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

1. Webb County, Texas Tick Activity during 2005-2008 on the Texas A&M International Campus (Webb County, Texas) Amblyomma cajennense David L. Beck , Josué Zavala, Fernando Quintana

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 Best Figure 2: Satellite Image of TAMIU 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 • Tick Life Cycle • Tick Collection Methods • Ticks Identified • Correlation with Weather Activity • Future Directions

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

8. Tick Identification: Genera • Note the difference in the anal groove of the Ixodes and non-Ixodes Ixodes Non-Ixodes Photographs taken by S.J. Upton, Kansas State University J. Zavala

9. Tick Identification: Genus of Non-Ixodid ticks Amblyomma or Aponomma Dermacentor Haemaphysalis Rhipicephalus or Boophilus *Amblyomma eye spots present; Aponomma eye spots absent *Rhipicephalus with festoons; Boophilus festoons absent Photographs Taken by S.J. Upton, Kansas State University J. Zavala

10. Ticks Identified March 2005-Nov 2008 No. Found 1. unidentified chigger shown for size comparison. N/A 2. unidentified flea shown for size comparison. 1775 3. Amblyomma cajennense Larva 27789 4. Amblyomma cajennense full engorged Larva 5. Amblyomma cajennense Nymph 19300 6. Amblyomma cajennense Adult Male 331 7. Amblyomma cajennense Adult Female 210 8. Amblyomma cajennense partially engorged Adult Female 9. Amblyomma inornatum Nymph 270 10. Amblyomma inornatum Adult Male 55 No. Found 11. Amblyomma inornatum Adult Female 16 12. Amblyomma inornatum partially engorged Adult Female 13. Amblyomma maculatum Adult Male 2 14. Amblyomma maculatum Adult Female 2 15. Dermacentor variabalis Adult Male 62 16. Dermacentor variabalis Adult Female 69 17. Dermacentor variabalis fully engorged Adult Female 18. Haemaphysalis leporispalustris Adult Male 4 19. Haemaphysalis leporispalustris Adult Female 9 Total Speciated 52286 D. Beck, J. Zavala, and other students

11. Tick SpeciesA. cajennense is the dominant tick.

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

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

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

19. 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. Note: Different Scale Negative correlation with 3 wk average mean temperature (p<0.05)

21. Note: Different Scale Larval Emergence

22. Note: Different Scale Positive correlation with 3 wk average mean temperature (p<0.05)

23. Note: Different Scale Adults come independent of rain events.

24. Conclusion • Larval emergence appears to control the life cycle of A. cajennense in South Texas. • Larva emerge • 3-4 months later the nymphs emerge • Adults emerge later (usually during the hotter months).

25. Note: Different Scale

26. Presentation • Tick Life Cycle • Tick Collection Methods • Ticks Identified • Correlation with Weather Activity • Future Directions

27. Tickborne Disease Detected at TAMIU • We examined 189 A. cajennense for • Rickettsia – spotted fever group • Borrelia – Lyme, STARI and others • Ehrlichia – 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 group • 1+ Borrelia – Lyme, STARI and others • 0+ Ehrlichia – HME, HGE • We detected • 4 Rickettsia rhipicephali (2 from a house cat at a colonia, 2 from TAMIU campus) • 1 Borrelia lonestari P. Billingsley, P. Williamson, D. Beck

29. 2005 Augustin Elizondo Roberto Flores Leonardo Nunez Ruben Sandoval Fernando Palacios-Bruno Melissa Vela Kimberly Witt Josue Zavala 2006 Marc Andres C. Alberto Bernal Leslie Carreon Eliezar Castenada Monica Contreras Francisco Garcia Alberto Gonzalez, Jr. Maria Hernandez Melissa Martin Larry Miller Fernando Palacios-Bruno Jesus D. Perez Jorge Serrato Lydia Valenzuela Melissa Vela Joey Villereal Josué Zavala Arianne Zecca 2005 2006

30. 2008 Maxine Caballero James Cortez Geofrey Daves Francisco Garcia Reynaldo Garcia, III Alissa Gonzalez Maria Hernandez Abigail Lozano Selina Mata Ricardo Medrano, Jr. Eric Montalvo Jessica Perez Jorge Serrato Edna Valadez Richard Jacobsen (Faculty at LCC) Juan Pedro Orozco (MS Biology) Alberto Resendez (MS Biology) 2007 Maxine Caballero Francisco Garcia Carlos Gonzalez Eduardo Gonzalez Geraldo Gonzalez Maria Hernandez Abigail Lovano Brenda Perez Jorge Serrato Leonor Araceli Soto Cynthia Villareal Josué Zavala 2009 Eric Montalvo Jessica Perez James Cortez Dania Gomez Cesar Cardenas, Jr. Juan Pedro Orozco (MS Biology)

31. Acknowledgments TAMIU University of North Texas Thomas C. Vaughan Phillip Williamson C. Neal McReynolds Peggy Billingsley Mike Daniel Marvin Bennett $$$$ University Minigrants 2005-9 Texas Center Grant 2005, 2006, 2007 Defense Grant # W911NF-04-1-0045