsible for the annual economic loss of billions of dollars. Due to the morphological resemblance among the members of the Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) genus, species identification is very difficult. In this study, the adult R. annulatus and R. microplus ticks from two south Indian states viz., Kerala and Karnataka were subjected to morphological and molecular characterization. The R. microplus isolates from south India differed morphologically from true R. microplus clade A ticks. The ventral spur on the first pedipalp observed in male R. microplus was similar to that of R. australis. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that the R. microplus from these states clustered with R. microplus clade C. The mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) was identified as the preferred molecular marker compared to the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2). The interspecific divergence between R. microplus and R. annulatus isolates from South India was 7.9 per cent based on COI. Moreover, based on COI, the R. microplus isolates revealed higher intraspecific divergence (2.9%) than R. annulatus (1%). The ITS2 sequences failed to differentiate R. microplus and R. annulatus., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Theileria orientalis is known to cause a benign infection in cattle and buffalo (Bubalus bubalis). However, the Ikeda and Chitose genotypes of the parasite cause lethal disease in beef and dairy cattle. Recently an outbreak of clinical oriental theileriosis occurred in buffalo calves in a Government Animal Husbandry and Agricultural Farm located in Uttar Pradesh, India. Examination of Giemsa stained thin blood smears revealed typical rod-shaped T. orientalis piroplasms in the erythrocytes. The clinical signs included pyrexia, nasal discharge, lacrimation, lethargy, inappetence and anaemia with varying degrees of paleness of the visible mucous membranes. Vascular congestion in internal organs, pulmonary emphysema and consolidation of lungs, focal areas of necrosis in the heart with mononuclear cell infiltration, focal mononuclear cell aggregation in the cortex and tubular degeneration of the kidney were significant necropsy findings. The T. orientalis major piroplasm surface protein (MPSP) gene was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using specific primers. The nucleotide sequence analysis of the PCR product revealed 84.8% identity between the T. orientalis Uttar Pradesh isolate and other reference genotypes available in the public domain. Furthermore, the phylogenetic analysis of the MPSP gene sequence ratified that this is a new genotype of T. orientalis. This is the first report of a clinical outbreak of oriental theileriosis in Indian buffalo calves caused by a novel genotype of T. orientalis., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier GmbH.. All rights reserved.)

As per 20th livestock census, India possessing 193.46 million cattle and 109.85 million buffaloes in organized and unorganized sectors. These animals are suffering from tick infestation almost throughout the year causing both direct and indirect losses. Repeated use of chemical acaricides for tick management resulted in the establishment of acaricide resistant tick populations, insecticide residues in livestock products and environmental pollution. In the present study, analysis of the data generated during 1990–2021 revealed pooled prevalence of infestations in cattle and buffaloes was 53% [95% CI = 47–60%] and 38% [95% CI = 28–49%], respectively. Based on peripheral blood smear examination the prevalence of theileriosis, babesiosis and anaplasmosis in cattle is estimated as 17% [95% CI = 12–24%], 4% [95% CI = 3–6%] and 5% [95% CI = 3–7%], respectively, while in buffalo the prevalence of infection is estimated as 7% [95% CI = 2–21%], 2% [95% CI = 0–5%] and 8% [95% CI = 2–36%],respectively.To estimate economic impact, both direct (reduction in milk production, cost of treatment, leather depreciation) and indirect (milk loss and treatment cost) losses were taken into consideration. Loss of milk production was predicted as 13.91, 56.91 and 85.34L/cross-bred cow/lactation in low, moderate and high tick infestation conditions, respectively. Whereas, 20.10, 7.01L milk/buffalo/lactation in Hyalomma spp. and Rhipicephalus spp. infestation was estimated. Similarly,the estimated loss of milk production due to clinical theileriosis, babesiosis and anaplasmosis was 57.96, 30.96 and 59.22L, respectively. The cumulative (milk loss, treatment cost and leather loss) loss due to tick infestation was calculated as 46199.31 million INR (USD595.07 million) while due to TBDs 14877.15 million INR (USD191.15 million) = 61076.46 million INR (USD787.63 million). The data provided base line information for the policy maker to develop strategies at government level so that the significantly high cumulative loss of 787.63 million USD due to ticks and tick borne diseases (TTBDs) can be minimized. [Display omitted] • The estimated economic impact due to tick infestation was worked out. • The estimated economic loss due to TBDs in cattle and buffaloes was determined. • The cumulative economic loss due to TTBDs is estimated as 787.63 million USD. • Adoption of integrated tick management strategy is recommended to minimize the loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]