Distribution of ixodid tick species parasitizing livestock in Sirumalai, The Eastern Ghats of Tamil Nadu, South India and its implications for public health

Year 2024, Volume: 6 Issue: 1, 1 - 8, 30.01.2024

Veerapathiran Ayyavu , Krishnamoorthy Nallan Elango Ayyanar , Balaji Thıruppathı Ashwani Kumar Paramasivan Rajaıah

https://doi.org/10.47121/acarolstud.1352496

Abstract

Ticks and tick-borne diseases are an important public health problem worldwide. In India, prevalence of many tick-borne pathogens such as Ganjam virus, Kyasanur forest disease virus (KFDV), Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) virus and Rickettsia conorii etc., have been documented. The species composition of ticks infesting domestic animals in the Sirumalai area of the Eastern Ghats in Tamil Nadu, South India has been recorded. A total of 2851 tick specimens were collected, and taxonomical identification revealed that 14 species belong to four genera, viz., Haemaphysalis, Rhipicephalus, Amblyomma and Hyalomma. Among the species, Haemaphysalis intermedia from goats and Rhipicephalus microplus from cattle account for 72.6% and 15.2%, respectively. Amblyomma integrum was collected only from cattle (n=22). Rhipicephalus simus, Rhipicephalus bursa, Hyalomma hussaini and Hyalomma kumari have been recorded for the first time this area. The preliminary results confirms the occurrence of rich diversity of tick fauna in this area and recommend further studies to determine the role of these fauna and their public health relevance to livestock and residents.

Keywords

Ixodida, Haemaphysalis, Amblyomma, Rhipicephalus, Hyalomma, domesticated animals, South India

Ethical Statement

This study has been approved by the institutional Research Integrity Unity (RIU) of the Vector Control Research Centre, RIU-05/2022.

Supporting Institution

This study was supported by ICMR-VCRC intra-mural funding, IM: 2016.

Project Number

IM: 2016

Thanks

The authors thank the laboratory staff ICMR-VCRC-Field Unit, Madurai for their support during this study. The authors acknowledge R. Ramkumar, Research Scholar at VCRC-Field Unit, Madurai for the illustrations work.

References

• Abubakar, M., Perera, P.K., Iqbal, A. and Manzoor, S. 2018. Introductory chapter: Ticks and tick-borne pathogens. In: Ticks and tick-borne pathogens. Abubakar, M. and Perera, P.K. (Eds.). IntechOpen, London, UK, 1-7. doi: 10.5772/intechopen.82510
• Apanaskevich, D.A., Bandaranayaka, K.O., Apanaskevich, M.A. and Rajakaruna, R.S. 2016. Redescription of Amblyomma integrum adults and immature stages. Medical and Veterinary Entomology, 30 (3): 330-341. doi: 10.1111/mve.12178
• Brown, L.D. and Macaluso, K.R. 2016. Rickettsia felis, an emerging flea-borne rickettsiosis. Current Tropical Medicine Reports, 3 (2): 27-39. doi: 10.1007/s40475-016-0070-6
• Chakraborty, S., Andrade, F.C., Ghosh, S., Uelmen, J. and Ruiz, M.O. 2019. Historical expansion of Kyasanur forest disease in India from 1957 to 2017: a retrospective analysis. Geo Health, 3 (2): 44-55. doi: 10.1029/2018GH000164
• Chala, B. and Hamde, F. 2021. Emerging and re-emerging vector-borne infectious diseases and the challenges for control: a review. Frontiers in Public Health, 9: 715759. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.715759
• Dandawate, C.N. and Shah, K.V. 1969. Ganjam virus: a new arbovirus isolated from ticks Haemaphysalis intermedia Warburton and Nuttall, 1909, in Orissa, India. Indian Journal of Medical Research, 57 (5): 799-804.
• Edith, R., Harikrishnan, T.J., Ponnudurai, G., Gomathinayagam, S., Kumarasamy, P. and Senthilkumar, T.M. 2018. Molecular prevalence of Theileria annulata in cattle from different Agroclimatic Zones of Tamil Nadu, India. International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences, 7 (10): 2225-2231. doi: 10.20546/ijcmas.2018.710.255
• Geevargheese, G. and Mishra, A.C. 2011. Haemaphysalis ticks of India. Elsevier, London, UK, 253 pp.
• Geevarghese, G. and Dhanda, V. 1987. The Indian Hyalomma ticks (Ixodoidea: Ixodidae). Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi, India, 119 pp.
• Geevarghese, G. and Dhanda, V. 1995. Ixodid ticks of Maharashtra State, India. Acarologia, 36 (4): 309-313.
• Geevarghese, G., Fernandes, S. and Kulkarani, S.M. 1997. A checklist of Indian ticks (Acari: Ixodidae). Indian Journal of Animal Science, 67 (5): 566-574.
• Ghosh, S. and Nagar, G. 2014. Problem of ticks and tick-borne diseases in India with special emphasis on progress in tick control research: a review. Journal of Vector Borne Diseases, 51 (4): 259-270.
• Ghosh, S., Bansal, G.C., Gupta, S.C., Ray, D., Khan, M.Q., Irshad, H., Shahiduzzaman, M.D., Seitzer, U. and Ahmed J.S. 2007. Status of tick distribution in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. Parasitology Research, 101 (S2): 207-216. doi: 10.1007/s00436-007-0684-7
• Gurwattan, S.M., Bindra O.S. and Prasad, V. 1975. Tick fauna of North-Western India (Acarina: Metastigmata). International Journal of Acarology, 1 (1): 31-54. doi: 10.1080/01647957508683735
• Jain, P., Satapathy, T. and Pandey, R.K. 2020. Rhipicephalus microplus: A parasite threatening cattle health and consequences of herbal acaricides for upliftment of livelihood of cattle rearing communities in Chhattisgarh. Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology, 26: 101611. doi: 10.1016/j.bcab.2020.101611
• Liu, J., Guan, G. and Yin, H. 2022. Theileria annulata. Trends in Parasitology, 38 (3): 265-266. doi: 10.1016/j.pt.2021.11.001
• Mediannikov, O., Matsumoto, K., Samoylenko, I., Drancourt, M., Roux, V., Rydkina, E., Davoust, B., Tarasevich, I., Brouqui, P. and Fournier, P.E. 2008. Rickettsia raoultii sp. nov., a spotted fever group rickettsia associated with Dermacentor ticks in Europe and Russia. International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, 58 (7): 1635-1639. doi: 10.1099/ijs.0.64952-0
• Minjauw, B. and McLeod, A. 2003. Tick-borne diseases and poverty. The impact of ticks and tick-borne diseases on the livelihoods of small-scale and marginal livestock owners in India and eastern and southern Africa. Research report, DFID Animal Health Programme, Centre for Tropical Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, UK, 124 pp.
• Mourya, D.T., Yadav P.D., Patil, D.Y., Sahay, R.R. and Rahi, M. 2021. Experiences of Indian Council of M,edical Research with tick-borne zoonotic infections: Kyasanur Forest disease & Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic fever in India with One Health focus. The Indian Journal of Medical Research, 153 (3): 339-347. doi: 10.4103/ijmr.IJMR_532_21
• Nallan, K., Ayyavu, V., Ayyanar, E., Thirupathi, B., Gupta, B., Devaraju, P., Kumar, A., Rajaiah, P. 2023. Molecular Evidence of Rickettsia conorii subsp. raoultii and Rickettsia felis in Haemaphysalis intermedia Ticks in Sirumalai, Eastern Ghats, Tamil Nadu, South India. Microorganisms, 11: 1713. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms11071713
