Tick Paralysis of a Snake Caused by Amblyomma rotundatum (Acari: Ixodidae)

Hanson, Britta A.; Frank, Philip A.; Mertins, James W.; Corn, Joseph L.

doi:10.1093/jmedent/41.5.155

Cited by 22 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…Even though there are records of males of A. rotundatum (KEIRANS & OLIVER 1993, LABRUNA et al 2005, the low number of specimens recorded (three) and the teratogenic characteristics of at least one of them, lead us to question the importance of this stage in the life cycle of this species, believed to be parthenogenetic since 1912 (e.g. ARAGÃO 1912, ARAGÃO 1936, OLIVER 1989, SERRA-FREIRE 2001, FREITAS et al 2002, HANSON et al 2007.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecology of ticks in a taxocenosis of snakes from the Serra do Mendanha, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with new host records

Pontes

Vrcibradic

Rocha

2009

Zoologia (Curitiba, Impr.)

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We studied the ecology of ticks found in different species of a taxocenosis of snakes from the Serra do Mendanha, an area of Atlantic Rainforest located in the state of Rio de Janeiro, southeastern Brazil. Snakes were sampled monthly in the field during a period of 48 months. The specific identity of the hosts and their parasites, the number of parasites, and and snout-vent length and body mass of each host were recorded. A total of 25% of the species of snakes in the area were parasitized by ticks (larvae, nymphs and adult females) Amblyomma rotundatum Koch, 1844 was the predominant parasite species. The infestation parameters varied among the species of snakes sampled, with the highest prevalence of A. rotundatum being observed in the viperid Bothrops jararaca (Wied, 1824) (71.4%), followed by the colubrids Xenodon neuwiedii Günther, 1820 (33%), Chironius laevicollis (Wied, 1824) and Spilotes pullatus (Linnaeus, 1758) (both with 22%). The latter three species also showed the highest rates of infestation by A. rotundatum. The results of the present study suggest that a combination of skin shedding, habitat of the host, type of scale and pattern of scale distribution on the body of the host can influence the degree to which a given species is parasitized by tick

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecology of ticks in a taxocenosis of snakes from the Serra do Mendanha, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with new host records

Pontes

Vrcibradic

Rocha

2009

Zoologia (Curitiba, Impr.)

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“…Notably, an attached female A. rotundatum has been recorded to cause tick paralysis in a snake; namely, a Southern Black Racer, Coluber constrictor priapus Dunn & Wood, in southern Florida (Hanson et al 2007). Removal of this tick restored the snake to full mobility within 18 h. This specific example A. rotundatum parasitism is noteworthy because it shows the potential lethal nature of this tick species to cause tick paralysis.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 89%

First record of Amblyomma rotundatum tick (Acari: Ixodidae) parasitizing a bird collected in Canada

Scott¹,

Durden

2015

Systematic and Applied Acarology

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Migratory birds disperse engorged ticks across Canada during northward spring migration. During our tick-host study, we collected a nymphal Amblyomma rotundatum Koch, from a Veery, Catharus fuscescens (Stephens) (Passeriformes: Turdidae), at Long Point, Ontario, Canada. In the laboratory, this nymph molted to a female in 44 d. The infestation of A. rotundatum on a Veery constitutes a first tick-host record, and a new distributional record in Canada. Notably, this novel collection is the northernmost record of A. rotundatum and the first record of this species on a bird anywhere. We provide formidable evidence that migratory songbirds can carry A. rotundatum thousands of kilometers during northward spring migration. From an epidemiological perspective, A. rotundatum is known to harbor bacteria that are pathogenic to humans. Health-care providers should take note that migratory songbirds can transport A. rotundatum into Canada, and be alert that this tick species signifies an unforeseen public health risk to humans.

