Variable effects of wildlife and livestock on questing tick abundance across a topographical–climatic gradient

Ecosphere, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 16(2)

Published: Feb. 1, 2025

Abstract Large‐bodied wild ungulates are declining worldwide, while domestic livestock continue to increase in abundance. Such changes large herbivore communities should have strong effects on the control of ticks and tick‐borne disease as they can indirectly modify habitat directly serve final hosts for ticks' lifecycles. Numerous studies now linked changing ungulate tick populations risk. However, variable across studies, effect climate a mediating factor this variation remains poorly understood. Also, date largely focused wildlife loss without considering extent which additions may alter populations, even though replacement is global norm. In study, we used large‐scale exclosure experiment replicated along topo‐climatic gradient examine both removal additions. We found that questing increased modestly, by 21%, when herbivores were removed from system decreased more substantially, 50%, (in form cattle) added. Importantly, addition direct also mediates density. Particularly, under most arid conditions presence, likely due ground‐level microclimates away those beneficial ticks. Overall, work contributes our understanding population responses globally common human‐induced rangeland alterations concurrent change.

Language: Английский

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Bridging landscape ecology and urban science to respond to the rising threat of mosquito-borne diseases

Nature Ecology & Evolution, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 6(11), P. 1601 - 1616

Published: Oct. 27, 2022

Language: Английский

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Hard Ticks as Vectors: The Emerging Threat of Tick-Borne Diseases in India

Pathogens, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 13(7), P. 556 - 556

Published: July 2, 2024

Hard ticks (Ixodidae) play a critical role in transmitting various tick-borne diseases (TBDs), posing significant global threats to human and animal health. Climatic factors influence the abundance, diversity, vectorial capacity of tick vectors. It is imperative have comprehensive understanding hard ticks, pathogens, eco-epidemiology, impact climatic changes on transmission dynamics TBDs. The distribution life cycle patterns are influenced by diverse ecological that, turn, can be impacted climate, leading expansion vector’s range geographical distribution. Vector competence, pivotal aspect capacity, involves tick’s ability acquire, maintain, transmit pathogens. efficiently feeding hosts manipulating their immunity through saliva, emerge as competent vectors for such viruses, parasites bacteria. This significantly influences success pathogen transmission. Further exploration genetic population structure, hybrid crucial, they substantial influencing vector competence complicating review deals with important TBDs India delves into profound vectors, biology, competence. Given that continue pose threat health, emphasizes urgency investigating control strategies advancing vaccine development. Special attention given genetics comprehending diversity populations providing essential insights adaptability environmental changes.

Language: Английский

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Ticks - public health risks in urban green spaces

BMC Public Health, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 24(1)

Published: April 13, 2024

Abstract Background Urban green spaces are important for human health, but they may expose visitors to tick-borne diseases. This not only presents a potential public health challenge also undermines the expected gains from urban spaces. The aim of this study is assess risk diseases in an space used recreation Stockholm, Sweden. Methods We mixed method approach identifying both magnitude tick hazard and extent exposure At six entry points space, we sampled ticks documented microhabitat conditions five randomly assigned 2 m × plots. Surrounding habitat data was analyzed using geographical information system (GIS). Nymphs adult were tested Borrelia burgdorfer i sensu lato Anaplasma phagocytophilum TaqMan qPCR . Positive B burgdorferi (s.l.) further by nested PCR amplification sequence analysis. Population census visitor count estimate degree To understand which get contact with infected conducted interviews Results High densities commonly found humid broadleaved forest low field vegetation. pathogen prevalence significantly correlated increasing proportions artificial areas. Integrating that moderate high at most studied points. Many frequently Walking common activity, engaged activities higher encounters. Individual protective measures connected specific recreational such as picking berries or mushrooms. Conclusions number can be combined inventory molecular analyses make crude estimations encountering omnipresent during spaces, highlighting need campaigns reduce

Language: Английский

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Data release: targeted systematic literature search for tick and tick-borne pathogen distributions in six countries in sub-Saharan Africa from 1901 to 2020

Parasites & Vectors, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 17(1)

Published: Feb. 22, 2024

Abstract Background Surveillance data documenting tick and tick-borne disease (TBD) prevalence is needed to develop risk assessments implement control strategies. Despite extensive research in Africa, there no standardized, comprehensive review. Methods Here we tackle this knowledge gap, by producing a review of articles on ticks TBD between 1901 2020 Chad, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda. Over 8356 English language were recovered. Our search strategy included 19 related MeSH terms. Articles reviewed, 331 met inclusion criteria. containing mappable compiled into standardized schema, georeferenced, uploaded VectorMap. Results Tick pathogen matrixes created, providing information vector distributions tick–pathogen associations within the six selected African countries. Conclusions These results provide digital, database current historical across countries which can inform specific modeling, determine surveillance gaps, guide future priorities. Graphical

Language: Английский

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Socio‐ecological drivers of multiple zoonotic hazards in highly urbanized cities

Global Change Biology, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 28(5), P. 1705 - 1724

Published: Dec. 10, 2021

Abstract The ongoing COVID‐19 pandemic is a stark reminder of the devastating consequences pathogen spillover from wildlife to human hosts, particularly in densely populated urban centers. Prevention future zoonotic disease contingent on informed surveillance for known and novel threats across diverse human–wildlife interfaces. Cities are key venue potential events because presence pathogens transmitted by hosts vectors living close proximity dense settlements. Effectively identifying managing hazards requires understanding socio‐ecological processes driving hazard distribution prevalence dynamic heterogeneous landscapes. Despite increasing awareness health impacts hazards, integration an eco‐epidemiological perspective into public management plans remains limited. Here we discuss how landscape patterns, abiotic conditions, biotic interactions influence highly urbanized cities (HUCs) temperate climates promote their efficient effective multi‐sectoral coalition stakeholders. We describe interpret both direct indirect ecological processes, incorporate spatial scale, evaluate networks connectivity specific different biologically‐informed targeted decision‐making. Using New York City, USA as case study, identify major threats, apply knowledge relevant factors, highlight opportunities challenges research intervention. aim broaden toolbox stakeholders providing ecologically‐informed, practical guidance evaluation hazards.

