Ticks Research Papers

A tick does not discriminate against its food source. Many animals in the wild are carriers of such parasites, and one reason the deer is considered a major carrier is that it has limited ability to remove ticks.

Lyme disease has emerged as the most common vector borne infectious disease in the United States and has presented a growing challenge to public health officials over the past three decades. The infection represents a significant disease burden to the population of the United States with nearly 30,000 new cases diagnosed per year and an estimated additional 270,000 annual incident cases that go unreported. The disease results from a bacterial infection with the spirochete bacteria B. burgdorferi. This bacterial agent is transmitted to humans from the bite of a tick and is most commonly associated Ixodes species blacklegged ticks. These ticks represent the largest genus of the family Ixodidae and mainly inhabit temperate forest or grassland

Ticks must be attached and feeding for thirty-six to forty-eight hours to transmit Lyme disease (Mayo Clinic, 2012). Although adult ticks can transmit Borrelia burgdorferi, most people infected are bitten by nymphs, immature ticks. Both females and males of any age are susceptible to being bitten by ticks, however, it is found that children ages zero to fourteen and adults ages thirty and above have the highest numbers of infection. (CDC, 2013)

“Lyme disease is caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi and is transmitted to humans by the bite of infected blacklegged ticks (Ixodes spp.). Early manifestations of infection include fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash called erythema migrans. Left untreated, late manifestations involving the joints, heart, and nervous system can occur. A Healthy People 2010 objective (14-8) is to reduce the annual incidence of Lyme disease to 9.7 new cases per 100,000 population in 10 reference states where the disease is endemic (Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin). This report summarizes surveillance data for 64,382 Lyme disease cases reported to CDC during 2003-2005, of which 59,770 cases (93%) were reported from the 10 reference states. The average annual rate in these 10 reference states for the 3-year period (29.2 cases per 100,000 population) was approximately three times the Healthy People 2010 target. Persons living in Lyme disease--endemic areas can take steps to reduce their risk for infection, including daily self-examination for ticks, selective use of acaricides and tick repellents, use of landscaping practices that reduce tick populations in yards and play areas, and avoidance of tick-infested areas.” (U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2007.)

One of the most common Tick communicable diseases plaguing the United States today is a human transferable infection called Lyme disease, which is spread by Deer Ticks Ixodes scapularis, they are small arthropods often found in wooded areas of eastern United states (Orkin.com “Deer ticks” accessed may 8 2016); transmission of the infection occurs when an contaminated deer tick I. scapularis bites its victim transmitting the blood borne infection to its host; a bacteria called spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi. (CDC) invades the body and begins it journey of destruction. Symptoms are not felt right away, yet over the

Lyme Disease is the number one tick-borne disease in the United States and in Massachusetts. It is considered a vector disease because it is spread through the bite of a black-legged tick (also known as a deer tick) that carries the bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi. Lyme was first diagnosed in 1975 in Lyme, CT and the bacterium that causes Lyme was discovered in 1982 by Willy Burgdorfer (Todar, 2012, p. 1). Lyme disease spreads rapidly and can impact many different organ systems including the joints, brain, heart, and muscles. Symptoms can lay dormant for months or years or occur quickly after the initial tick bite. Difficulty of diagnosis adds to the burden of Lyme disease in Massachusetts. “Because of its initial presentation as a skin rash, …the difficulty in some cases of even considering Lyme disease given its presentation in the form of other more typical illnesses, …Lyme disease in the 1980s became known as ‘the new Great Imitator’ “ (Lyme Disease, n.d.).

The overall objective of this research was to investigate the role of feral swine in tick-borne pathogens transmission in Texas. This discussion is a review of research over the ecology of the Plague bacteria (Yersinia pestis) and the lack of research or information. Y. pestis potential has to infect feral and domestic mammals. Currently out of 1415 known human pathogens, 38% are bacteria.

