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Title: Distribution of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus and R.(B.) annulatus (Acari: Ixodidae) re-infestitation detected in the U.S. along the Texas/Mexico border

Author
item Lohmeyer, Kimberly - Kim
item Pound, Joe
item May, Melinda
item Kammlah, Diane
item Davey, Ronald

Submitted to: Journal of Medical Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/24/2011
Publication Date: 7/7/2011
Citation: Lohmeyer, K.H., Pound, J.M., May, M.A., Kammlah, D.M., Davey, R.B. 2011. Distribution of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus and R.(B.) annulatus (Acari: Ixodidae) re-infestitation detected in the U.S. along the Texas/Mexico border. Journal of Medical Entomology. 48(4):770-774.

Interpretive Summary: Cattle fever ticks were eradicated from the southern and southeastern U.S. and California as part of an eradication effort that lasted from 1907 through 1943. Recent re-introductions into South Texas have become a concern to the U.S. cattle industry because cattle fever ticks can transmit cattle fever to susceptible cattle. Two species of cattle fever ticks are found in South Texas. In an effort to better understand the distribution of infestations of these two species, a geographic information system database was developed that spatially identifies locations of cattle fever tick infestations during the last eleven years. Maps produced from this database define the distribution boundary between the two species of cattle fever ticks, help to indentify cattle fever tick species infestation ranges, and assist in predicting areas where future outbreaks may occur.

Technical Abstract: Species identification and coordinates of geographical premises for infestations of cattle fever ticks, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus (Say) and R. (B.) microplus (Canestrini), were determined for 782 specimens submitted to the National Veterinary Services Laboratory during the eleven years between 1 October 1999 and 30 September 2010. Cattle fever tick specimens obtained from infested animals along the Texas/Mexico border were submitted for identification as a requirement of the Cattle Fever Tick Eradication Program. A geographic information system (GIS) was developed that incorporates collection records and infestation. Submitted ticks came from eleven Texas counties (Val Verde, Kinney, Maverick, Dimmit, Webb, Zapata, Starr, Hidalgo, Cameron, Brooks, and Willacy), the majority of which were from Zapata and Starr counties. Submitted ticks were comprised of 19.7% R. (B.) annulatus and 80.3% R. (B.) microplus. Maps produced from this GIS could be highly beneficial for locating and defining the parapatric boundary between R. (B.) annulatus and R. (B.) microplus and for indentifying ranges of infestations of these two cattle fever tick species that have been detected within the U.S. along the Texas/Mexico border.