Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2015 Mar;8(3):301-15.
doi: 10.14202/vetworld.2015.301-315. Epub 2015 Mar 12.

Tick-borne infections in human and animal population worldwide

José Brites-Neto  1 , Keila Maria Roncato Duarte  2 , Thiago Fernandes Martins  3
Affiliations
Review

Tick-borne infections in human and animal population worldwide

José Brites-Neto et al. Vet World. 2015 Mar.

Abstract

The abundance and activity of ectoparasites and its hosts are affected by various abiotic factors, such as climate and other organisms (predators, pathogens and competitors) presenting thus multiples forms of association (obligate to facultative, permanent to intermittent and superficial to subcutaneous) developed during long co-evolving processes. Ticks are ectoparasites widespread globally and its eco epidemiology are closely related to the environmental conditions. They are obligatory hematophagous ectoparasites and responsible as vectors or reservoirs at the transmission of pathogenic fungi, protozoa, viruses, rickettsia and others bacteria during their feeding process on the hosts. Ticks constitute the second vector group that transmit the major number of pathogens to humans and play a role primary for animals in the process of diseases transmission. Many studies on bioecology of ticks, considering the information related to their population dynamics, to the host and the environment, comes possible the application and efficiency of tick control measures in the prevention programs of vector-borne diseases. In this review were considered some taxonomic, morphological, epidemiological and clinical fundamental aspects related to the tick-borne infections that affect human and animal populations.

Keywords: acarology; argasidae; epidemiology; health public; ixodidae; parasitology veterinary; zoonosis.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure-1
Figure-1
(a) Hypostome presenting reticulate teeth and (b) Haller’s organ. Photo by T.F. Martins.
Figure-2
Figure-2
Nothoaspis amazoniensis. Courtesy of USP/Marcelo B. Labruna.
Figure-3
Figure-3
Carios rondoniensis. Courtesy of USP/Marcelo B. Labruna.
Figure-4
Figure-4
Morphological features of soft ticks demonstrating differentiations between genera. Courtesy of CDC.
Figure-5
Figure-5
Argas miniatus. Courtesy of USP/Marcelo B. Labruna.
Figure-6
Figure-6
Ornithodoros rostratus. Courtesy of USP/Marcelo B. Labruna.
Figure-7
Figure-7
Otobius megnini. Courtesy of USP/Marcelo B. Labruna.
Figure-8
Figure-8
Antricola guglielmonei. Courtesy of USP/Marcelo B. Labruna.
Figure-9
Figure-9
(a) Carios kelleyi, dorsal view, (b) Carios kelleyi, ventral view. Courtesy of CDC/William L. Nicholson.
Figure-10
Figure-10
Comparative table of morphological differentiation to genera of hard ticks. Courtesy of CDC.
Figure-11
Figure-11
(a) Amblyomma cajennense sensu lato ♂ and (b) Amblyomma cajennense sensu lato ♀. Courtesy of USP/Marcelo B. Labruna.
Figure-12
Figure-12
(a) Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus ♂ and (b) Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus ♀. Courtesy of USP/Marcelo B. Labruna.
Figure-13
Figure-13
(a) Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato ♂ and (b) Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato ♀ Courtesy of USP/Marcelo B. Labruna.
Figure-14
Figure-14
Dermacentor variabilis ♀. Courtesy of CDC/DVBID/Gary O. Maupin.
Figure-15
Figure-15
Ixodes pacificus ♀. Courtesy of CDC/William L. Nicholson.
Figure-16
Figure-16
Ixodes scapularis ♀. Courtesy of USDA/Scott Bauer.
Figure-17
Figure-17
Amblyomma americanum ♀. Courtesy of CDC/William L. Nicholson.
Figure-18
Figure-18
(a) Amblyomma aureolatum ♂ and (b) Amblyomma aureolatum ♀. Courtesy of USP/Marcelo B. Labruna.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Bowman A.S, Nuttall P.A. Ticks: Biology, Disease and Control. New York: Cambridge University Press; 2008.
    1. Barros-Battesti D.M, Arzua M, Bechara G.H. Carrapatos de Importância Médico-Veterinária da Região Neotropical: Um guia ilustrado para identificação de espécies. São Paulo: Vox/ICTTD-3/Butantan; 2006.
    1. Sonenshine D.E, Roe M. Biology of Ticks. 2nd ed. Vol. 1. New York: Oxford University Press; 2014.
    1. Anderson J.F, Magnarelli L.A. Biology of ticks. Infect. Dis. Clin. North. Am. 2008;22:195–215. - PubMed
    1. Nava S, Guglielmone A.A, Mangold A.J. An overview of systematics and evolution of ticks. Front. Biosci. 2009;14:2857–2877. - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources