Tick Activity during 2005-2008 on the Texas A&M International Campus (Webb County, Texas)

1

Tick Activity during 2005-2008 on the Texas A&M International Campus (Webb County, Texas)

David L. Beck , Josué Zavala, Fernando Quintana

Webb County, Texas

Amblyomma cajennense

2

Presentation

Tick Life Cycle Tick Collection Methods Ticks Identified Correlation with Weather Activity Future Directions

3

Tick Life Cycle Tick life cycle

includes three stages: Six Legged Larval

Eight Legged Nymph

Eight Legged Adult

Image taken from: http://www.ticktexas.org/ticks/ticks101_develop.htm

J. Zavala

4

Location of Tick Collection

Figure 2: Satellite Image of TAMIU

BestBest

L. Nunez, D. Beck

5

Tick Collection Methods A. Tick CO2 Traps Tick traps also know as carbon dioxide

(CO2) traps are a white cloth (1m by 0.5m). About 0.25 kg of dry ice is placed in the center of the cloth. The trap is set for three hours.

B. Tick Walk/ Drags C. Collection from

dogs, hogs, deer, etc.

6

Presentation


7

Tick Identification

Identification of each tick depends on the following structures: anal groove, palpi (mouth parts), and the spiracle.

Each tick is individually examined under the microscope.

Figure 8: Tick Identification

J. Zavala, J. Perez, S. Mata, E. Montalvo, G. Daves

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Tick Identification: Genera

J. Zavala

Note the difference in the anal groove of the Ixodes and non-Ixodes

Non-IxodesIxodes

Photographs taken by S.J. Upton, Kansas State University

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Tick Identification: Genus of Non-Ixodid ticks

Photographs Taken by S.J. Upton, Kansas State University

*Amblyomma eye spots present; Aponomma eye spots absent*Rhipicephalus with festoons; Boophilus festoons absent

J. Zavala

Haemaphysalis Rhipicephalus orBoophilus

Amblyomma orAponomma

Dermacentor

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Ticks Identified March 2005-Nov 2008

No. Found1. unidentified chigger shown for size comparison. N/A2. unidentified flea shown for size comparison. 17753. Amblyomma cajennense Larva 277894. Amblyomma cajennense full engorged Larva5. Amblyomma cajennense Nymph 193006. Amblyomma cajennense Adult Male 3317. Amblyomma cajennense Adult Female 2108. Amblyomma cajennense partially engorged Adult Female9. Amblyomma inornatum Nymph 27010. Amblyomma inornatum Adult Male 55

No. Found11. Amblyomma inornatum Adult Female 1612. Amblyomma inornatum partially engorged Adult Female13. Amblyomma maculatum Adult Male 214. Amblyomma maculatum Adult Female 215. Dermacentor variabalis Adult Male 6216. Dermacentor variabalis Adult Female 6917. Dermacentor variabalis fully engorged Adult Female18. Haemaphysalis leporispalustris Adult Male 419. Haemaphysalis leporispalustris Adult Female 9

Total Speciated 52286

D. Beck, J. Zavala, and other students

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Tick SpeciesA. cajennense is the dominant tick.Tick Species # Collected % of Total

Amblyomma cajennense 47629 96.4%Amblyomma inornatum 1216 2.3%Amblomma maculatum 8 0.02%

Amblyomma americanum 1 0.002%Dermacentor albipictus 49 0.1%Dermacentor variabalis 92 0.2%

Dermacentor halli 1 0.002%Haemaphysalis leporispalustris 44 0.09%

12

Other SitesA. inornatum and D. variabilis are more abundant at other sites.

Table 2: Ticks from other sitesCounty Webb Jim Hogg Maverick

Tick Species / Site 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 1Amblyomma cajennense 584 2 6 107 6 1800 0 8 6

Amblyomma inornatum 2 0 0 4 0 566 0 87 13Amblyomma maculatum 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 3 0

Dermacentor albipictus 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0Dermacentor variabalis 3 0 1 1 0 88 0 18 5Haemaphysalis

leporispalustris0 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 0

13

What is A. cajennense? Cayenne Tick Tick likes it warm from 29N to 29 (30 N to 30 S)

Southern Texas to Northern Argentina Lacks cold tolerance – killed by a hard freezes Host

Horses, Cattle, and dogs Primates, Anteaters and Peccary (Javelina) Medium to large mammals HUMANS!!!! Avid feeder on humans.