• Nataraj, N., Muthuraman, K., Ayyanar, E., Ashokkumar, M., Kumar, A., Srinivasan, L. and Devaraju, P. 2021. Ectoparasite diversity in pets and livestock from Puducherry, India. International Journal of Acarology, 47 (7): 1-5. doi: 10.1080/01647954.2021.1968494
• Negi, T., Kandari, L.S. and Arunachalam, K. 2021. Update on prevalence and distribution pattern of tick-borne diseases among humans in India: a review. Parasitology Research, 120 (5): 1523-1539. doi: 10.1007/s00436-021-07114-x
• Perera, L.P., Peiris, J.S.M., Weilgama, D.J., Calisher, C.H. and Shope, R.E. 1996. Nairobi sheep disease virus isolated from Haemaphysalis intermedia ticks collected in Sri Lanka. Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, 90 (1): 91-93. doi: 10.1080/00034983.1996.11813031
• Prakasan, K. and Ramani, N. 2007. Tick parasites of domestic animals of Kerala, South India. Asian Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 2: 74-80. doi: 10.3923/ajava.2007.74.80
• Rahman, M.T., Sobur, M.A., Islam, M.S., Ievy, S., Hossain, M.J., El Zowalaty, M.E., Rahman, A.T. and Ashour, H.M. 2020. Zoonotic diseases: etiology, impact, and control. Microorganisms, 8 (9): 1405. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms8091405
• Rajaiah, P. 2019. Kyasanur Forest Disease in India: innovative options for intervention. Human Vaccine Immunother, 15 (10): 2243-2248. doi: 10.1080/21645515.2019.1602431
• Rodriguez-Vivas, R.I., Jonsson, N.N. and Bhushan, C. 2018. Strategies for the control of Rhipicephalus microplus ticks in a world of conventional acaricide and macrocyclic lactone resistance. Parasitology Research, 117 (1): 3-29. doi: 10.1007/s00436-017-5677-6
• Salje, J., Weitzel, T., Newton, P.N., Varghese, G.M. and Day, N. 2021. Rickettsial infections: A blind spot in our view of neglected tropical diseases. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 15: e0009353.
• Senbill, H., Borah, D.K., Baruah, A., Tanaka T. and Rahman, S. 2022. Life cycle of the tick, Haemaphysalis (Kaiseriana) bispinosa (Acari: Ixodidae) under laboratory conditions. International Journal of Acarology, 48 (1): 7-14. doi: 10.1080/01647954.2021.2009566
• Shah, K.V. and Work, T.H. 1969. Bhanja, virus: a new arbovirus from ticks Haemaphysalis intermedia Warburton and Nuttall, 1909 in Orissa, India. Indian Journal of Medical Research, 57(5): 793-798.
• Sharif, M. 1928. A Revision of the Indian Ixodidae with special reference to the collection in the Indian Museum. Records of the Indian Museum, 30 (3): 217-344.
• Shastri, U.V. and Deshpande, P.D. 1981. Hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum (Koch, 1844) as a possible vector for transmission of Trypanosoma theileri, Laveran, 1902 in cattle. Veterinary Parasitology, 9 (2): 151-155. doi: 10.1016/0304-4017(81)90034-0
• Soundararajan, C., Ram Narendran, R., Azhahianambi, P., Latha, B.R. and Nagarajan, K. 2017. Morphological and molecular identification of Amblyomma integrum collected from an Indian Gaur (Bos gaurus). International Journal of Acarology 43 (7): 1-5. doi: 10.1080/01647954.2017.1360390
• Stewart, A., Armstrong, M., Graves, S. and Hajkowicz, K. 2017. Clinical manifestations and outcomes of Rickettsia australis infection: A 15-year retrospective study of hospitalized patients. Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, 2 (2): 19. doi: 10.3390/tropicalmed2020019
• Sudeep, A.B., Jadi, R.S. and Mishra, A.C. 2009. Ganjam virus. Indian Journal of Medical Research, 130 (5): 514-519.
• Tandon, S.K., 1990. Distribution, seasonal, activity and disease relationship of ixodid ticks (Acarina: Ixodidae) parasitising live-stock in Zambia. Records of the Zoological Survey of India, 86 (2): 361-381.
• Waal, D.T. De, Lopez Rebollar, L.M. and Potgieter, F.T. 1992. The transovarial transmission of Babesia trautmanni by Rhipicephalus simus to domestic pigs. Journal of Veterinary Research, 59 (3): 219-221.
• Walker, A.R., Bouattour, A., Camicas, J.L., Estrada Pena, A., Horak, I.G., Latif, A.A., Pegram, R.G. and Preston, P.M. 2003. Ticks of domestic animals in Africa: a guide to identification of species. Bioscience Reports, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK, 221 pp.
• Wikel, S.K. 2018. Ticks and tick-borne infections: complex ecology, agents, and host interactions. Veterinary Science, 5 (2): 60. doi: 10.3390/vetsci5020060
• Zhijun, Y., Wang, H., Wang, T., Sun, W., Yang, X. and Liu, J. 2015. Tick-borne pathogens and the vector potential of ticks in China. Parasites & Vectors, 8 (1): 24. doi: 10.1186/s13071-014-0628-x