#dermacentor variabilis

[uncharismatic-fauna]

Trick or treat ? 🥺🫴

You get a very nice American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis)!

[faunasilvestre]

BABESIOSIS

Hola!! En esta ocasion hablaremos sobre la enfermedad conocida como BABESIOSIS

Nuestro objetivo con este blog es informar e investigar sobre esta enfermedad, vamos a hablar de que especies son las que actuan como huespedes y como reservorios juntos al tiempo desde que entra el parasito hasta que se elimina todo elemento que lo pueda diseminar, tambien conocer como es posible identificarla e incluso saber los tratamientos para esta.

Pero, que es la babesiosis? esta enfermedad es causada por un parasito, asi como la malaria, que es provocada por protozoos de un genero en especifico "Babesia" y que normalmente afecta a animales domesticos, como a los perros. Estos protozoos son intraeritrocitarios, lo que quiere decir que se alojan en los eritrocitos, que como sabemos son las celulas de la sangre llamadas globulos rojos. Y a su vez estos parasitos son transmitidos por garrapatas.

Primero vamos a identificar a las especies del genero de esta enfermedad, que afecta tanto a animales domesticos como silvestres, y en ocasiones al infectar a humanos es llamada zoonosis, cabe recalcar que hay especies de estos protozoos que estan evolucionados para infectar a cierto tipo de animales en especifico.

Las especies que afectan al ganado son: Babesia divergens, Babesia bigemina, Babesia bovis y Babesia mayor.

En los caballos : Babesia equi (theileria equi).

En los perros: Babesia canis

En los gatos: Babesia felis

En los ratones: Babesia microti

Pero te estaras preguntando, entonces cual es la especie que afecta a los hmanos, pues la Babesia microti, aquella que afecta a los ratones suele ser la fuente principal de zoonosis, aunque tambien ah habido casos con Babesia divergens y Babesia bovis. Los protozoos son piroplasmaticos, por su forma, que es parecida a peras dentro de los heritrocitos parasitados.

Esta enfermedad tiene a su huesped portador, que es la garrapata y esta a su vez lo inocula al reservorio al alimentarse de sangre, normalmente la garrapata que lo transmite es el genero Ixodes spp.Estas cuentan con 3 fases al desarrollarse, larva,ninfa y adulto. al ser larva y ninfa su consumo de sangre es unicamente en roedores, mientras que al pasar a su fase adulta prefieren consumir de otros animales mas grandes.

Al alimentarse la garrapata succiona sangre infectada con el protozoo en los heritrocitos, estos a su vez se mulriplicann en la pared intestinal de lagarrapata y se alojan posteriormente en las glandulas salivares, donde es ahi que al volverse a alimentar lo inoculan al siguiente animal.

Siendo de gran importancia pecuaria, el protozoo Babesia afecta al ganado bovino, utilizando como vector a las garrapatas. Entre las especies de garrapatas que pueden transmitir la Babesiosis están: la garrapata de patas negras (Ixodes scapularis), la garrapata americana del perro (Dermacentor variabilis), la garrapata de patas negras del oeste (Ixodes pacificus) y la garrapata asiática de cuernos largos (Haemaphysalis longicornis).

Los reservorios son roedores, en específico el ratón de patas blancas (Peromyscus leucopus), siendo estos quienes portan el protozoo Babesia microti, siendo este género aquel que ha afectado más a la población humana y al área pecuaria

El ciclo biológico inicia con la garrapata, a la hora de alimentarse de sangre de un reservorio mamífero (roedor infectado). Ingiere gametocitos femeninos y masculinos presentes en la sangre periférica de dicho reservorio. En el intestino del vector biológico (garrapata), se produce la fecundación de los gametocitos, dando lugar a un cigoto móvil, el ooquinete, abandona el intestino y se dispersa por distintos tejidos, transformándose en esporoquistes  (tipo de reproducción sexuada), En el ovario y en las glándulas salivales de la garrapata hay esporoquistes con esporozoítos. La parasitosis del ovario origina el tipo de transmisión transovárica de la infección de las garrapatas; las nuevas generaciones no necesitan ingerir gametocitos para mantenerse infectadas. Los esporozpítos en las glándulas salivales son los que diseminan la enfermedad en los mamíferos.

 La presencia de síntomas en un mamífero que ha sido picado por una garrapata vector son evidentes después de una a varias semanas después de la mordedura. La parasitemia es notable después de dos a cuatro semanas.

Las manifestaciones clínicas se establecen de modo gradual en un cuadro seudogripal que se caracteriza por fiebre, malestar general, fatiga, anorexia y mialgia. Otras manifestaciones son náusea, vómito, dolor abdominal, atralgia, faringitis, depresión, labilidad emocional, anemia, trombocipotemia, transaminasas elevadas y esplenomegalia. Las complicaciones más graves incluyen insuficiencia respiratoria, anemia hemolítica, coagulación intravascular diseminada, insuficiencia cardíaca congestiva y lesión renal aguda.

TRATAMIENTO

En infecciones graves, con más de 10% de eritrocitos parasitados por B. divergens, es necesario realizar transfusiones, más clindamicina, 300­600 mg

EV o por vía oral c/6 horas, es decir, 20 mg/kg/día por 7­10 días. En casos menos severos es suficiente la clindamicina sola por vía oral. En infecciones

por B. microti, es preferible la combinación de clindamicina, 300 mg c/6 horas (1 200 mg/día), más quinina, 500 mg c/8 horas (650 mg/día) por vía oral

por siete días. Se han descrito babesiosis graves que han requerido exsanguinotransfusión y/o reemplazo total de los eritrocitos, con buenos

resultados.2

Azitromicina, 500 mg el primer día, seguida de 250 mg por 7 días más atovaquona, 750 mg diarios por 7­10 días por vía oral también ha dado buenos

resultados. Se ha observado resistencia de B. microti a la combinación de azitromicina más atovaquona en pacientes inmunosuprimidos

Bibliografía

Apt W (2013). Babesiosis. Apt Baruch W(Ed.), Parasitología humana. McGraw-Hill Education. https://accessmedicina.bibliotecabuap.elogim.com/content.aspx?bookid=1445§ionid=96520677

Guía de las distintas especies de garrapatas y las enfermedades que transmiten. (s. f.). Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/es/diseases-conditions/alpha-gal-syndrome/in-depth/tick-species/art-20546861

Rosenthal P.J. (2024). Babesiosis. Papadakis M.A., & McPhee S.J., & Rabow M.W., & McQuaid K.R.(Eds.), Diagnóstico clínico y tratamiento 2024. McGraw Hill. https://accessmedicina.bibliotecabuap.elogim.com/content.aspx?bookid=3463§ionid=286886360

User, S. (s. f.). Babesiosis (Babesia bigemina, B. bovis, B.caballi, B.canis canis, B.canis vogeli, B.canis rossi, B.equi, B.felis, B.gibsoni, B. major, B.motasi, B.ovis, B.perroncitoi, B.trautmanni) - IVAMI. https://www.ivami.com/es/microbiologia-veterinaria-molecular/457-babesiosis-babesia-bigemina-bovis-caballi-canis-canis-canis-vogeli-canis-rossi-equi-felis-gibsoni-major-motasi-ovis-perroncitoi-trautmanni#:~:text=Las%20principales%20especies%20que%20afectan,en%20los%20ratones%20Babesia%20microti.