14

Why does A. cajennense do so well in South Texas 50% Mortality of Adult ticks (23°C and 85% Relative

Humidity) A. cajennense 507.8-520.0 days

50% Mortality humidity not reported A. cajennense 221.0-269.5 days A. americanum 36-42 days

Under dehydrating conditions (23°C and 35% Relative Humidity) A. cajennense 36.7-39.3 days

15

What does A. cajennense transmit

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever/Brazilian Spotted Fever

Thai tick typhus Human ehrlichiosis Rickettsia amblyomii Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis virus Q fever (Coxiella burnetti)

16

Presentation


17

Correlation with weather Larva

Positive correlation with 3 wk average humidity (p<0.05) Negative correlation with 3 wk average wind speed (p<0.001) Negative correlation with maximum wind speed (p<0.05) Negative correlation with mean temperature (p<0.05) Negative correlation with 3 wk average mean temperature (not

significant)

18

3 Week Total Rain - 78041

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

1/1/

2005

2/1/

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3/1/

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4/1/

2005

5/1/

2005

6/1/

2005

7/1/

2005

8/1/

2005

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2005

10/1

/200

5

11/1

/200

5

12/1

/200

5

1/1/

2006

2/1/

2006

3/1/

2006

4/1/

2006

5/1/

2006

6/1/

2006

7/1/

2006

8/1/

2006

9/1/

2006

10/1

/200

6

11/1

/200

6

12/1

/200

6

Inch

es o

f Rai

n in

Pre

ceed

ing

Thre

e W

eeks


0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

8.0

9.0

10.0

1/1/

2007

2/1/

2007

3/1/

2007

4/1/

2007

5/1/

2007

6/1/

2007

7/1/

2007

8/1/

2007

9/1/

2007

10/1

/200

7

11/1

/200

7

12/1

/200

7

1/1/

2008

2/1/

2008

3/1/

2008

4/1/

2008

5/1/

2008

6/1/

2008

7/1/

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8/1/

2008

9/1/

2008

10/1

/200

8

11/1

/200

8

12/1

/200

8

Inch

es o

f Rai

n in

Pre

ceed

ing

Thre

e W

eeks

Amblyomma cajennense instars

0

40

80

120

2005

-Mar

Apr

ilM

ayJu

neJu

lyA

ugSe

ptO

ctN

ov Dec

2006

-Jan Feb

Mar

Apr

May Jun

Jul

Aug Se

pO

ctD

ec

Mea

n Ti

cks

per t

rap

Larva

Nymph

Adult


0

40

80

120

2007

-Jan Feb

Mar

Apr

May

June

July

Aug Se

pO

ctN

ov Dec

2008

-Jan Feb

May

June

July

Aug Se

pO

ctN

ov

Mea

n Ti

cks

per t

rap

Larva

Nymph

Adult

Larval emergence is seen after significant rain events. (Not Significant)

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Correlation with weather Nymph

Positive correlation with 3 wk average cloud cover (p<0.01) Negative correlation with 3 wk average mean temperature

(p<0.05)

Adults Negative correlation with 3 wk average humidity (p<0.05) Positive correlation with 3 wk average Wind Speed (p<0.001) Positive correlation with wind speed on trap day (p<0.01) Positive correlation with 3 wk average mean temperature

(p<0.05)

20

Amblyomma cajennense Nymph Mean

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

2007

-Jan Feb

Mar

Apr

May

June

July

Aug Se

pO

ctN

ov Dec

2008

-Jan Feb

May

June

July

Aug Se

pO

ctN

ov

Mea

n N

umbe

r of N

ymph

s pe

r Tra

p


0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

2005

-Mar

Apr

il

May

June

July

Aug

Sept

Oct

Nov Dec

2006

-Jan Fe

b

Mar

Apr

May Jun

Jul

Aug Se

p

Oct

Dec

Mea

n N

umbe

r of N

ymph

s pe

r Tra

p Note: Different Scale

3 Week Average Mean Temperature - 78041

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

1/1/

2005

2/1/

2005

3/1/

2005

4/1/

2005

5/1/

2005

6/1/

2005

7/1/

2005

8/1/

2005

9/1/

2005

10/1

/200

511

/1/2

005

12/1

/200

51/

1/20

062/

1/20

063/

1/20

064/

1/20

065/

1/20

066/

1/20

067/

1/20

068/

1/20

069/

1/20

0610

/1/2

006

11/1

/200

612

/1/2

006

Mea

n Te

mpe

ratu

re (D

egre

es C

elsi

us)


10

15

20

25

30

35

40

1/1/

2007

2/1/

2007

3/1/

2007

4/1/

2007

5/1/

2007

6/1/

2007

7/1/

2007

8/1/

2007

9/1/

2007

10/1

/200

711

/1/2

007

12/1

/200

71/

1/20

082/

1/20

083/

1/20

084/

1/20

085/

1/20

086/

1/20

087/

1/20

088/

1/20

089/

1/20

0810

/1/2

008

11/1

/200

812

/1/2

008

Mea

n Te

mpe

ratu

re (D

egre

es C

elsi

us)

