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Bilgiç HB, Hacilarlioğlu S, Pekağirbaş M, Karagenç T, Eren H, Bakirci S. In vitro feeding of Hyalomma excavatum and Hyalomma marginatum tick species. Parasitol Res 2023:10.1007/s00436-023-07867-7. [PMID: 37178257 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-07867-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
The rearing of ticks is an important technique for studies aiming to elucidate the course and pathogenesis of tick-borne diseases (TBDs). TBDs caused by protozoans (Theileria, Babesia) and bacteria (Anaplasma/Ehrlichia) impose a serious constraint upon livestock health and production in tropical and sub-tropical regions where the distributions of host, pathogen, and vector overlap. This study focuses on Hyalomma marginatum, one of the most important Hyalomma species in the Mediterranean region, being a vector of the virus that causes Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever in humans, together with H. excavatum, a vector of Theileria annulata, an important protozoan of cattle. The adaptation of ticks to feeding on artificial membranes allows the creation of model systems that can be put to use examining the underlying mechanisms of pathogen transmission by ticks. Silicone membranes, in particular, offer researchers the flexibility to adjust membrane thickness and content during artificial feeding. The aim of the present study was to develop an artificial feeding technique using silicone-based membranes for all developmental stages of H. excavatum and H. marginatum ticks. Attachment rates after feeding on silicone membranes for females H. marginatum and H. excavatum were 8.33% (8/96) and 7.95% (7/88), respectively. The use of cow hair as a stimulant increased the attachment rate of H. marginatum adults in comparison to other stimulants. The engorgement of H. marginatum and H. excavatum females took 20.5 and 23 days with average weights of 307.85 and 260.64 mg, respectively. Although both tick species could complete egg-laying, and this was followed by hatching of larvae; their larvae and nymphs could not be fed artificially. Taken together, the results of the present study clearly indicate that silicone membranes are suitable for feeding of H. excavatum and H. marginatum adult ticks, supporting engorgement, laying of eggs, and hatching of the larvae. They thus represent a versatile tool for studying transmission mechanisms of tick-borne pathogens. Further studies are warranted to examine attachment and feeding behaviours in order to increase the success of artificial feeding of larvae and nymphal stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hüseyin Bilgin Bilgiç
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Parasitology, Aydın Adnan Menderes University, Isıklı-Efeler, Aydın, Türkiye
| | - Selin Hacilarlioğlu
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Parasitology, Aydın Adnan Menderes University, Isıklı-Efeler, Aydın, Türkiye
| | - Metin Pekağirbaş
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Parasitology, Aydın Adnan Menderes University, Isıklı-Efeler, Aydın, Türkiye
| | - Tülin Karagenç
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Parasitology, Aydın Adnan Menderes University, Isıklı-Efeler, Aydın, Türkiye
| | - Hasan Eren
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Parasitology, Aydın Adnan Menderes University, Isıklı-Efeler, Aydın, Türkiye
| | - Serkan Bakirci
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Parasitology, Aydın Adnan Menderes University, Isıklı-Efeler, Aydın, Türkiye.
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Valcárcel F, González J, González MG, Sánchez M, Tercero JM, Elhachimi L, Carbonell JD, Olmeda AS. Comparative Ecology of Hyalomma lusitanicum and Hyalomma marginatum Koch, 1844 (Acarina: Ixodidae). INSECTS 2020; 11:insects11050303. [PMID: 32414220 PMCID: PMC7290797 DOI: 10.3390/insects11050303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Revised: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 05/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The genus Hyalomma belongs to the Ixodidae family and includes many tick species. Most species in this genus are African species, but two of them, Hyalomma lusitanicum and Hyalomma marginatum, are also found in Europe and, owing to their morphological similarity, it is very difficult to tell them apart. This is a major concern because their phenology and vector capacities are quite different. Moreover, they share many habitats and both are currently spreading to new areas, probably due to climate change and animal/human movements. In this study, we review the described ecology of the two species and provide further interesting data on H. lusitanicum based on the authors' experience, which could be useful in assessing the risk they pose to humans and animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Félix Valcárcel
- Grupo de Parasitología Animal, Animalario del Departamento de Reproducción Animal, INIA, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (M.G.G.); (M.S.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Julia González
- Villamagna S.A., Finca ‘‘La Garganta’’, 14440 Villanueva de Córdoba, Spain; (J.G.); (J.M.T.)
- Center for Vector Biology, Department of Entomology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Marta G. González
- Grupo de Parasitología Animal, Animalario del Departamento de Reproducción Animal, INIA, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (M.G.G.); (M.S.)