[entomoblog]

Tableau d’identification des tiques et vecteurs de maladies 

See on Scoop.it - Insect Archive

Tick Identification Chart & Disease Vectors Understanding the species of ticks and the diseases they transmit is crucial for effective prevention and…

  Muhammad Waqas on LinkedIn, 19.02.2024

  #ticks #vectorbornediseases #prevention #healthcare #linkedinpost

    -------

NDÉ

Traduction via LinkedIn

    Comprendre les espèces de tiques et les maladies qu’elles transmettent est crucial pour une prévention et un traitement efficaces. Voici un tableau de référence rapide : 🚨Ixodes scapularis (tique à pattes noires ou tique du chevreuil) : Vecteur de la maladie de Lyme, de l’anaplasmose, de la babésiose, du virus de Powassan. 🚨Amblyomma americanum (Lone Star Tick) : Vecteur de l’ehrlichiose, de l’éruption cutanée associée aux tiques du Sud (STARI), de la tularémie. 🚨Rhipicephalus sanguineus (tique brune du chien) : Vecteur de l’ehrlichiose canine, fièvre pourprée des montagnes Rocheuses. 🚨Dixodes pacificus (tique à pattes noires de l’Ouest) : Vecteur de la maladie de Lyme, de l’anaplasmose, de la babésiose. 🚨Dermacentor variabilis (tique américaine du chien) : Vecteur de la fièvre pourprée des montagnes Rocheuses, de la tularémie. 🚨Haemaphysalis longicornis (tique asiatique à longues cornes) : Vecteur du virus de la fièvre sévère avec syndrome de thrombocytopénie (SFTS). 🚨Ixodes ricinus (tique européenne du ricin) : Vecteur de la maladie de Lyme, virus de l’encéphalite à tiques. 🚨Ixodes holocyclus (tique paralysante) : Peut provoquer une paralysie des tiques due à des neurotoxines. 🚨Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (tique du bétail) : Vecteur de la babésiose, de l’anaplasmose. 🚨Argas persicus (Tique aviaire) : Vecteur de divers agents pathogènes affectant la volaille.

Restez informé et protégez-vous, votre famille et vos animaux de compagnie contre les maladies transmises par les tiques !

[animalids]

Wood tick (Dermacentor variabilis) female laying eggs.

Photo by Bernard Lynch

[melioraz]

[aardwolfpack]

I found this dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis) crawling on me, so I put it in the freezer to kill it.  I took it out later that day to look at it with a magnifier, but it started moving again, so I put it back in for a few more days.  For some reason, both times it froze, it put its foremost limbs in this strange symmetrical position (fullview if you can’t see what I’m talking about).

This tick seemingly disappeared when I tried to flip it over to scan the other side.  It could still be alive, for all I know.

[celestialmacros]

Waiting to hitch a ride

Male American Dog Tick (Dermacentor variabilis) 

May 19, 2017

Southeastern Pennsylvania

This guy was right on the edge of the trail.  I was trying to track down a butterfly when I saw him. I read that they can possibly smell scent clues left by passing mammals to be able to find the edge of a path, increasing their chance of a blood meal. I was itchy for the rest of the day just thinking about it.  It is supposed to be a bad tick season this year because we had a mild winter. Not good for someone who wanders around outside looking for bugs on the fringes.

[is-the-bug-video-cute]

hello! I have a phobia of both ticks and leeches, and I've been trying to work through it--do you have any fun facts about them you could share?

I love ticks in the same way I love lionfish, tigers, and cassowaries. They're incredible animals, as long as they stay far away from me!! Leeches are more trustworthy, and I've honestly considered getting them as pets someday...

Fun facts about ticks:

There are a lot of tick species in the world, and a lot of them are incredibly beautiful. My personal favorites include Amblyomma variegatum and Dermacentor rhinocerinus, but honestly, once you've recognized the beauty of one tick, you'll be able to find it in them all.

Ticks aren't really their own order of arachnids - they're just extremely specialized mites. Some ticks are in fact so specialized that they can only survive on a single host species. One of these is Ixodes heathi, which is now critically endangered because its host (Burramys parvus) is critically endangered.

Ticks can get ticks! It's not unheard of for males to find females who are engorged and ready to mate, and instead just start feeding off all the blood she's worked so hard to collect. This is called hyperparasitism - parasites parasitizing parasites.

When a female tick is ready to lay eggs, she'll usually search for a secure and comfortable microhabitat - typically under leaf litter - and lay them all there. However, Argasid ticks go the extra mile to secure the health of their babies - females of this family will lay smaller clutches, each in a different spot, over the course of several years!

The american dog tick, Dermacentor variabilis, has an alarm pheromone that it secretes when it's in danger. The pheromone attracts other ticks, making them cluster around it and protect it - you could almost call it a form of altruism :)

I usually only write 5 facts, but here's a bonus: A lyme disease vaccine based on mRNA is currently in development and it has shown a lot of promise so far!

Fun facts about leeches:

Parents often carry their eggs around until they hatch, and a lot will keep carrying their babies long after hatching to ensure they survive. Some species, like the kangaroo leech (Marsupiobdella africana) even have a dedicated pouch for their babies :)

Leeches have eyes and they are tiny and adorable.

Leeches are an important part of modern medicine! Though we have figured out many other ways to improve circulation and prevent blood clots, nothing is more effective than leech therapy. They're especially helpful in preventing amputations in diabetic people, but any place on the body with poor circulation or in need of draining (such as hematomas and places that have just been operated on) will benefit from leech therapy.

Leech bites are completely painless and they don't carry any diseases that are dangerous to humans. On top of that, leeches are often quite specialized and only a handful will actually feed on humans.

Not all leeches look like greenish worms. Some, like Croatobranchus mestrovi, look downright angelic.

[carnegiemuseumnaturalhistory]

Oh deer, that’s a lot of parasites!

When a permitted hunter harvested a deer from Powdermill Nature Reserve in mid-November, I took the opportunity as an entomologist to inspect the hide for parasites. I was not surprised to find deer ticks and deer keds on the animal, but I was surprised by how many parasites there were, and the presence of two additional species of ticks not previously known from Powdermill.

Deer ticks (Ixodes scapularis) are infamous to most Pennsylvanians as the main vectors of Lyme disease. Over 300 deer ticks were found on this single deer, so that should give you an idea of how they can be so abundant, especially in areas with high deer densities. Adult females (Picture 1) were mostly found attached to the skin, in the process of becoming engorged with blood. Many adult males were also found on the deer, but since they don’t require a blood meal, what were they doing on a host? It turns out, a deer is a great place to locate a mate! While the female is attached for days feeding on blood, a male can easily locate and mate with her by inserting his mouthparts into an opening on her ventral side. Many of the females removed from the deer had a male attached (Picture 2).

Deer keds (Lipoptena cervi) are sometimes called tick flies because of their resemblance to ticks (both are flattened dorsoventrally), but they behave rather differently. Keds move much faster than ticks, and don’t remain attached for long periods of time while feeding. They are indeed true flies, in the same group of insects as the typical house fly, but they remove their wings once they locate a host, to make it easier to move within the dense hair. The adult females and males both feed on blood, and the female carries one larva at a time internally, giving birth to a mature larva ready to pupate. This is rare among insects, which typically lay many eggs at one time. About 450 keds were collected off this one deer, so the strategy seems to be working for them!

Winter ticks (Dermacentor albipictus) are closely related to the more familiar American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis), but have a different life cycle. While most ticks utilize different hosts throughout their life cycle (feeding on three different animals as a larva, nymph, and adult), winter ticks spend their whole life on a single host, most commonly a deer, elk, or moose. They can be a serious problem for moose when infestations are severe. Three males of this species were collected off the deer. Although the winter tick has a broad distribution across North America, this trio represents the first Powdermill record.

The fourth and final parasite recovered from the deer was a single female Lone Star tick (Amblyomma americanum). Easily recognized by the white dot on the back of adult females, Lone Star ticks are found across the eastern U.S. and use a variety of mammals and birds as hosts. This is our first time encountering this species at Powdermill as well!

Penn State is conducting a citizen science project called PA Parasite Hunters to learn more about deer parasitology and vector-borne diseases, so the keds and ticks we collected will be sent there in order to contribute to these important studies.

Andrea Kautz is a Research Entomologist at Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s Powdermill Nature Reserve. Museum employees are encouraged to blog about their unique experiences and knowledge gained from working at the museum.