Negative correlation with 3 wk average mean temperature (p<0.05)

21


0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

1/1/

2005

2/1/

2005

3/1/

2005

4/1/

2005

5/1/

2005

6/1/

2005

7/1/

2005

8/1/

2005

9/1/

2005

10/1

/200

5

11/1

/200

5

12/1

/200

5

1/1/

2006

2/1/

2006

3/1/

2006

4/1/

2006

5/1/

2006

6/1/

2006

7/1/

2006

8/1/

2006

9/1/

2006

10/1

/200

6

11/1

/200

6

12/1

/200

6

Inch

es o

f Rai

n in

Pre

ceed

ing

Thre

e W

eeks


0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

8.0

9.0

10.0

1/1/

2007

2/1/

2007

3/1/

2007

4/1/

2007

5/1/

2007

6/1/

2007

7/1/

2007

8/1/

2007

9/1/

2007

10/1

/200

7

11/1

/200

7

12/1

/200

7

1/1/

2008

2/1/

2008

3/1/

2008

4/1/

2008

5/1/

2008

6/1/

2008

7/1/

2008

8/1/

2008

9/1/

2008

10/1

/200

8

11/1

/200

8

12/1

/200

8

Inch

es o

f Rai

n in

Pre

ceed

ing

Thre

e W

eeks


0

20

40

60

80

100

120

2007

-Jan Feb

Mar

Apr

May

June

July

Aug Se

pO

ctN

ov Dec

2008

-Jan Feb

May

June

July

Aug Se

pO

ctN

ov

Mea

n N

umbe

r of N

ymph

s pe

r Tra

p


0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

2005

-Mar

Apr

il

May

June

July

Aug

Sept

Oct

Nov Dec

2006

-Jan Fe

b

Mar

Apr

May Jun

Jul

Aug Se

p

Oct

Dec

Mea

n N

umbe

r of N

ymph

s pe

r Tra

p Note: Different Scale

Larval Emergence

22

Amblyomma cajennense Adult Mean

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

2007

-Jan Fe

b

Mar

Apr

May

June

July

Aug Se

p

Oct

Nov Dec

2008

-Jan Fe

b

May

June

July

Aug Se

p

Oct

Nov

Mea

n N

umbe

r of A

dults

per

Tra

p


0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.520

05-M

arA

pril

May

June

July

Aug

Sept

Oct

Nov Dec

2006

-Jan Feb

Mar

Apr

May Jun

Jul

Aug Se

p

Oct

Dec

Mea

n N

umbe

r of A

dults

per

Tra

p

Note: Different Scale


10

15

20

25

30

35

40

1/1/

2005

2/1/

2005

3/1/

2005

4/1/

2005

5/1/

2005

6/1/

2005

7/1/

2005

8/1/

2005

9/1/

2005

10/1

/200

511

/1/2

005

12/1

/200

51/

1/20

062/

1/20

063/

1/20

064/

1/20

065/

1/20

066/

1/20

067/

1/20

068/

1/20

069/

1/20

0610

/1/2

006

11/1

/200

612

/1/2

006

Mea

n Te

mpe

ratu

re (D

egre

es C

elsi

us)


10

15

20

25

30

35

40

1/1/

2007

2/1/

2007

3/1/

2007

4/1/

2007

5/1/

2007

6/1/

2007

7/1/

2007

8/1/

2007

9/1/

2007

10/1

/200

711

/1/2

007

12/1

/200

71/

1/20

082/

1/20

083/

1/20

084/

1/20

085/

1/20

086/

1/20

087/

1/20

088/

1/20

089/

1/20

0810

/1/2

008

11/1

/200

812

/1/2

008

Mea

n Te

mpe

ratu

re (D

egre

es C

elsi

us)

Positive correlation with 3 wk average mean temperature (p<0.05)

