Expansion in the latitudinal distribution of Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu stricto (Acari: Ixodidae) to southern Chile

Infection and transovarial transmission of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus in Rhipicephalus sanguineus in Hainan Island, China

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) RNA level increased in female ticks after injection with SFTSV. Furthermore, SFTSV RNA was detected in the eggs and larvae that originated from the virus-infected female ticks.

Modeling of Control Efforts against Rhipicephalus sanguineus, the Vector of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in Sonora Mexico

Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) is a significant health problem in Sonora, Mexico. The tick vector, Rhipicephalus sanguineus, feeds almost exclusively on domestic dogs that, in this region, also serve as the reservoir for the tick-borne pathogen, Rickettsia rickettsii. A process-based mathematical model of the life cycle of R. sanguineus was developed to predict combinations of insecticidal dog collars and long-lasting insecticidal wall treatments resulting in suppression of indoor tick populations. Because of a high burden of RMSF in a rural community near the Sonora state capital of Hermosillo, a test area was treated with a combination of insecticidal dog collars and long-lasting insecticidal wall treatments from March 2018 to April 2019, with subsequent reduction in RMSF cases and deaths. An estimated 80% of the dogs in the area had collars applied and 15% of the houses were treated. Data on tick abundance on walls and dogs, collected during this intervention, were used to parameterize the model. Model results show a variety of treatment combinations likely to be as successful as the one carried out in the test community.