Biosurveillance and Research Needs Involving Area-wide Systematic Active Sampling to Enhance Integrated Cattle Fever Tick, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) spp. (Ixodida: Ixodidae), Eradication

Authors: Showler, Allan; Perez De Leon, Adalberto - Beto; Saelao, Perot

Submitted to: Journal of Medical Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/25/2021
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Cattle fever ticks (two species) are important parasitic pests of cattle, mostly because they transmit the pathogens that cause bovine babesiosis. Bovine babesiosis inflicted substantial cattle production losses in the United States before the vectors were eliminated by 1943, with the exception of a Permanent Quarantine Zone in South Texas, a buffer along the Mexico border where the invasive ixodids remain. As hosts, infested white-tailed deer and exotic nilgai antelope populations disperse the ticks, increasing the risk of bovine babesiosis in the United States. A cattle fever tick incursion first detected in 2016 on the South Texas coastal plain wildlife corridor involved infestations on cattle, nilgai antelope, white-tailed deer, and vegetation. Efforts at passive sampling of cattle fever ticks on hosts are concentrated in the Permanent Quarantine Zone. Hence, a knowledge gap exists on the full extent of the recent incursions. Area-wide, systematic active sampling, and supportive research, involving the Permanent Quarantine Zone, Temporary Quarantine Zone, most of the coastal plain, and other parts of Texas outside of the quarantine zones are needed to bridge the knowledge gap. We provide research perspectives and rationale to develop and implement systematic active sampling that will provide an increasingly accurate assessment of cattle fever tick distribution in Texas. We suggest that this is essential to advance integrated vector-borne animal disease eradication approaches for keeping cattle free of bovine babesiosis in the United States.

Technical Abstract: The one-host the cattle fever tick, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus (Say) (Ixodida: Ixodidae), and southern cattle fever tick, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (Canestrini), are important ectoparasitic pests of cattle, Bos taurus L., mostly for transmitting the causal agents of bovine babesiosis. Bovine babesiosis inflicted substantial cattle production losses in the United States before the vectors were eliminated by 1943, with the exception of a Permanent Quarantine Zone in South Texas, a buffer along the Mexico border where the invasive ixodids remain. As suitable hosts, infested white-tailed deer and nilgai antelope populations disperse R. annulatus and R. microplus, which increases the risk for emergence of bovine babesiosis in the United States. A R. microplus incursion first detected in 2016 on the South Texas coastal plain wildlife corridor involved infestations on cattle, nilgai antelope, white-tailed deer, and vegetation. Efforts at passive sampling of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) spp. on hosts are concentrated in the Permanent Quarantine Zone. Hence, a knowledge gap exists on the full extent of the recent incursions. Area-wide, systematic, active sampling, and supportive research, involving the Permanent Quarantine Zone, Temporary Quarantine Zone, most of the coastal plain, and other parts of Texas outside of the quarantine zones are needed to bridge the knowledge gap. Herein, we provide research perspectives and rationale to develop and implement systematic active sampling that will provide an increasingly accurate assessment of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) spp. distribution in Texas. We suggest that this is essential to advance integrated vector-borne animal disease eradication approaches for keeping cattle free of bovine babesiosis.