Language: Английский

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Land-use change and rodent-borne diseases: hazards on the shared socioeconomic pathways

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 376(1837), P. 20200362 - 20200362

Published: Sept. 20, 2021

Land-use change has a direct impact on species survival and reproduction, altering their spatio-temporal distributions. It acts as selective force that favours the abundance diversity of reservoir hosts affects host–pathogen dynamics prevalence. This led to land-use being significant driver infectious diseases emergence. Here, we predict presence rodent taxa map zoonotic hazard (potential sources harm) from rodent-borne in short long term (2025 2050). The study considers three different scenarios based shared socioeconomic pathways narratives (SSPs): sustainable (SSP1-Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 2.6), fossil-fuelled development (SSP5-RCP 8.5) deepening inequality (SSP4-RCP 6.0). We found cropland expansion into forest pasture may increase hazards areas with high rodent-species diversity. Nevertheless, future scenario not always reduce hazards. All presented heterogeneity hazard, high-income countries having lowest range. SSPs suggest opening borders reducing are critical mitigate current globally, particularly middle- low-income economies. Our advances previous efforts anticipate emergence by integrating past, present information guide surveillance mitigation at regional local scale. article is part theme issue ‘Infectious disease macroecology: parasite across globe’.

Language: Английский

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Mechanistic movement models to predict geographic range expansions of ticks and tick-borne pathogens: Case studies with Ixodes scapularis and Amblyomma americanum in eastern North America

Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 14(4), P. 102161 - 102161

Published: March 28, 2023

The geographic range of the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis, is expanding northward from United States into southern Canada, and studies suggest that lone star Amblyomma americanum, will follow suit. These tick species are vectors for many zoonotic pathogens, their expansion presents a serious threat to public health. Climate change (particularly increasing temperature) has been identified as an important driver permitting ticks, but impacts host movement, which essential dispersal new climatically suitable regions, have received limited investigation. Here, mechanistic movement model was applied landscapes eastern North America explore 1) relationships between multiple ecological drivers speed invasion ticks infected with causative agent Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, 2) its capacity simulate uninfected under theoretical scenarios temperature. Our results attraction migratory birds (long-distance hosts) resource-rich areas during spring migration mate-finding Allee effect in population dynamics key spread ticks. modeled increases temperature extended Canada towards higher latitudes by up 31% 1%, respectively, average predicted reaching 61 km/year 23 km/year, respectively. Differences projected spatial distribution patterns these were due differences climate envelopes populations, well availability attractiveness habitats birds. indicate process primarily driven local resident terrestrial hosts, whereas governed long-distance bird dispersal. also models provide powerful approach predicting tick-borne disease risk complex climate, socioeconomic land use/land cover changes.

Language: Английский

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Assessing the Influence of Climate Change and Environmental Factors on the Top Tick-Borne Diseases in the United States: A Systematic Review

Microorganisms, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 12(1), P. 50 - 50

Published: Dec. 27, 2023

In the United States (US), tick-borne diseases (TBDs) have more than doubled in past fifteen years and are a major contributor to overall burden of vector-borne diseases. The most common TBDs US—Lyme disease, rickettsioses (including Rocky Mountain spotted fever), anaplasmosis—have gradually shifted recent years, resulting increased morbidity mortality. this systematic review, we examined climate change other environmental factors that influenced epidemiology these US while highlighting opportunities for One Health approach mitigating their impact. We searched Medline Plus, PUBMED, Google Scholar studies focused on three from January 2018 August 2023. Data selection extraction were completed using Covidence, risk bias was assessed with ROBINS-I tool. review included 84 papers covering multiple states across US. found climate, seasonality temporality, land use important impact patterns TBDs. emerging trends, by factors, emphasize need region-specific research aid prediction prevention

Language: Английский

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Effective Methods of Estimation of Pathogen Prevalence in Pooled Ticks

Pathogens, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 12(4), P. 557 - 557

Published: April 5, 2023

Since tick-borne diseases (TBDs) incidence, both in human and animal populations, is increasing worldwide, there the need to assess presence, distribution prevalence of pathogens. Reliable estimates on pathogens (TBPs) represent public health foundation create risk maps take effective prevention control actions against TBDs. Tick surveillance consists collecting testing (usually pools) thousands specimens. Construction analysis tick pools a challenge due complexity ecology. The aim this study provide practical guideline appropriate pooling strategies statistical infection through: (i) reporting different methodologies commonly used calculate pathogen populations (ii) comparison between methods utilising real dataset ticks collected Northern Italy. Reporting detailed information pool composition size as important correct TBPs estimation. Among indexes, we suggest using maximum-likelihood pooled instead minimum rate or positivity given merits method availability software.

Language: Английский

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