- Villamagna S.A., Finca ‘‘La Garganta’’, 14440 Villanueva de Córdoba, Spain; (J.G.); (J.M.T.)
| | - María Sánchez
- Grupo de Parasitología Animal, Animalario del Departamento de Reproducción Animal, INIA, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (M.G.G.); (M.S.)
- Villamagna S.A., Finca ‘‘La Garganta’’, 14440 Villanueva de Córdoba, Spain; (J.G.); (J.M.T.)
| | - José María Tercero
- Villamagna S.A., Finca ‘‘La Garganta’’, 14440 Villanueva de Córdoba, Spain; (J.G.); (J.M.T.)
| | - Latifa Elhachimi
- Département de Parasitologie et Santé Publique, Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II, Rabat-Instituts B.P. 6202, Morocco;
| | - Juan D. Carbonell
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, UCM, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (J.D.C.); (A.S.O.)
| | - A. Sonia Olmeda
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, UCM, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (J.D.C.); (A.S.O.)
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Levin ML, Schumacher LBM. Manual for maintenance of multi-host ixodid ticks in the laboratory. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2016; 70:343-367. [PMID: 27651325 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-016-0084-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2016] [Accepted: 08/03/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Use of laboratory animals as hosts for blood-sucking arthropods remains a time-proven and the most efficient method for establishment and propagation of slowly feeding ixodid ticks, despite introduction of techniques involving artificial feeding on either animal skins or synthetic membranes. New Zealand White rabbits are usually the most accessible and most suitable hosts routinely used for establishment and maintenance of a large variety of multi-host tick species. Here we describe standard procedures for maintaining colonies of multi-host ixodid ticks by feeding all developmental stages (larvae, nymphs, and adults) upon New Zealand White rabbits. When needed, the same procedures can be easily adapted to other species of laboratory or domestic animals from mice to dogs and goats. A summary of our experience in maintaining laboratory colonies of Ixodes scapularis, Ixodes pacificus, Amblyomma americanum, Dermacentor variabilis, Dermacentor occidentalis, Haemaphysalis leporispalustris, and Rhipicephalus sanguineus with descriptions of the complete laboratory life cycles and reliable production of uninfected ticks under standardized conditions has been published by Troughton and Levin (J Med Entomol 44:732-740, 2007). Here we provide step-by-step recommendations for various procedures used in the maintenance of ixodid tick colonies based on over 20 years of experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael L Levin
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road NE, MS G-13, Atlanta, GA, 30329-4018, USA.
| | - Lauren B M Schumacher
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road NE, MS G-13, Atlanta, GA, 30329-4018, USA
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Gargili A, Thangamani S, Bente D. Influence of laboratory animal hosts on the life cycle of Hyalomma marginatum and implications for an in vivo transmission model for Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2013; 3:39. [PMID: 23971007 PMCID: PMC3747357 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2013.00039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2013] [Accepted: 07/23/2013] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) is one of the most geographically widespread arboviruses and causes a severe hemorrhagic syndrome in humans. The virus circulates in nature in a vertebrate-tick cycle and ticks of the genus Hyalomma are the main vectors and reservoirs. Although the tick vector plays a central role in the maintenance and transmission of CCHFV in nature, comparatively little is known of CCHFV-tick interactions. This is mostly due to the fact that establishing tick colonies is laborious, and working with CCHFV requires a biosafety level 4 laboratory (BSL4) in many countries. Nonetheless, an in vivo transmission model is essential to understand the epidemiology of the transmission cycle of CCHFV. In addition, important parameters such as vectorial capacity of tick species, levels of infection in the host necessary to infect the tick, and aspects of virus transmission by tick bite including the influence of tick saliva, cannot be investigated any other way. Here, we evaluate the influence of different laboratory animal species as hosts supporting the life cycle of Hyalomma marginatum, a two-host tick. Rabbits were considered the host of choice for the maintenance of the uninfected colonies due to high larval attachment rates, shorter larval-nymphal feeding times, higher nymphal molting rates, high egg hatching rates, and higher conversion efficiency index (CEI). Furthermore, we describe the successful establishment of an in vivo transmission model for CCHFV in a BSL4 biocontainment setting using interferon knockout mice. This will give us a new tool to study the transmission and interaction of CCHFV with its tick vector.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aysen Gargili
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical BranchGalveston, TX, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical BranchGalveston, TX, USA
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Marmara UniversityIstanbul, Turkey
| | - Saravanan Thangamani
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical BranchGalveston, TX, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical BranchGalveston, TX, USA
| | - Dennis Bente
- Galveston National Laboratory, University of Texas Medical BranchGalveston, TX, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical BranchGalveston, TX, USA
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