Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases in Animals, 2nd Edition

A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Veterinary Microbiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2025 | Viewed by 3601

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Animal Health, Veterinary Faculty of UCM, Madrid, Spain
Interests: ticks; tick-borne pathogens; ecology; control
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Animal Reproduction, INIA-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
Interests: ticks; tick-borne pathogens; ecology; control
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue is a continuation of the Special Issue "Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases in Animals”. More deatial is avaiable: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/microorganisms/special_issues/961791T7C2

Tick-borne pathogens comprise a large and varied group of microorganisms belonging to widely separated taxa, from the smallest viruses to large nematodes. The common fact about them is that the main route of infection passes through a tick, in which they may remain in the same stage or may evolve and multiply enormously. Another common fact is that most of them do not produce a quick death or immediate severe consequences to the animals. Therefore, it is very common that some of them are underestimated in the medicine of domestic or wild animals.

The consequences of tick-borne pathogens are very varied given the differences between the type of microorganism, the competence or vectorial capacity of the tick species and the environment in which they develop. In fact, there are enormous differences in the tick-host-pathogen relationship depending on the ecosystem that allows or does not allow an adequate relationship between them, ensuring or not that the pathogen remains and survives in the tick and that the tick is capable of finding a host in a reasonable period of time to transmit it.

The control of tick-borne pathogens is mainly based on the administration of acaricides, whose efficacy is decreasing in many areas due to the development of resistance to them. Other interesting tools can be applied in tick control, such as host and ecosystem management, the study of new drugs, especially those based on natural products, vaccines, and many others. This Special Issue welcomes all these topics, including ecological studies which are the main step to design a reasonable tick and tick-borne diseases control strategy anywhere.

Dr. Ángeles Sonia Olmeda
Dr. Félix Valcárcel
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • tick ecology
  • identification
  • tick-borne pathogen
  • vectorial role and capacity
  • laboratory and field control
  • new acaricides

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 1895 KiB  
Article
Viral Diversity and Ecological Impact of DNA Viruses in Dominant Tick Species in China
by Yueyang Yan, Zhangpeng Shi, Cunmin Wang, Zi Jin, Jigang Yin and Guan Zhu
Microorganisms 2024, 12(8), 1736; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12081736 - 22 Aug 2024
Viewed by 947
Abstract
Ticks are blood-feeding ectoparasites that also transmit various pathogens, posing severe risks to human and animal health. DNA viruses play a crucial role in the microbial ecology of ticks, but their distribution and ecological significance remain largely undetermined. Here, we assembled an extensive [...] Read more.
Ticks are blood-feeding ectoparasites that also transmit various pathogens, posing severe risks to human and animal health. DNA viruses play a crucial role in the microbial ecology of ticks, but their distribution and ecological significance remain largely undetermined. Here, we assembled an extensive catalog encompassing 4320 viral operational taxonomic units (vOTUs) from six main dominant tick species in China, of which 94.8% have not been found in any other environment. To bridge the knowledge gap in tick DNA virus research and provide a crucial resource platform, we developed the Tick DNA Virus Database. This database includes the vOTUs that are known to cause diseases. Most of the predicted vOTUs are associated with dominant bacterial and archaeal phyla. We identified 105 virus-encoded putative auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs) that are involved in host metabolism and environmental adaptation, potentially influencing ticks through both top-down and bottom-up mechanisms. The identification of microbial communities and antibiotic resistance in wild tick species suggests that wild ticks are reservoirs of antibiotic resistance and potential spreaders of antibiotic resistance. These findings reveal the potential role of tick viruses in ecosystems, highlighting the importance of monitoring tick microbiomes to address global public health challenges. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases in Animals, 2nd Edition)
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16 pages, 2216 KiB  
Article
Widespread Circulation of Tick-Borne Viruses in Virginia—Evidence of Exposure to Heartland, Bourbon, and Powassan Viruses in Wildlife and Livestock
by Ahmed Garba, Jennifer Riley, Kevin K. Lahmers and Gillian Eastwood
Microorganisms 2024, 12(5), 899; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12050899 - 30 Apr 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1848
Abstract
Emerging tick-borne viruses such as Powassan virus (POWV), Bourbon virus (BRBV), and Heartland virus (HRTV), whilst rare, can cause severe health problems in humans. While limited clinical cases have been reported thus far in Virginia, the presence of tick-borne viruses poses a serious [...] Read more.
Emerging tick-borne viruses such as Powassan virus (POWV), Bourbon virus (BRBV), and Heartland virus (HRTV), whilst rare, can cause severe health problems in humans. While limited clinical cases have been reported thus far in Virginia, the presence of tick-borne viruses poses a serious health threat, and the extent of their prevalence in Virginia is unknown. Here, we sought evidence of POWV, BRBV, and HRTV exposure in Virginia via a serological assessment of wildlife and livestock. Wildlife in Virginia were found to be seropositive against POWV (18%), BRBV (8%), and HRTV (5%), with western and northern regions of the state having a higher prevalence. Multiple wildlife species were shown to have been exposed to each virus examined. To a lesser extent, cattle also showed exposure to tick-borne viruses, with seroprevalences of 1%, 1.2%, and 8% detected in cattle against POWV, BRBV, and HRTV, respectively. Cross-reactivity against other known circulating mosquito-borne flaviviruses was ruled out. In conclusion, there is widespread exposure to tick-borne viruses in western and northern Virginia, with exposure to a diverse range of animal populations. Our study provides the first confirmation that HRTV is circulating in the Commonwealth. These findings strengthen the existing evidence of emerging tick-borne viruses in Virginia and highlight the need for public health vigilance to avoid tick bites. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases in Animals, 2nd Edition)
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