Theileria orientalis Ikeda in host-seeking Haemaphysalis longicornis in Virginia, U.S.A

Alec T Thompson; Seth White; David Shaw; Andrea Egizi; Kevin Lahmers; Mark G Ruder; Michael J Yabsley

doi:10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101450

Theileria orientalis Ikeda in host-seeking Haemaphysalis longicornis in Virginia, U.S.A

Ticks Tick Borne Dis. 2020 Sep;11(5):101450. doi: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101450. Epub 2020 May 22.

Authors

Alec T Thompson¹, Seth White², David Shaw³, Andrea Egizi⁴, Kevin Lahmers⁵, Mark G Ruder³, Michael J Yabsley⁶

Affiliations

¹ Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA; Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA. Electronic address: alec.thompson@uga.edu.
² Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
³ Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
⁴ Monmouth County Mosquito Control Division, Tinton Falls, NJ, USA; Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.
⁵ Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Blacksburg, VA, USA.
⁶ Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA; Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA; Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA. Electronic address: myabsley@uga.edu.

PMID: 32723633
DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101450

Abstract

The Asian longhorned tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis, has recently become established in the United States. In East Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, the native and previously introduced ranges, this tick is a vector of an important pathogen of cattle, Theileria orientalis. In 2017, the pathogenic Ikeda genotype of T. orientalis was associated with cattle mortalities in Virginia and in 2018 the exotic H. longicornis was detected at this same site. To investigate the possible role of this exotic tick in the epidemiology of theileriosis in Virginia, we tested host-seeking H. longicornis for piroplasm infections. We document the detection of exotic Theileria orientalis Ikeda genotype in 12.7 % (15/118) environmentally collected H. longicornis using both the 18S rRNA and major piroplasm surface protein (MPSP) gene targets. This is the first detection of a pathogen in H. longicornis in its introduced range in the United States and offers new insight into the animal health risks associated with the introduction of this exotic tick species to North America.

Keywords: 18S rRNA; Haemaphysalis longicornis; Major piroplasm surface protein (MPSP); Theileria orientalis Ikeda.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Antigens, Protozoan / analysis
Arachnid Vectors / growth & development
Arachnid Vectors / parasitology*
Female
Introduced Species
Ixodidae / growth & development
Ixodidae / parasitology*
Male
Nymph / growth & development
Nymph / parasitology
Protozoan Proteins / analysis
RNA, Protozoan / analysis
RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / analysis
Theileria / genetics
Theileria / isolation & purification*
Virginia

Substances

Antigens, Protozoan
Protozoan Proteins
RNA, Protozoan
RNA, Ribosomal, 18S
major piroplasm surface protein, Theileria