[audible-smiles]

Assorted Bastards of North America; A Guide to Ticks

Ticks are technically arachnids, and they are, universally, the worst. Much worse than spiders, who are sometimes friends. There are like a gazillion different types of ticks, all of them hunger for blood, and they can transmit some of the worst diseases imaginable and/or paralyze you with a neurotoxin in their saliva. 

I’m not going to torture you with pictures, as they all look pretty much the same. Just picture a sac of blood with legs, sitting on a leaf. The only good thing about ticks is that they can’t fly or jump, so they just hang out and wait for idiots to bump into them. Don’t touch any plant ever and you might be ok. 

Ixodes scapularis, the Deer Tick: These guys only live in the Eastern United States, so thankfully I will never meet one. They especially like the blood of deer, horses, dogs, and humans. I think their name means “sticky shoulder” tick, which is gross. They are vectors for bacterial diseases like tularemia (Francisella tularensis), Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi), babesiosis (various Babesia species), and erlichiosis (various Erlichia and Anaplasma species). That’s four different diseases! Hematophagic ectoparasites are the worst.

Ixodes pacificus, the Western Black-legged Tick: UGH THE DEER TICK HAS COUSINS IN OREGON. HORRIBLE. The “pacific sticky” tick. Very similar to their relatives, they are the principle vector for Lyme disease in my area.

Rhipicephalus sanguineus, the Brown Dog Tick: All over North America, unfortunately, but they mostly go for dogs. “Bloodthirsty fan-head”??? These guys also spread babesiosis, which you may hear called piroplasmosis.  Also it can (and will) live and breed inside your house and/or dog kennel, which is just the worst. House ticks. Can you imagine.

Dermacentor andersoni, the Rocky Mountain Wood Tick: Found in and around the Rocky Mountains, astonishingly. Enjoys dogs, horses, cattle, goats, sheep, and humans. “Anderson’s skin-stabber”. These guys are the primary vector of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (Rickettsia rickettsii), although their cousins help out sometimes, see below.

Dermacentor variabilis, the Wood Tick/American Dog Tick: Eastern 2/3s of the country, but heading West. Likes dogs, humans, and various small mammals. “Variable skin-stabber”? Spreads tularemia as well as Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

Dermacentor occidentalis, the Pacific Coast Dog Tick: Oh, this bastard... the “western skin-stabber” is found west of the Sierra Nevadas. It will apparently bite anything and spread anything, as my text book is very nonspecific, which I hate. Definitely bites dogs, deer, cattle, horses, sheep, rabbits, and humans. Definitely spreads tularemia. Probably other stuff too.

Ambylyomma americanum, the Lone Star Tick: Texas, obviously, and the South, Midwest, and Atlantic coast in general. “American dull-eye”. Will bite pretty much anything. Spreads tularemia and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. 

These are the only dudes mentioned specifically as species I need to know for the VTNE, but there’s also the Gulf Coast tick (which causes something called “gotch ear” in calves), the Texas Cattle Fever tick (which I guess is obsessed with cows), the Continental Rabbit Tick (which is distributed WORLDWIDE), the Spinose Ear Tick (which really likes ears), the Fowl Tick (which disdains mammals), and just like. So many more of them. 

Keep in mind that with very heavy infestations ticks can cause anemia, just like fleas. They will happily take all of the blood out of a small animal’s body until it doesn’t have enough left to stay alive.

My recommendation is to douse yourself in permethrin and live on the moon.

[er-cryptid]

Tick Paralysis

Vectors -- Dermacentor andersoni      -- Rocky Mountain wood tick -- Dermacentor variabilis      -- American dog tick

Pathogenesis -- female tick starts feeding -- symptoms begin after 4 to 7 days -- tick salivary toxin has pathologic effects

Treatment -- remove tick -- symptoms resolve a few hours later

Patreon | Ko-fi

[arthistoryeveryday]

Elanco Animal Health

Il nuovo trattamento orale mensile contro zecche e pulci offre un dosaggio facile, efficacia in sole quattro ore, per tutto il mese Elanco Animal Health, una divisione di Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY), ha annunciato l'approvazione di Credelio® (lotilaner). Credelio è un nuovo trattamento orale mensile contro zecche e pulci che è facile per i cani, ma duro per zecche e pulci. Questa nuova opzione per zecche e pulci per cani contiene il principio attivo brevettato lotilaner, che prende di mira i recettori del sistema nervoso di zecche e pulci, non i cani.1

Credelio è una compressa masticabile piccola e gustosa2 approvata per cuccioli e cani di età pari o superiore a 8 settimane e di 4,4 libbre e oltre. Credelio protegge dalle zecche di interesse comune negli Stati Uniti: zecca solitaria (Amblyomma americanum), zecca del cane americano (Dermacentor variabilis), zecca dalle zampe nere (Ixodes scapularis) e zecca del cane marrone (Rhipicephalus sanguineus), nonché pulci (Ctenocephalides) felis).

“Quando si scelgono i farmaci per animali domestici, i veterinari e i proprietari di animali sono più preoccupati della sicurezza per l'animale e dell'efficacia del prodotto. Lotilaner, l'ingrediente attivo di Credelio, è stato selezionato tra centinaia di molecole candidate con questo in mente ", ha affermato Tony Rumschlag, DVM, Direttore, Regional Consulting, Elanco Animal Health. “Questo nuovo gustoso masticabile è ad azione rapida ed efficace contro zecche e pulci, pur essendo facile su cani e cuccioli. Credelio completa il portafoglio Elanco di parassiticidi per animali da compagnia per consentire una serie molto ampia di opzioni per soddisfare al meglio le esigenze dei proprietari di animali domestici e dei loro animali domestici ".

Facile con i cani In uno studio sul campo, il 100% delle compresse di Credelio è stato somministrato con successo e i cani ne hanno accettato il 94% se offerto a mano, in una ciotola vuota o con il cibo.2 Credelio è anche ben accettato da un'ampia gamma di razze canine , compresi i cani giocattolo come Chihuahua e Yorkshire terrier.2-5 Inoltre, Credelio offre la rassicurazione di un prodotto adatto a cuccioli di appena otto settimane di età.

Duro contro zecche e pulci Il principio attivo di Credelio, il lotilaner, circola nel flusso sanguigno del cane, prendendo di mira i recettori di zecche e pulci quando mordono il cane. Negli studi clinici, Credelio ha ucciso il 100% delle pulci entro 12 ore per l'intero mese.6Credelio inizia a uccidere zecche e pulci in sole 4 ore6,7. Questo rapido inizio di azione fornisce un rapido sollievo dalle zecche esistenti. La velocità di uccisione sostenuta di Credelio durante tutto il periodo di dosaggio fornisce protezione dalle zecche di nuova acquisizione. Credelio funziona velocemente perché viene assorbito rapidamente e raggiunge rapidamente i livelli plasmatici di picco. Quando somministrato con il cibo, Credelio raggiunge i massimi livelli ematici entro 2 ore dalla somministrazione

In qualità di leader globale nel settore della salute degli animali, Elanco supporta i veterinari con un'ampia gamma di soluzioni antiparassitarie. "L'introduzione di Credelio espande ulteriormente il nostro portafoglio con un prodotto orale per zecche e pulci una volta al mese che supporta l'impegno di Elanco nell'aiutare gli animali a vivere una vita più lunga, più sana e di qualità superiore", ha affermato Cathy Martin, Direttore di US Companion Animal Marketing. Credelio sarà disponibile in quattro compresse per cani ed è approvato per cuccioli e cani a partire dalle otto settimane di età e oltre e da 4,4 libbre e oltre.

Indicazioni Credelio uccide le pulci adulte ed è indicato per il trattamento delle infestazioni da pulci (Ctenocephalides felis) e per il trattamento e il controllo delle infestazioni da zecche [Amblyomma americanum (zecca solitaria), Dermacentor variabilis (zecca del cane americano), Ixodes scapularis (zecca zampa nera ) e Rhipicephalus sanguineus (zecca marrone del cane)] per un mese in cani e cuccioli di 8 settimane di età e più e di peso pari o superiore a 4,4 libbre.

Informazioni importanti sulla sicurezza Non è stato valutato l'uso sicuro di Credelio in cani da riproduzione, in gravidanza o in allattamento. Usare con cautela nei cani con una storia di convulsioni. Le reazioni avverse riportate più frequentemente sono perdita di peso, aumento dell'azoto ureico nel sangue, minzione eccessiva e diarrea. Vedere il foglietto illustrativo per informazioni complete sulla sicurezza.

Riferimenti 1 Rufener, L. et al. 2017. "Il nuovo isoxazolina ectoparassiticida lotilaner (Credelio®): un antagonista non competitivo specifico per i canali del cloruro dipendenti dall'acido γ-amminobutirrico degli invertebrati (GABACls)." Parassiti e amp; Vettori. 10: 530. 2 Karadzovska, D. et al. 2017. "Uno studio sul campo randomizzato e controllato per valutare l'efficacia e la sicurezza delle compresse masticabili aromatizzate al lotilaner (Credelio®) nell'eliminazione delle pulci nei cani di proprietà dei clienti negli Stati Uniti." Parassiti e amp; Vettori. 10: 528. 3Cavalleri, D. et al. 2017. "Uno studio sul campo randomizzato, in cieco e controllato per valutare l'efficacia e la sicurezza delle compresse di lotilaner (Credelio®) nel controllo delle pulci nei cani di proprietà dei clienti nei paesi europei". Parassiti e amp; Vettori. 10: 526. 4Cavalleri, D. et al. 2017. "Uno studio randomizzato e controllato per valutare l'efficacia e la sicurezza di lotilaner (Credelio®) nel controllo delle zecche nei cani di proprietà dei clienti in Europa". Parassiti e amp; Vettori. 10: 531. 5Elanco Animal Health. Dati su file. 6Cavalleri, D. et al. 2017. "Valutazione della velocità di uccisione delle pulci di lotilaner (Credelio®) durante il mese successivo alla somministrazione orale ai cani." Parassiti e amp; Vettori. 10: 529. 7 Murphy, M. et al. 2017. "Valutazione di laboratorio della velocità di uccisione di lotilaner (Credelio®) contro le zecche Ixodes ricinus sui cani." Parassiti e vettori. 10: 541. 8Toutain C. et al. 2017. "La farmacocinetica endovenosa e orale di lotilaner nei cani." Parassiti e amp; Vettori. 10: 522.

[kristablogs]

A guide to the tick species every American should know

Long Star ticks are generally found in the West, but they've recently made the jump to the East Coast, too. (NIAID/)

This story originally featured on Outdoor Life.

Our love of the outdoors can bring us into contact will all sorts of unpleasant organisms, though few are as widespread as the tick. These vampiric arachnids can be found across the globe, and many are responsible for transmitting disease. Ticks have been documented transmitting a wide range of protozoan, bacterial, viral, and fungal pathogens to humans, pets, and livestock. And while there are roughly 80 different tick species that can be found in the continental US (and more than 800 found worldwide), there are 10 species that really stand out. With tick season right around the corner in most areas, we hope this tick-identification gallery will help you limit your risk and teach you a little more about these complex and creepy creatures.

The different stages of a tick. (CDC/)

The life of a tick

Despite our occasional suspicions that ticks only crave human blood (a frequent thought while I’m sitting up against a tree trunk during spring gobbler season), it turns out that most ticks will feed on most living animals, including birds, mammals, reptiles, and even a few amphibians. These crab-like arthropods have four life stages—egg, larvae, nymph, and adult—and most ticks prefer to have a different host animal at each stage of life. Tick larvae emerge from their eggs and, depending on the species, they may or may not be disease carriers at this early stage. After spending part of their life cycle on small animals, they often acquire pathogens, some of which cause disease in humans and other animals. Once the larvae have fed for a few days (usually on the smallest animals, like birds or mice), they drop off and molt into nymphs. While both nymphs and larvae are very small, larvae only have six legs, while nymphs are larger and have eight legs (like the adults). Once the nymphs have fed for a few days, they will drop off to molt again and become adults. Adult females eagerly attack humans and larger animals in order to engorge themselves with blood. Once full, they drop off to lay an egg mass, which can contain as many as 4,000 individual eggs (this depends on the tick size and species).

Blacklegged tick

Blacklegged Tick, <em>Ixodes scapularis</em> (Wikipedia/)

Scientific name: Ixodes scapularis

Native range: Found in Eastern half of the continental US

Distinctive features: The very dark brown legs are a hallmark of the species, giving rise to the “black-legged” name. The adult females also have a reddish-brown coloration to the back half of their bodies.

Active season: The larvae and nymphs are active during the late spring and summer, particularly in wooded areas. The adults are typically active from October through May in conditions where daytime temperatures stay above freezing.

Pathogens transmitted: This species is the principal vector for Lyme disease in the eastern United States (especially New England). They also transmit the organisms that cause anaplasmosis, babesiosis, and Powassan disease (a form of viral encephalitis that can occur as a co-infection with Lyme disease).

Habitat and details: Deer tick larvae, nymphs, and adults favor wooded habitats. The young ones live in leaf litter and the adult females prey upon the larger things that roam the forest—including us.

Winter tick

Winter Tick, <em>Dermacentor albipictus</em> (University of Alberta/)

Scientific name: Dermacentor albipictus

Native range: Found throughout the continental US

Distinctive features: Adults of this species have light brown legs and a dark brown body.

Active season: Larval ticks infest their host in the fall, molting into nymphs and adults while hiding in thick fur or hair of large animals. The winter tick may stay on the same animal host through all of the tick’s life stages.

Pathogens transmitted: Thankfully, winter ticks have not been documented passing diseases to humans or domestic animals.

Habitat and details: The adult winter ticks favor large game animals and are particularly fond of deer, elk, and moose. One anemic moose was found with an estimated 75,000 of these ticks attached to its hide. Lucky for us, winter ticks rarely feed upon humans.

American dog tick

American Dog Tick, <em>Dermacentor variabilis</em> (Benjamin Smith, via Wikimedia Commons/)

Scientific name: Dermacentor variabilis

Native range: California and the Eastern half of the continental US

Distinctive features: When the dark larvae molt into nymphs, they take on a light tan color. The adult males are mottled with brown and tan spots, while adult females have a brown body with a spotted tan “shield” on their head.

Active season: Nymphs are active May through July, while larvae are active from late April until September. Adults are active from April through August.

Pathogens transmitted: Adult American dog ticks can transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) and tularemia.

Habitat and Details: American dog ticks prefer grassy areas and scrubland, frequently "hunting" along paths and trails. Nymphal dog ticks prefer small animals to feed upon, rarely attaching to humans.

Lone star tick

Lone Star Tick, <em>Amblyomma americanum</em> (K-State.edu/)

Scientific name: Amblyomma americanum

Native range: Found from Texas through Nebraska, and out to the Eastern seaboard

Distinctive features: Adult females have a very prominent white dot in the middle of their back. Adult males can bear whitish spots around the outer edge of their body.

Active season: Larvae are active in July, August, and September. Nymphs are most common May through August. Adults are often active from April through August.

Pathogens transmitted: Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) and ehrlichiosis is transmitted to humans by the lone star tick. STARI (Southern tick-associated rash illness) can also be transmitted by these bites.

Habitat and details: This species is mostly found in woodlands that contain thick underbrush, and they are also found in animal bedding areas. The larvae are not known to harbor communicable diseases, but the nymphal and adult stages can transmit the pathogens listed above. Lone Star ticks will feed on humans in all stages of their life.

Brown dog tick

Brown Dog Tick, <em>Rhipicephalus sanguineus</em> (Wikimedia Commons/)

Scientific name: Rhipicephalus sanguineus

Native range: Found worldwide and throughout the entire continental US, though more common in southern states

Distinctive features: The adult ticks have brown bodies and brown legs, though the females can have a slight yellowish coloration to their legs and faint mottling on their body.

Active season: I’m sorry to report that the larval, nymphal, and adult stages are active year-round.

Pathogens transmitted: All life stages of the brown dog tick can transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) to dogs and humans. Nymphs and adults can also transmit the agents of canine ehrlichiosis and canine babesiosis.

Habitat and details: A common tick found in lawns, fields and grassy areas, the brown dog tick can go through its complete life cycle in as few as three months (all of which can occur indoors, in kennels and homes).

Rocky mountain wood tick

Rocky Mountain Wood Tick, <em>Dermacentor andersoni</em> (Wikimedia Commons/)

Scientific name: Dermacentor andersoni

Native range: Found throughout the Rocky Mountains and adjoining states. This species is typically found at elevations between 4,000 and 10,500 feet.

Distinctive features: These brown-colored ticks resemble dog ticks, and similarly, the females bear a horseshoe-shaped tan pattern on their head. Heartier than most ticks, adults can go almost two years without feeding on blood, while surviving the harsh mountain weather and deep cold of their native range.

Active season: Larvae and nymphs are active from March through October, while adult wood ticks can be active from January through November.

Pathogens transmitted: Colorado tick fever is caused by a virus transmitted by the Rocky Mountain wood tick at all life stages. Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) and tularemia can also occur from the bite of these ticks.

Habitat and details: Rocky Mountain wood ticks are found predominantly in shrub, grasslands, and lightly wooded areas. Rarely, but alarmingly, the Rocky Mountain wood tick can cause temporary paralysis in pets and humans, due to a potent neurotoxin in the saliva of an adult female tick. This rare condition dissipates within 24 to 72 hours after the tick is removed.

Cayenne tick

Cayenne Tick, <em>Amblyomma cajennense</em> (Wikimedia Commons/)

Scientific name: Amblyomma cajennense

Native range: This tick is found in the south central US, and its range reaches into South America.

Distinctive features: The adults of this species have yellowish-brown legs (essentially a toffee color). Males have tan bodies with brown mottling across their entire body, except for the very rear edge. Females have a brown body with tan mottling on only on their head.

Active season: Due to its warm native range, this tick is active year-round.

Pathogens transmitted: The cayenne tick can transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) and is an agent of equine piroplasmosis, Theileria equi.

Habitat and details: Cayenne ticks are commonly found in grassy areas in temperate, sub-tropical and tropical climates. Often found in fields, they favor horses as a host. Oddly enough, these creepy crawlies may not be all bad. The saliva of cayenne ticks is currently being studied for medicinal purposes, as it contains a protein which may be able to treat blood clots and cancer.

Gulf Coast tick

Gulf Coast Tick, <em>Amblyomma maculatum</em> (Wikipedia/)

Scientific name: Amblyomma maculatum

Native range: Found along the US Gulf Coast and up the Eastern seaboard to Maryland and also through Central America

Distinctive features: The adults have caramel colored legs. Females have a brown body with tan coloration on their head. Male bodies are spotted with tan and brown.

Active season: In warmer climates, the larvae and nymphs are generally more active in the winter; while they are more active in the summer in cooler environments. The adults may be active at any time.

Pathogens transmitted: Rickettsia parkeri and Hepatozoon americanum are transmitted to humans by the Gulf Coast tick.

Habitat and details: The Gulf coast tick favors humid coastal forests and areas with dense shrub vegetation. These ticks are non-specific when looking for hosts, and will feed on birds and mammals of all sizes, including humans.

Western-blacklegged tick

Western-Blacklegged Tick, <em>Ixodes pacificus</em> (Wikipedia/)

Scientific name: Ixodes pacificus

Native range: Found along the Western seaboard and in parts of Nevada, Utah, and Arizona

Distinctive features: The adult females have a brown body and legs, with a darker brown head. Males have brown legs and various colors on their body, including dark brown, light brown and reddish brown patterning.

Active season: The larvae and nymphs are active during the spring and summer, when they begin seeking hosts (birds, small mammals and lizards). Larvae typically don’t feed on humans. The adults are typically active from October through May, on warmer days.

Pathogens transmitted: Anaplasmosis and Lyme disease are transmitted by the Western-blacklegged tick. They have also been found to carry Borrelia miyamotoi, which is closely related to the bacterium that causes tick-borne relapsing fever.

Habitat and details: Larvae and nymphs can be found in leaf litter, on mossy rocks, logs and tree trunks. Adults will favor grassy, brushy, or wooded areas, especially alongside trails. This species is the principle culprit for Lyme disease in humans in the western US.

Pacific coast tick

Pacific Coast Tick, <em>Dermacentor occidentalis</em> (Jerry Kirkhart, via Wikimedia Commons/)

Scientific name: Dermacentor occidentalis

Native range: Found along the Western seaboard of the continental US, from Oregon to Baja California. This species is also found in Mexico.

Distinctive features: Adult females have brown legs with a slightly darker brown body. Adult males have a more greyish coloration, with tiny dark speckles.

Active season: Larvae are active from summer through winter, peaking in July. Nymphs are the most active during late winter and early spring. Adults are active year-round, but their peak activity occurs in April and May.

Pathogens transmitted: The new disease, 364D rickettsiosis (Rickettsia phillipi, its proposed scientific name), has been transmitted to humans by nymph and adult Pacific Coast ticks in California. All life stages of this tick can transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) to humans and pets. These animals can also transmit tularemia to humans and pets, as well as bovine anaplasmosis to cattle.

Habitat and details: The Pacific Coast tick is often found in the chaparral and brush along trails.

Tick bite prevention

The best way to avoid tick bites and tick-borne illnesses (and still enjoy the outdoors) is to take every reasonable precaution before heading out. Make sure you use multiple defenses against these little blood-suckers.

• Wear long pants and tuck your pant legs into your socks. Yes, you look silly and I know it’s hot in the summer, but it’s worth the extra protection.

• Treat your outdoor clothing with permethrin, which not only repels ticks but kills them. This stuff is pretty toxic, so follow the product’s instructions carefully, and avoid getting permethrin on your skin.

• Use a strong repellent, and use it often. Products containing DEET should be reapplied a few times daily, while natural repellents (based on plant oils) should be reapplied hourly. That’s not a typo, spray on more of the natural stuff hourly.

• Check often for ticks. Check the outside of your clothing a couple times an hour, and check underneath your clothing a couple times a day, especially in tick heavy environments.

• Don’t delay tick removal. Quick and complete tick removal can prevent disease transmission in many cases.

Tick removal

Even after an outdoor enthusiast has been armed with information and armored in DEET, you’ll still end up with a hungry tick stuck in your skin every once in a while. Don’t panic. You can use a tick removal gadget or a plain old set of tweezers to remove the offending arthropod. Here’s my favorite tool.

With any store-bought tick removal tool, follow the instructions provided. And in the event that you only have tweezers, grab the tick by the mouth parts (as close to your skin as possible). Hold it steady and pull straight upward with steady pressure. Some have recently advocated a twisting method of removal, but this can cause it to break off in your skin. Don’t grasp the abdomen. You can pop the tick, or worse, push infected blood back into your body. And don’t waste your time by “painting” the tick with Vaseline or nail polish. You want to remove it as soon as possible, not wait around for it to drop off on its own. And if you do happen to break the tick into pieces, remove any tick remnants in your skin with sharp pointed tweezers. After removing a tick, scrub the area with soap and water, alcohol, or iodine. Dispose of the tick in your campfire when you’re in the field, or flush it down the toilet when removing them at home. And should you be unable to remove broken mouth parts with your tweezers, keep the wound clean and the skin (and bug parts) will eventually grow out.

[scootoaster]

A guide to the tick species every American should know

Long Star ticks are generally found in the West, but they've recently made the jump to the East Coast, too. (NIAID/)

This story originally featured on Outdoor Life.

Our love of the outdoors can bring us into contact will all sorts of unpleasant organisms, though few are as widespread as the tick. These vampiric arachnids can be found across the globe, and many are responsible for transmitting disease. Ticks have been documented transmitting a wide range of protozoan, bacterial, viral, and fungal pathogens to humans, pets, and livestock. And while there are roughly 80 different tick species that can be found in the continental US (and more than 800 found worldwide), there are 10 species that really stand out. With tick season right around the corner in most areas, we hope this tick-identification gallery will help you limit your risk and teach you a little more about these complex and creepy creatures.

The different stages of a tick. (CDC/)

The life of a tick

Despite our occasional suspicions that ticks only crave human blood (a frequent thought while I’m sitting up against a tree trunk during spring gobbler season), it turns out that most ticks will feed on most living animals, including birds, mammals, reptiles, and even a few amphibians. These crab-like arthropods have four life stages—egg, larvae, nymph, and adult—and most ticks prefer to have a different host animal at each stage of life. Tick larvae emerge from their eggs and, depending on the species, they may or may not be disease carriers at this early stage. After spending part of their life cycle on small animals, they often acquire pathogens, some of which cause disease in humans and other animals. Once the larvae have fed for a few days (usually on the smallest animals, like birds or mice), they drop off and molt into nymphs. While both nymphs and larvae are very small, larvae only have six legs, while nymphs are larger and have eight legs (like the adults). Once the nymphs have fed for a few days, they will drop off to molt again and become adults. Adult females eagerly attack humans and larger animals in order to engorge themselves with blood. Once full, they drop off to lay an egg mass, which can contain as many as 4,000 individual eggs (this depends on the tick size and species).

Blacklegged tick

Blacklegged Tick, <em>Ixodes scapularis</em> (Wikipedia/)

Scientific name: Ixodes scapularis

Native range: Found in Eastern half of the continental US

Distinctive features: The very dark brown legs are a hallmark of the species, giving rise to the “black-legged” name. The adult females also have a reddish-brown coloration to the back half of their bodies.

Active season: The larvae and nymphs are active during the late spring and summer, particularly in wooded areas. The adults are typically active from October through May in conditions where daytime temperatures stay above freezing.

Pathogens transmitted: This species is the principal vector for Lyme disease in the eastern United States (especially New England). They also transmit the organisms that cause anaplasmosis, babesiosis, and Powassan disease (a form of viral encephalitis that can occur as a co-infection with Lyme disease).

Habitat and details: Deer tick larvae, nymphs, and adults favor wooded habitats. The young ones live in leaf litter and the adult females prey upon the larger things that roam the forest—including us.

Winter tick

Winter Tick, <em>Dermacentor albipictus</em> (University of Alberta/)

Scientific name: Dermacentor albipictus

Native range: Found throughout the continental US

Distinctive features: Adults of this species have light brown legs and a dark brown body.

Active season: Larval ticks infest their host in the fall, molting into nymphs and adults while hiding in thick fur or hair of large animals. The winter tick may stay on the same animal host through all of the tick’s life stages.

Pathogens transmitted: Thankfully, winter ticks have not been documented passing diseases to humans or domestic animals.

Habitat and details: The adult winter ticks favor large game animals and are particularly fond of deer, elk, and moose. One anemic moose was found with an estimated 75,000 of these ticks attached to its hide. Lucky for us, winter ticks rarely feed upon humans.

American dog tick

American Dog Tick, <em>Dermacentor variabilis</em> (Benjamin Smith, via Wikimedia Commons/)

Scientific name: Dermacentor variabilis

Native range: California and the Eastern half of the continental US

Distinctive features: When the dark larvae molt into nymphs, they take on a light tan color. The adult males are mottled with brown and tan spots, while adult females have a brown body with a spotted tan “shield” on their head.

Active season: Nymphs are active May through July, while larvae are active from late April until September. Adults are active from April through August.

Pathogens transmitted: Adult American dog ticks can transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) and tularemia.

Habitat and Details: American dog ticks prefer grassy areas and scrubland, frequently "hunting" along paths and trails. Nymphal dog ticks prefer small animals to feed upon, rarely attaching to humans.

Lone star tick

Lone Star Tick, <em>Amblyomma americanum</em> (K-State.edu/)

Scientific name: Amblyomma americanum

Native range: Found from Texas through Nebraska, and out to the Eastern seaboard

Distinctive features: Adult females have a very prominent white dot in the middle of their back. Adult males can bear whitish spots around the outer edge of their body.

Active season: Larvae are active in July, August, and September. Nymphs are most common May through August. Adults are often active from April through August.

Pathogens transmitted: Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) and ehrlichiosis is transmitted to humans by the lone star tick. STARI (Southern tick-associated rash illness) can also be transmitted by these bites.

Habitat and details: This species is mostly found in woodlands that contain thick underbrush, and they are also found in animal bedding areas. The larvae are not known to harbor communicable diseases, but the nymphal and adult stages can transmit the pathogens listed above. Lone Star ticks will feed on humans in all stages of their life.

Brown dog tick

Brown Dog Tick, <em>Rhipicephalus sanguineus</em> (Wikimedia Commons/)

Scientific name: Rhipicephalus sanguineus

Native range: Found worldwide and throughout the entire continental US, though more common in southern states

Distinctive features: The adult ticks have brown bodies and brown legs, though the females can have a slight yellowish coloration to their legs and faint mottling on their body.

Active season: I’m sorry to report that the larval, nymphal, and adult stages are active year-round.

Pathogens transmitted: All life stages of the brown dog tick can transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) to dogs and humans. Nymphs and adults can also transmit the agents of canine ehrlichiosis and canine babesiosis.

Habitat and details: A common tick found in lawns, fields and grassy areas, the brown dog tick can go through its complete life cycle in as few as three months (all of which can occur indoors, in kennels and homes).

Rocky mountain wood tick

Rocky Mountain Wood Tick, <em>Dermacentor andersoni</em> (Wikimedia Commons/)

Scientific name: Dermacentor andersoni

Native range: Found throughout the Rocky Mountains and adjoining states. This species is typically found at elevations between 4,000 and 10,500 feet.

Distinctive features: These brown-colored ticks resemble dog ticks, and similarly, the females bear a horseshoe-shaped tan pattern on their head. Heartier than most ticks, adults can go almost two years without feeding on blood, while surviving the harsh mountain weather and deep cold of their native range.

Active season: Larvae and nymphs are active from March through October, while adult wood ticks can be active from January through November.

Pathogens transmitted: Colorado tick fever is caused by a virus transmitted by the Rocky Mountain wood tick at all life stages. Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) and tularemia can also occur from the bite of these ticks.

Habitat and details: Rocky Mountain wood ticks are found predominantly in shrub, grasslands, and lightly wooded areas. Rarely, but alarmingly, the Rocky Mountain wood tick can cause temporary paralysis in pets and humans, due to a potent neurotoxin in the saliva of an adult female tick. This rare condition dissipates within 24 to 72 hours after the tick is removed.

Cayenne tick

Cayenne Tick, <em>Amblyomma cajennense</em> (Wikimedia Commons/)

Scientific name: Amblyomma cajennense

Native range: This tick is found in the south central US, and its range reaches into South America.

Distinctive features: The adults of this species have yellowish-brown legs (essentially a toffee color). Males have tan bodies with brown mottling across their entire body, except for the very rear edge. Females have a brown body with tan mottling on only on their head.

Active season: Due to its warm native range, this tick is active year-round.

Pathogens transmitted: The cayenne tick can transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) and is an agent of equine piroplasmosis, Theileria equi.

Habitat and details: Cayenne ticks are commonly found in grassy areas in temperate, sub-tropical and tropical climates. Often found in fields, they favor horses as a host. Oddly enough, these creepy crawlies may not be all bad. The saliva of cayenne ticks is currently being studied for medicinal purposes, as it contains a protein which may be able to treat blood clots and cancer.

Gulf Coast tick

Gulf Coast Tick, <em>Amblyomma maculatum</em> (Wikipedia/)

Scientific name: Amblyomma maculatum

Native range: Found along the US Gulf Coast and up the Eastern seaboard to Maryland and also through Central America

Distinctive features: The adults have caramel colored legs. Females have a brown body with tan coloration on their head. Male bodies are spotted with tan and brown.

Active season: In warmer climates, the larvae and nymphs are generally more active in the winter; while they are more active in the summer in cooler environments. The adults may be active at any time.

Pathogens transmitted: Rickettsia parkeri and Hepatozoon americanum are transmitted to humans by the Gulf Coast tick.

Habitat and details: The Gulf coast tick favors humid coastal forests and areas with dense shrub vegetation. These ticks are non-specific when looking for hosts, and will feed on birds and mammals of all sizes, including humans.

Western-blacklegged tick

Western-Blacklegged Tick, <em>Ixodes pacificus</em> (Wikipedia/)

Scientific name: Ixodes pacificus

Native range: Found along the Western seaboard and in parts of Nevada, Utah, and Arizona

Distinctive features: The adult females have a brown body and legs, with a darker brown head. Males have brown legs and various colors on their body, including dark brown, light brown and reddish brown patterning.

Active season: The larvae and nymphs are active during the spring and summer, when they begin seeking hosts (birds, small mammals and lizards). Larvae typically don’t feed on humans. The adults are typically active from October through May, on warmer days.

Pathogens transmitted: Anaplasmosis and Lyme disease are transmitted by the Western-blacklegged tick. They have also been found to carry Borrelia miyamotoi, which is closely related to the bacterium that causes tick-borne relapsing fever.

Habitat and details: Larvae and nymphs can be found in leaf litter, on mossy rocks, logs and tree trunks. Adults will favor grassy, brushy, or wooded areas, especially alongside trails. This species is the principle culprit for Lyme disease in humans in the western US.

Pacific coast tick

Pacific Coast Tick, <em>Dermacentor occidentalis</em> (Jerry Kirkhart, via Wikimedia Commons/)

Scientific name: Dermacentor occidentalis

Native range: Found along the Western seaboard of the continental US, from Oregon to Baja California. This species is also found in Mexico.

Distinctive features: Adult females have brown legs with a slightly darker brown body. Adult males have a more greyish coloration, with tiny dark speckles.

Active season: Larvae are active from summer through winter, peaking in July. Nymphs are the most active during late winter and early spring. Adults are active year-round, but their peak activity occurs in April and May.

Pathogens transmitted: The new disease, 364D rickettsiosis (Rickettsia phillipi, its proposed scientific name), has been transmitted to humans by nymph and adult Pacific Coast ticks in California. All life stages of this tick can transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) to humans and pets. These animals can also transmit tularemia to humans and pets, as well as bovine anaplasmosis to cattle.

Habitat and details: The Pacific Coast tick is often found in the chaparral and brush along trails.

Tick bite prevention

The best way to avoid tick bites and tick-borne illnesses (and still enjoy the outdoors) is to take every reasonable precaution before heading out. Make sure you use multiple defenses against these little blood-suckers.

• Wear long pants and tuck your pant legs into your socks. Yes, you look silly and I know it’s hot in the summer, but it’s worth the extra protection.

• Treat your outdoor clothing with permethrin, which not only repels ticks but kills them. This stuff is pretty toxic, so follow the product’s instructions carefully, and avoid getting permethrin on your skin.

• Use a strong repellent, and use it often. Products containing DEET should be reapplied a few times daily, while natural repellents (based on plant oils) should be reapplied hourly. That’s not a typo, spray on more of the natural stuff hourly.

• Check often for ticks. Check the outside of your clothing a couple times an hour, and check underneath your clothing a couple times a day, especially in tick heavy environments.

• Don’t delay tick removal. Quick and complete tick removal can prevent disease transmission in many cases.

Tick removal

Even after an outdoor enthusiast has been armed with information and armored in DEET, you’ll still end up with a hungry tick stuck in your skin every once in a while. Don’t panic. You can use a tick removal gadget or a plain old set of tweezers to remove the offending arthropod. Here’s my favorite tool.

With any store-bought tick removal tool, follow the instructions provided. And in the event that you only have tweezers, grab the tick by the mouth parts (as close to your skin as possible). Hold it steady and pull straight upward with steady pressure. Some have recently advocated a twisting method of removal, but this can cause it to break off in your skin. Don’t grasp the abdomen. You can pop the tick, or worse, push infected blood back into your body. And don’t waste your time by “painting” the tick with Vaseline or nail polish. You want to remove it as soon as possible, not wait around for it to drop off on its own. And if you do happen to break the tick into pieces, remove any tick remnants in your skin with sharp pointed tweezers. After removing a tick, scrub the area with soap and water, alcohol, or iodine. Dispose of the tick in your campfire when you’re in the field, or flush it down the toilet when removing them at home. And should you be unable to remove broken mouth parts with your tweezers, keep the wound clean and the skin (and bug parts) will eventually grow out.

[awesomearabmedicalpro]

حيث تتزايد حالات القراد في عام 2019

بواسطة بيتر شيلدن في 09/30/2019 2:54 PM

آخر أخبار الأمراض المعدية

المصدر: MedicineNet أخبار الصحة

فالسقوط هنا ، لكن لا تعتقد أنه يمكنك المشي عبر الغابات بسلام من القراد – بعض الأنواع تنشط على مدار السنة. ولديك سبب إضافي لمشاهدة القراد في عام 2019. ويتوقع خبراء القراد حدوث ارتفاع في الإصابات التي تنقلها القراد ، مثل داء لايم وحمى روكي ماونتين ، واستمر هذا الاتجاه منذ عقود.

تُظهر التقارير الإخبارية الأخيرة أيضًا أندرًا من الأمراض المرتبطة بالقراد ، مثل مرض التهاب الدماغ بواسان في ماساتشوستس ونيويورك ، وفيروس هارتلاند في إلينوي.

من بين جميع آفات الفناء الخلفي ، تتسبب القراد في أكثر الأمراض انتشارًا في الولايات المتحدة. كل عام ، أكثر من 95 في المئة من الأمراض الناجمة عن الآفات تأتي من لدغة القراد ، وفقا لمراجعة الصحة العامة التي نشرت العام الماضي.

منذ التسعينيات ، تضاعفت التقارير المؤكدة عن إصابة لايم بأربعة أضعاف. الأمراض الأخرى التي تحملها القراد قد ارتفعت أكثر. يتم الإبلاغ على نطاق أوسع عن أمراض مثل داء الأطفال ، الحساسية المفرطة ، وحساسية اللحوم الحمراء (الناجمة أيضًا عن القراد).

عندما يعض الشخص ، يمكن أن تنشر القراد المرض بسرعة ، وفقًا لتشارلز باتريك ديفيس ، دكتوراه في الطب ، دكتوراه.

يقول د. ديفيس: "يمكن أن يحدث انتقال المرض في أقل من دقيقة مع قراد ضعيف". "لدغة بعض هذه القراد الناعمة تنتج ردود فعل مؤلمة بشدة."

في بعض المناطق في جميع أنحاء الولايات المتحدة ، يتم الإبلاغ عن المزيد من لدغات انتشار القراد ، وفي بعض المناطق يرتفع معدل الأمراض الناجمة عن القراد كل عام. في بعض المناطق التي لم يتم العثور فيها على علامات التجزئة في الماضي ، تظهر التقارير الآن من لدغات القراد والأمراض ذات الصلة.

حيث تتوسع الموائل القراد

قراد الكلب الأمريكي

هذا القراد هو الناقل الرئيسي لحمى روكي ماونتين ، ويمكن أن ينشر الأمراض الأقل شهرة أيضًا. يُعرف باسم "علامة كمين" لأنه يميل إلى الاستلقاء في كمين على طول مسارات الغابات و جوانب الطرق.