In 1975, residents living in the small town of Lyme, Connecticut started to experience many troubling symptoms such as muscle aches, joint pains, and fatigue. The prevalence of the symptoms among both children and adults baffled doctors, and they struggled to diagnose their patients. By 1977, the first 51 cases of “Lyme arthritis” were described, and the Ixodes scapularis tick, commonly known as the blacklegged or deer tick, was linked to the transmission of the disease (Pino). The causative factor was discovered in 1981 by Willy Burgdorfer when he isolated a spirochete, or spiral-shaped bacteria, that triggered the Lyme symptoms while he was studying another

Borrelia burgodoferi is transmitted to humans and mammals by the Ixodes scapularis known as the deer tick or blacklegged tick and the Ixodes pacificus known as the

Abstract: Ixodes scapularis and Ixodes pacificus are the two species of blacklegged ticks that act as vectors of transmission of the spirochete bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi to small mammals or human host, which cause Lyme disease in humans, also known as Lyme borreliosis (cdc.gov 2016; Qiu et al. 2002). After the pathogen’s initial entry through the skin, it proliferates in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid; Borrelia burgdorferi has also been seen in much smaller quantities in the following locations: ‘myocardium, retina, muscle, bone, spleen, liver, meninges, and brain’, which is the primary cause of more severe secondary symptoms of untreated infection (cdc.gov 2016; Steere 2004).

One example of this is in the primary vectors, which vary by geographic location. In the western U.S., the main vector is I. pacifus, and in the northeastern and north central U.S., the vector is I. scapularis. In Europe the sheep tick, I. ricinus is the primary vector and in Asia, the vector species is I. persulcatus. Horizontal transmission occurs in the northeastern and north central U.S. among both larval and nymphal ticks and rodents such as white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus), and chipmunks (Tamias spp.). White-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ) are the preferred host of ticks in this region and play a critical role in their survival. In the western portion of the U.S., two cycles promoting transmission are found to intersect. Here, different species of wood rat are either bitten by ticks that do not usually bite humans or they are bitten and infected by Borrelia bissettii, which is non-pathogenic. In the southeast portion of the U.S., lizards are commonly fed upon by nymphal ticks but are resistant to the infection due to complement-mediated killing of the spirochete. In Europe and Asia animal hosts range from small and large mammals to birds and reptiles with immature ticks in Asia preferring smaller animals and adults preferring larger animals. Different species of Borrelia have different

There are four life stages of ticks: egg, six-legged larva, eight-legged nymph and adult. After a tick hatches from the egg it must eat blood during every remaining stage of its life to survive. This means that a tick may survive for up to three years if it is able to complete a full life cycle. However, most ticks die due to inability to find a host for its next feeding. Ticks can feed on a many different

A total of two hundred sixty-seven Ixodes ricinus female ticks were collected for experimentation between May and August of 2012. These ticks were found in nine different sites in the French Ardennes, an area known for being infested with potentially fatal viruses carried by rodents, making it a excellent choice for the examination of the relationships between ticks, pathogens, and symbolists. The ticks were then taken to a lab were they were crushed in order to extract samples from their remains. Scientists used a Wizard genome DNA purification kit to extract one hundred microliters of DNA from each crushed tick, before they also carefully extracted one hundred microliters of RNA

Lyme disease, another name for Lyme borreliosis, is the most common vector- borne disease in the northern hemisphere and still continues to increase in occurrence (Pearson). In almost all instances, the bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi, is transmitted to humans through a tick bite (Pearson). Ticks are blood-sucking anthropods that are small and they survive in urban parks and gardens where there is enough humidity and shade to prevent them from drying out (Pearson). Ticks are most active in the months between April and October, but in warmer areas they may be active throughout the entire year (Pearson). Lyme

Ticks and deer have a relationship unlike most, the tick have their young and feed off the deer. The deer may get sick from this and die, this is a form of Parasitism. Sometimes the deer does not die, if so It will grow warts or other mutational things. Then the ticks will cut through the skin and make a hive, as disgusting as this is. It is their way of live.