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“…These conditions enough provoke immunosuppression and occurrence of stomachitis, pneumonia, enteritis, septicaemia, and animal death (MADER, 1996). However, one should not discard the hypotheses of inoculation of toxins and pathogenic microorganisms by the tick, since Hanson et al (2007) describes one case of tick paralysis caused by an A. rotundatum female in a southern black racer, Coluber constrictor priapus, wild-caught in the Florida Keys.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Few studies exist to confirm this hypothesis, but death has been attributed to the inoculation of toxins (HANSON et al, 2007). It is known, though, that the species transmits the hematozoon Hemolivia stelatta in frogs, and that secondary infections and stress caused by the parasitism may easily provoke septicaemia and lead the reptile to death (MADER, 1996).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Amblyomma rotundatum (Koch, 1844) (Acari: Ixodidae) two-host life-cycle on Viperidae snakes

Rodrigues

Maciel

Cunha

et al. 2010

Rev. Bras. Parasitol. Vet.

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Amblyomma rotundatum is an ixodid tick that infests ectothermic animals and reproduces exclusively by parthenogenesis. This tick has been frequently reported to infest reptiles and amphibians, under natural conditions and sometimes in captivity. It was described in Brazil and several other countries of South, Central and North America. Although many studies have reported aspects of its biology, none of them has used regularly either ophidian as hosts, or controlled temperature, humidity and luminosity for parasitic stages. The objective of this experiment was to study the life cycle of A. rotundatum feeding on Viperidae snakes under room controlled conditions at 27 ± 1 °C temperature, 85 ± 10% relative humidity and 12:12 hours photoperiod for parasitic stages, and under B.O.D incubator conditions at 27 ± 1 °C temperature, 85 ± 10% relative humidity and scotophase for non-parasitic stages. The total duration of the life cycle ranged from 56 to 163 days (mean of 105 days). Two-host life cycle was observed for most of the ixodid population studied.Keywords: Amblyomma rotundatum, two-host, life-cycle, Bothrops, Viperidae. ResumoAmblyomma rotundatum é um carrapato da família Ixodidae, parasito de animais pecilotérmicos, e que se reproduz exclusivamente por partenogênese. Este carrapato é frequentemente relatado infestando répteis e anfíbios em condições naturais e, às vezes, em animais de cativeiro. Ele já foi relatado no Brasil e em vários outros países das Américas do Sul, Central e do Norte. Embora muitos estudos sobre sua biologia tenham sido publicados, nunca foram utilizados ofídios como hospedeiros e, tão pouco, foram realizados ensaios com os estádios parasitários sob condições controladas de temperatura, umidade e iluminação. O objetivo deste experimento foi estudar o ciclo biológico de A. rotundatum se alimentando em serpentes da família Viperidae sob condições ambientais controladas a 27 ± 1 °C de temperatura, 85 ± 10% de umidade relativa do ar e 12:12 horas de fotoperíodo para estágios parasitários; assim como sob condições iguais a 27 ± 1 °C de temperatura, 85 ± 10% de umidade relativa do ar e escotofase em estufas de germinação para estádios não parasitários. A duração total do ciclo de vida variou de 56 a 163 dias (média de 105 dias). Observou-se ciclo dioxênico para a a maior parte da população dos ixodídeos em estudo.Palavras-chave: Amblyomma rotundatum, dioxênico, ciclo biológico, Bothrops, Viperidae.

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Tick Paralysis of a Snake Caused by Amblyomma rotundatum (Acari: Ixodidae)

Cited by 22 publications

References 7 publications

Ecology of ticks in a taxocenosis of snakes from the Serra do Mendanha, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with new host records

Ecology of ticks in a taxocenosis of snakes from the Serra do Mendanha, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with new host records

<p class="HeadingRunIn"><strong>First record of <em>Amblyomma rotundatum</em> tick (Acari: Ixodidae) parasitizing a bird collected in Canada</strong></p>

Amblyomma rotundatum (Koch, 1844) (Acari: Ixodidae) two-host life-cycle on Viperidae snakes

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