يمكن العثور على قراد الكلاب عبر شرق الولايات المتحدة من فلوريدا إلى الحدود الشمالية. ويمكن أيضا أن تكون موجودة في ولاية كاليفورنيا وجنوب ولاية أوريغون. مع ارتفاع درجات الحرارة في فصل الشتاء إلى الشمال ، تتسع موائلها في المناخات الشمالية ، بما في ذلك كندا.

لون ستار تيك

تشتهر علامة Lone Star بالعدوان. بدلًا من الانتظار للحصول على وجبة دم ، فإن القراد Lone Star يتابعون مضيفيهم عن طريق اتباع رائحتهم. يمكنهم نقل فيروس هارتلاند ، Ricketsettia البكتيريا وغيرها من الأمراض.

مرة واحدة تقتصر على جنوب وادي نهر أوهايو ، وهذا النوع من القراد ينتشر أيضا أبعد الشمال سنة بعد سنة. تم الإبلاغ عن تعداد سكاني جديد في ميشيغان وبنسلفانيا ومعظم مقاطعات نيو إنجلاند. كما هاجر القراد غربًا إلى نبراسكا وداكوتا الجنوبية في السنوات الأخيرة.

ساحل الخليج

هذا القراد ينقل أيضا كساح العدوى ، وكذلك الممرض الكلب هاباتزون أمريكانوم.

يمكن العثور على علامات ساحل الخليج في أقصى جنوب أمريكا الوسطى. لقد اقتصروا ذات مرة على الدول الواقعة على طول ساحل الخليج وجنوب المحيط الأطلسي ، لكن تلك الصورة تتغير. انتقلت هذه العلامة اليوم إلى عدة ولايات جديدة ، بما في ذلك أركنساس وأوكلاهوما وكانساس وتينيسي. وقد وجد حتى في جنوب ولاية اريزونا.

Blacklegged Tick

هذا هو القراد الذي ينتشر Lyme ، إلى جانب مجموعة متنوعة من الأمراض أكثر من أي قراد أمريكا الشمالية. والطقس في فصل الشتاء بالكاد يبطئ عليه. يظل البالغون نشطين طالما أن درجة الحرارة لا تتجمد ، وفقًا لمركز موارد Rhode Island Tick Encounter.

انتشرت هذه العلامة لأنها تهاجر مع مضيفها الأساسي ، الغزلان ذات الذيل الأبيض. نظرًا لأن هذه الغزلان قد أعيد إدخالها في الموائل التي تمت إعادة تحريجها حول الولايات المتحدة الشرقية ، فقد انتشرت القراد الأسود في هذه المناطق أيضًا. لقد توغلت هذه العلامة مؤخرًا في شمال غرب كيبيك ، كندا ، وكذلك في غرب ولاية أيوا. في الواقع ، يبدو أن سكانها يزدهرون أكثر فأكثر في جميع المناطق تقريباً شرق نهر المسيسيبي.

لماذا المزيد من القراد العض؟

قدم العلماء عدة تفسيرات لارتفاع لدغات القراد الضارة. في بعض الحالات ، قام الناس ببناء أحياء أعمق في مناطق الغابات ، مما يجعل الناس على مقربة من هذه الآفات. في حالات أخرى ، كانت الحيوانات المضيفة ت��يد أعدادها ونطاقاتها الإقليمية. يعتقد الكثيرون أن تغير المناخ قد ألهم هذه الزيادات ، مع ازدهار القراد في المناخات الدافئة.

ما هي علامات دغة القراد؟

لسوء الحظ لغرض الاكتشاف ، عادةً ما تكون لدغة القراد غير مؤلمة وتبقى على هذا النحو حتى بعد توقف القراد عن تناول وجبة الدم ويسقط من الجلد. في وقت لاحق ، قد يتطور موقع العض:

متلهف، متشوق

احتراق

احمرار أو بقعة حمراء

نادرا ، ألم شديد موضعي كما هو الحال في المفاصل (بعض اللدغات الناعمة) في بعض الأفراد

الأمراض المنقولة بالقراد

على الرغم من أن معظم لدغات القراد لا تنقل مسببات الأمراض ، فإن بعضها يقوم بذلك. لا يمكن تحديد ما إذا كانت القراد تحمل مسببات الأمراض بصريًا أم لا. فيما يلي قائمة بجميع الأمراض الرئيسية التي تنقلها القراد ، وناقلات القراد المعتادة ، والعوامل الممرضة التي تنقلها القراد في الولايات المتحدة.

داء التلريات – Dermacentor variabilis (علامة الكلب الأمريكية ؛ تُعرف العديد من الأنواع أيضًا باسم القراد الخشبي) (القراد الصلب) و Amblyomma americanum أو علامة النجمة الوحيدة (القراد الثابت) – نواقل البكتيريا Francisella tularensis

Anaplasmosis (تشريح الحبيبات البشري أو HGA) – أنواع الإكسود (القراد الصعب) – ناقلات بكتيريا Anaplasma phagocytophilum

حمى قراد كولورادو – Dermacentor andersoni (علامة قاسية) – نواقل فيروسات Coltivirus ، وهو فيروس RNA

التهاب دماغ بواسان – أنواع Ixodes و Dermacentor andersoni (كلتا القرادتين القاسيتين) – ناقلات فيروس التهاب الدماغ Powassan ، وهو فيروس Arbovirus

البابيزيا – أنواع Ixodes (القراد الثابت) – نواقل Babesia ، وهي أولية

Ehrlichiosis – القراد النتن أمبليما أمريكانوم (القراد الثابت) – ناقلات الأنواع الجرثومية للإيرليخيا والإيرليشيا إيشي

حمى الجبال الصخرية – Dermacentor variabilis (قراد الكلب الأمريكي) وقراد روكي ماونتين وود (Dermacentor andersoni) (القراد القاسي) هما المتجهات الرئيسية وأحيانًا قراد الكلاب البني (Rhipicephalus sanguineus) ؛ Amblyomma cajennense (القراد الصعب) هو ناقل في البلدان الواقعة جنوب الولايات المتحدة – ناقلات بكتيريا Rickettsia

مرض لايم – أنواع Ixodes بما في ذلك قراد الغزلان أو التي تعرف أيضًا باسم القراد ذات الأرجل السوداء (القراد القاسي) – ناقلات الأنواع البوريلية من البكتيريا

فيروس هارتلاند – مرض فيروسي اكتشف في عام 2012 وانتقل بواسطة Amblyomma americanum أو علامة النجمة الوحيدة

الحمى المنقولة بالقراد – Ornithodoros moubata أو القراد الأفريقي ؛ (علامة لينة) – ناقلات لأنواع بوريليا من البكتيريا

حمى س – Rhipicephalus sanguineus و Dermacentor andersoni و Amblyomma americanum (الثلاثة كلها علامات قاسية) – ناقلات ل Coxiella burnetii ، بكتيريا

مرض الطفح الجلدي المرتبط بالقراد الجنوبي (STARI) – Amblyomma americanum أو علامة النجمة الوحيدة (علامة قاسية) – عامل معدي لم يتم تحديده بعد وفقًا لمراكز مكافحة الأمراض والوقاية منها في الولايات المتحدة (CDC)

سؤال

انتظام الامعاء يعني حركة الامعاء كل يوم. انظر للاجابة

Source link

from WordPress https://ift.tt/2ne3aGg via IFTTT

[genomicmedicineuk]

WHAT IS ROCKY MOUNTAIN SPOTTED FEVER (RMSF, RICKETTSIA RICKETTSII ANTIBODIES) SEROLOGY TEST?

WHAT IS ROCKY MOUNTAIN SPOTTED FEVER (RMSF, RICKETTSIA RICKETTSII ANTIBODIES) SEROLOGY��TEST?

Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) is an infectious disease caused by the parasite Rickettsia rickettsii transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected tick (usually the wood tick, Dermacentor andersoni; the dog tick, Dermacentor variabilis; and occasionally the Lone Star tick, Amblyomma americanum). Although believed to exist in the Western Hemisphere, this disease can occur anywhere that the…