Research Paper Ticks

TICKS AND TICK BORNE
DISEASES
INTRODUCTION
Ticks are highly specific blood feeding ecto parasites of mammals, birds and
reptiles .They are found in tall grasses and wooded area. They are classified as
arachnids, relatives of spider and are not included in the category of insects. They
may cause direct damage to their host by sucking blood and can also cause
damage by transferring pathogens as they work as most suitable vector. Most
common pathogen carried by ticks are zoonotic pathogen and mostly the directly
damage causing ticks are ixodide ticks.
Ticks are second most popular vector after mosquitoes because of their
characteristics that fit them into most competent and versatile vector.
Characteristics of ticks are:
 Ticks feed on variety of host and though they’ve sufficient opportunities
to transfer pathogens.
 Durability and prolonged existenceallow them to lastlonger in extreme
environmental conditions
 High generative potential
 Certifying maintenance of a huge populations
 High frequency of vector-hostinteraction
 In Ixodids Attachment with hosts are for comparatively longer periods,
which allow sufficient time for pathogen transmission, as well as tick
scattering by wandering hosts.
In India cattles and buffaloes are found highly infested with multiple species of
ticks, they not only transmittes diseases like theileriosis, babesiosis and
anaplasmosis, but also cause damage to livestock health and production. Tick
borne diseasesare increasing rapidly in Indiabecause of poor maintance and
causing serious health problems.
Table 1
Importan
t tick-borne diseases of man and livestock (j vector borne dis 51, December 2014)
Distribution of central tick vectors in

India
About 70%of India’s population is dependent on agronomic sectors for
income. Farmers keep animals like sheep,cow,and buffaloes to meet their
needs like wool, milk and meat. India shares world’slivestock capitals with
around 199 million cattle and 105 million buffaloes and maximum of them are
suffering from many tick infestation with an valued cost of US
$498.7million/annum. There are106 tick species reported in India among
which some are experimentally established as principle vector of pathogen.
Most widely distributed ticks genera in India is hyalomma and rhipicephalus.
Table 2
Significant tick-borne diseases in India, distribution of vectors and position of vaccine

development (*ghosh and nagar: progress in tick control research*)
Main TBDs widespread in India
1. Indian tick typus (ITT)

It is arickettsial spotted fever and is similar torocky mountain spotted
fever. It is caused by rickettsia conorii. The main vector responsible for
tansmittion of ITT is R.sanguineus and some other species of
haemphysalis and hyalomma. Between 1996 and 1998 it was reported
that spotted fever continues to occur in southern India and from
extensive study in pune it is revealed that ITT exixtes as is zoonosis .the
recent case of ITT is reported in 10 yrs old boy from Delhi.
Thereis no technique orlab test to detect the early stage of infection
.One method knownfor detection is IFA .it is very effective methodbut
its cost and lackof availabilityis a demerit. TheELISA technique is also
preferred for detection; in this the immune globulin M (IgM) antibody
indicates the infection. When every techniques fails, then we go for Weil
folix test .It is cheap and easily available but the disadvantage of using
this it is that it is not specific and reliable.
Rickettsial isa very confusing disease and cane confused with many
virals, bacterial, potozoans etc. The treatment of rickettsialis very simple
after its diagnosis. Tetraccyclines, chloramphenicol, macrolides and
rifampicin are used for its treatment. Doxycycline is the most effective
tetracycline for SF rickettsioses.
2. CRIMEAN-CONGOB HAEMORHAGIC FEVER

(CCHF)
CCHF was first found in 1944 during outburst and was known as Crimean
haemorrhayicfever.It is also isolated from from Congo and thus named as
CCHF. The CCHF nairovirus group follows a cycle of regularly affecting
disease in animals but no evidence is been found that it insects animals but
the various types of livestock’s may experience CCHF infections. Most of
the past cases were reported byPakistan, Iran, Sudan, Bulgaria, turkey. In
India CCHF was reported until the rest in Gujarat January 2011 meanwhile
its discovery in 1960s,about 140 cases have been reported worldwide.
Among wide distribution of tick vector, Hyalomma anatolicum plays vital
role in diffusion of disease.
Analysis of infection is probable with the help of serum and molecular
analysis. RT-PCR with primer of nuclear proteins. RT-PCR analysis using
single-step real-time PCR and TaqMan minor groove protein (MGB). IgC and
IgM immune delay based on recombinant nuclear protein CCHFV (rNP) has
also proven to be useful in diagnosing a CCHFV infection. Although ribavirin
nucleoside analogs have been shown to effectively inhibit CCHFV in vitro,
its effectiveness has not been well verified in randomized controlled
studies. However, Tasdelen et al. Indicates the beneficial effect of ribavirin
at the inception of contamination. World Health Organization (WHO)
researched ribavirin is an optional anti-viral agent. The recommended
starting dose is 30 mg / kg for 30 days, 15 mg / kg for 4 days and 7.5 mg / kg
for 6 days. The serum has been used in Bulgaria for long period of time, still
its worth and value has not been acknowledged.
3. Kyasanur forest disease (monkey disease)