23


0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

1/1/

2005

2/1/

2005

3/1/

2005

4/1/

2005

5/1/

2005

6/1/

2005

7/1/

2005

8/1/

2005

9/1/

2005

10/1

/200

5

11/1

/200

5

12/1

/200

5

1/1/

2006

2/1/

2006

3/1/

2006

4/1/

2006

5/1/

2006

6/1/

2006

7/1/

2006

8/1/

2006

9/1/

2006

10/1

/200

6

11/1

/200

6

12/1

/200

6

Inch

es o

f Rai

n in

Pre

ceed

ing

Thre

e W

eeks


0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

8.0

9.0

10.0

1/1/

2007

2/1/

2007

3/1/

2007

4/1/

2007

5/1/

2007

6/1/

2007

7/1/

2007

8/1/

2007

9/1/

2007

10/1

/200

7

11/1

/200

7

12/1

/200

7

1/1/

2008

2/1/

2008

3/1/

2008

4/1/

2008

5/1/

2008

6/1/

2008

7/1/

2008

8/1/

2008

9/1/

2008

10/1

/200

8

11/1

/200

8

12/1

/200

8

Inch

es o

f Rai

n in

Pre

ceed

ing

Thre

e W

eeks


0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

2007

-Jan Fe

b

Mar

Apr

May

June

July

Aug Se

p

Oct

Nov Dec

2008

-Jan Fe

b

May

June

July

Aug Se

p

Oct

Nov

Mea

n N

umbe

r of A

dults

per

Tra

p


0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.520

05-M

arA

pril

May

June

July

Aug

Sept

Oct

Nov Dec

2006

-Jan Feb

Mar

Apr

May Jun

Jul

Aug Se

p

Oct

Dec

Mea

n N

umbe

r of A

dults

per

Tra

p


Adults come independent of rain events.

24

Conclusion

Larval emergence appears to control the life cycle of A. cajennense in South Texas.Larva emerge3-4 months later the nymphs emergeAdults emerge later (usually during the hotter

months).

25


0

40

80

12020

05-M

arA

pril

May

June

July

Aug

Sept

Oct

Nov Dec

2006

-Jan Feb

Mar

Apr

May Jun

Jul

Aug Se

pO

ctD

ec

Mea

n Ti

cks

per t

rap

Larva

Nymph

Adult


0

40

80

120

2007

-Jan Feb

Mar

Apr

May

June

July

Aug Se

pO

ctN

ov Dec

2008

-Jan Feb

May

June

July

Aug Se

pO

ctN

ov

Mea

n Ti

cks

per t

rap

Larva

Nymph

Adult


0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

2007

-Jan Fe

b

Mar

Apr

May

June

July

Aug Se

p

Oct

Nov Dec

2008

-Jan Fe

b

May

June

July

Aug Se

p

Oct

Nov

Mea

n N

umbe

r of A

dults

per

Tra

p


0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

2005

-Mar

Apr

il

May

June

July

Aug

Sept

Oct

Nov Dec

2006

-Jan Feb

Mar

Apr

May Jun

Jul

Aug Se

p

Oct

Dec

Mea

n N

umbe

r of A

dults

per

Tra

p


26

Presentation


27

Tickborne Disease Detected at TAMIU We examined 189 A. cajennense for

Rickettsia – spotted fever groupBorrelia – Lyme, STARI and othersEhrlichia – HME, HGE

All were negative Prevalence would be <4% for these

D. Beck, P. Billingsley, P. Williamson

28

Tickborne Disease Detected at TAMIU We examined 102 Dermacentor variabilis

4+ Rickettsia – spotted fever group1+ Borrelia – Lyme, STARI and others0+ Ehrlichia – HME, HGE

We detected4 Rickettsia rhipicephali (2 from a house cat at a

colonia, 2 from TAMIU campus)1 Borrelia lonestari

P. Billingsley, P. Williamson, D. Beck

29

20052005Augustin ElizondoRoberto FloresLeonardo NunezRuben SandovalFernando Palacios-BrunoMelissa VelaKimberly WittJosue Zavala

2006Marc AndresC. Alberto BernalLeslie CarreonEliezar CastenadaMonica ContrerasFrancisco GarciaAlberto Gonzalez, Jr.Maria HernandezMelissa MartinLarry MillerFernando Palacios-BrunoJesus D. PerezJorge SerratoLydia ValenzuelaMelissa VelaJoey VillerealJosué ZavalaArianne Zecca

2006

30

2007Maxine CaballeroFrancisco GarciaCarlos GonzalezEduardo GonzalezGeraldo GonzalezMaria HernandezAbigail LovanoBrenda PerezJorge SerratoLeonor Araceli SotoCynthia VillarealJosué Zavala

2008Maxine CaballeroJames CortezGeofrey DavesFrancisco GarciaReynaldo Garcia, IIIAlissa GonzalezMaria HernandezAbigail LozanoSelina MataRicardo Medrano, Jr.Eric MontalvoJessica PerezJorge SerratoEdna ValadezRichard Jacobsen (Faculty at LCC)Juan Pedro Orozco (MS Biology)Alberto Resendez (MS Biology)

2009Eric MontalvoJessica PerezJames CortezDania GomezCesar Cardenas, Jr.Juan Pedro Orozco (MS Biology)

31

AcknowledgmentsTAMIU University of North TexasThomas C. Vaughan Phillip WilliamsonC. Neal McReynolds Peggy BillingsleyMike DanielMarvin Bennett

$$$$University Minigrants 2005-9Texas Center Grant 2005, 2006, 2007Defense Grant # W911NF-04-1-0045

Documents

Tick Activity during 2005-2008 on the Texas A&M International Campus (Webb County, Texas)