Ticks Flashcards
Describe the direct effect of ticks
Inflammation at attachment site
anaemia
‘tick paralysis’
Describe the indirect effect of ticks
Biological vectors:
- protozoa
- bacteria
- viruses
How do ticks infest animals?
Chelicerae cut a hole in the skin
Hypostome enters hole and is held backwards
Cement is produced to hold mouthparts in place
Tick injects saliva and sucks up blood
What is in tick saliva?
Vasodilators
Anticoagulant
Immunosuppressive proteins
Neurotoxin pathogens
What is the difference between nidicolous (endophilic) and non-nidicolous (exophilic)
Nidicolous - stay in hosts nest/burrow when not feeding
Non-nidicolous - ticks are in open environment when not feeding
What are argasidae?
Soft ticks
Describe the effect of argas persicus (fowl tick)
Argas persicus - fowl tick - affects poultry leading to anaemia, dehabilitation, loss of production and can transmit pathogens
What are ixodidae?
Hard ticks
Label the soft and hard tick
How do you differentiate between an ixodes and non-ixodes tick?
Anal groove in front of anus - ixodes
No groove - non ixodes
What ways can ixodid ticks act as biological vectors?
Transstadial - transmission between stages
Transovarial - vertical transmission via eggs
Give some common tick species found in the UK
Ixodes ricinus
Ixodes hexagonus
What are the indirect effect of ixodid ticks
Tickborne fever:
- transstadial
- fever, immunosuppression, haemorrhagic
Tick pyaemia:
- in immunosuppressed lambs
- staphylococcus aureus introducted through bite wounds => abscesses
Lyme disease in humans
Louping ill (infectious ovine encephalomyelitis)
Babesiosis and theileriosis - parasitise RBCs of vertebrates
Describe ixodid tick control
dips, sprays, pour-on, collars, ear tags kill adults
wear long trousers, boots, long sleeves
Remove ticks quickly as most pathogens only transmit after tick has been feeding for a while
Vaccinations against tick borne infections
Describe tick lifecycle
Describe ixodidae lifecycle
Describe mite lifecycle
Describe lice lifecycle
What are the 3 main groups of lice?
Describe the fly lifecycle
Describe flea lifecycle