The disease is prompted by the Kyasanur virus (KFDV) which belong to
the Flaviviridae strain. KFDV was 1st discovered in 1957 and was isolated
from the small forest of Kyasanur in Karnataka, Indiana. The disease was
confined to five areas of the state (Shimoga, Chikamagalur, Uttar-
Kannada, Dakshina-Kannada and Udupi) and develops in the season
when the maximum activity of the cluster vector of forests from
December to May is 28 days. According to the data collected, from 2003
to March 2012 there were 3,263 suspicion cases, 823 confirmation cases
and 28 deaths of 29 KFD. The two main KFD vectors are spinigera and
turturis. In addition to these vectors, carriers can be Haemaphysalis,
Ixodes, Hyalomma, Dermacentor and Rhipicephalus. The owner of KFDV
is a rodent, but even hosts, bats and monkeys can spread the virus in
the household.
It can be diagnosed at restorative phase. The patient is advised to be
hydrated and precaution must be taken by person with bleeding
disorder. There is no specific treatment so prophylaxis is done by
vaccination.
4. Theileriosis
It is the most significant tick disease that affects cattle’s and buffaloes. It
is prompted byT.annulata and T. orientalis. It is also permitted to be
fatal if not treated on time. About thirty threemillion cattle and 105
million buffaloes in India are found infected with this disease. From the
survey in India it was found that 30-60% of cattle have antibodies to T.
annulata piroplasm.
This disease can be diagnosed by clinical signs and also by examination
of Giemsa-stained lymph and blood marks. Infected animals are treated
with ELISA using T.annulata surface protein as it detects antibodies in
infected animals. Many drugs are given to infected animalsbut they may
still remain carrier even after treatment. The mostly used drugs in the
treatment of theileriosis areparvaquone .Parvaquone dose is given at
the rate of 20mg/kg body weight.
T.annulata is also developed use its treatment .They are produced by in-
vitro cultivation of WBC of cattle infected with macroschizonts .These
live attenuated vaccines are sold by the name ‘Raksh vac-T’ and are
produced by Indian immunologicals situated in Hyderabad.
5. BABESIOSIS
It is well known as tick fever caused by protozoan parasite. It is feverish
disease common in domestic and wild animals. It shows characteristics like
extensive erythrocytic lysiswhich causes anaemia, icterus and reduced
count of haemoglobin. R.microplus is principle vector for transmitting
babesia.
Its diagnosis is done by PCR and indirect florescent antibody test of blood
smear. PCR is most reliable measure because of its improved sensitivity.
Human babesiosis is mostly found in USA and some cases are reported
from Europeancountries. In North America its common vector is B.microti
and in Europe it is caused by B.divergens. In India only one case is
registered of B.microplus in 51 years old man.Babesiosis can be confused
with plasmodium so proper and careful examination is to be done.
6. BOVINE ANAPLASMOSIS
It is the type of rickettsial disease many ruminants in Indiaare affected by
anaplasmosis. Principle vector for this is R.microplus. Some characteristics
of this disease is acute fever,anemia, dimness, blooming of the mucous
membranes, lack of diet, sadness, lack of moisture and laboredrespiration .
Animals exposed to critical attack doesn’t recover fast. It is difficult to
diagnose it.
Its first case in reported in Indian cattle of odisha and recent cases are
reported from Jammu, Karnataka, Haryana and Tamil Nadu.
It is diagnosed with PCR and semi-nested PCR assays as microscopic
examination fails to detect the infection. Oxytetracycline is the drug given
at the rate of 20mg/kg body weight, but its repeated treatment can not
eliminate the disease
CHEMICAL CONTROLS
Chemical management can direct the ticks that are parasitic on the host.
The preferred and more common method is to use fecal material that kills
the parasitic phase in the host. The four active chemicals that underpin the
flea control program in India are organophosphate, pyrethroid,
formamidine and macrocyclic lactones. Organophosphates and pyrethroids
are widely distributed throughout the country. The use of formamidine,
such as amitraz, and a macrocyclic lactone, such as ivermectin, is relatively
low and is controlled because of the ineffectiveness of OP and spacarides
for flea penetration. The disadvantage of using a controversial, non-
discriminatory killer is that the existing acaricide is not any more
affectedand it also results in environment, milk and meat contamination .As
chemical controls have many demerits, we prefer using vaccines to treat
tick diseases.
TICK VACCINATIONS
The development of vector vaccines is measured one of the most important
options due to the many flaws in vector control of chemicals. The vaccine is
lucrative, conservational, and can control several EDBs by aligning common
vectors. Prevention of B. bigemina transmission and prevention of B. bovis
infection using Bm-based toxins. BB annulatusreduced mortality from the
toxic virus ixodes ricinus encephalitis using recombinant antigen from R.
appendiculatus and increased the incidence of babesiosa and
anaplasmosis. Reducing the incidence of BM based on Cuba.
REFERENCES
1. Ghosh S, Azhahianambi P, de la Fuente J. Control of ticks of ruminants, with special emphasis on
livestock farming system in India– present and future possibilities for integrated control: A
review. Exp Appl Acarol 2006; 40: 49–66
2. Homer MJ, Aguilar-Delfin I, Telford SR III, Krause PJ, Persing DH. Babesiosis. Clin Microbiol Rev
2000; 13: 451–69.
3. Peter RJ, Van den Bossche P, Penzhorn BL, Sharp B. Tick, fly, and mosquito control-lessons from
the past, solutions for the future. Vet Parasitol 2005; 132 (3): 205–15

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TICKS AND TICK BORNE

Distribution of central tick vectors in

Significant tick-borne diseases in India, distribution of vectors and position of vaccine

Main TBDs widespread in India

1. Indian tick typus (ITT)

2. CRIMEAN-CONGOB HAEMORHAGIC FEVER

3. Kyasanur forest disease (monkey disease)

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