Prevalence and distribution of pathogen infection and permethrin resistance in tropical and temperate populations of Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l. collected worldwide

Abstract

The brown dog tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (s.l.) Latreille (Acari: Ixodidae), is a peridomestic, cosmopolitan parasite of dogs known to vector numerous pathogens of veterinary and medical importance. Recent phylogenetic analyses separate this tick into temperate and tropical lineages. Populations of Rh. sanguineus s.l. have been reported to exhibit sodium channel target site insensitivity to permethrin and etofenprox, which is likely due to the prolonged use of pyrethroids against many pests in and around the home. In this study, populations collected in the Caribbean, Africa, Asia, Europe and North America, were tested to identify the distribution of a known resistance mechanism, pathogen–vector interactions and phylogeny in relation to latitude. Using molecular assays, populations from 29 distinct locations were simultaneously geographically typed and screened for bacterial infection by Rickettsia, Ehrlichia, Babesia and Hepatozoon species, and for the presence of a sodium channel single nucleotide polymorphism known to confer permethrin resistance. Implications of these results on Rh. sanguineus s.l. management in association with geographical distribution will be discussed.

Document Details

Document Type
Pub Defense Publication
Publication Date
Sep 12, 2020
Source ID
10.1111/mve.12479

Entities

People

  • Emma Ni Weeks
  • L. Beati
  • Nicholas Sg Tucker
  • Phillip Kaufman

Organizations

  • Army Medical Department
  • Georgia Southern University
  • United States Army
  • University of Florida

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Biology

Readers

  • Infectious Disease/Epidemiology
  • Vector-Borne Disease and Entomology