Severe tick infestation in a hare and potential risk for transmitting pathogens to humans

Abstract

Severe tick infestation was found in a hare in a suburban area of Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China. We sampled ticks and identified them based on their morphologic characteristics. Three species, Ixodes sinensis, which is commonly found in China and can experimentally transmit Borrelia burgdorferi, Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides, and Haemaphysalis longicornis which can transmit Lyme disease were detected with an optical microscope and a stereomicroscope. Risk of spreading ticks from suburban to urban areas exists due to human transportation and travel between the infested and non-infested areas around Nanchang.

Keywords: Haemaphysalis longicornis; Ixodes sinensis; Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides; hare; tick infestation.

Fig. 1

A wild hare infested with numerous ticks on the ear, back, and scapular regions. Note the engorged ticks.

Fig. 2

Ixodes sinensis, males. A, dorsal view; B, ventral view.

Fig. 3

Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides, males (A, B) and females (C, D). A, dorsal view of a male tick; B, vental view of a male tick; C, dorsal view of a female tick; D, ventral view of a female tick.

Fig. 4

Haemaphysalis longicornis, males (A-C) and females (D-F), A, D, dorsal views; B-C, E-F, ventral views.