Research on integrated management for cattle fever ticks and bovine babesiosis in the United States and Mexico: current status and opportunities for binational coordination

Authors: ESTEVE-GASENT, MARIA - Texas A&M University; RODRÍGUEZ-VIVAS, ROGER - Autonomous University Of Yucatan; MEDINA, RAUL - Texas A&M University; ELLIS, DEE - Texas A&M Agrilife; Perez De Leon, Adalberto - Beto; Thomas, Donald; SCHWARTZ, ANDY - Texas Animal Health Commission; CORTEZ-GARCIA, BALTAZAR - Senasica; HUNT, CARRIE - Texas Animal Health Commission; BONILLA, DENISE - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS); LOGAN, LINDA - Texas A&M University; HASEL, HALLIE - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS); JESUS, ALVAREZ - Instituto Nacional De Investigaciones Forestales Y Agropecuarias (INIFAP); JESUS, HERNANDEZ - Instituto Nacional De Investigaciones Forestales Y Agropecuarias (INIFAP); JUAN, MOSQUEDA - Autonomous University Of Queretaro; MIGUEL, ALONSO - University Of Veracruz; RODRIGUEZ, RODRIGO - Universidad Autónoma De Guerrero; SOBERANOS, NOE - Lapisa; MERINO, OCTAVIO - University Of Tamaulipas; HOWARD, TAMI - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS); CHAVEZ, VICTORIA - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)

Submitted to: Pathogens
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/1/2020
Publication Date: 10/22/2020
Citation: Esteve-Gasent, M.D., Rodríguez-Vivas, R.I., Medina, R.F., Ellis, D., Perez De Leon, A.A., Thomas, D.B., Schwartz, A., Cortez-Garcia, B., Hunt, C., Bonilla, D., Logan, L., Hasel, H., Jesus, A.A., Jesus, H.J., Juan, M., Miguel, A., Rodriguez, R., Soberanos, N., Merino, O., Howard, T., Chavez, V.M. 2020. Research on integrated management for cattle fever ticks and bovine babesiosis in the United States and Mexico: current status and opportunities for binational coordination. Pathogens. 9. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens9110871.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens9110871

Interpretive Summary: Cattle Fever is a reportable animal disease caused by protozoan parasites transmitted by the invasive cattle fever ticks. In countries like Mexico where cattle fever ticks spread the disease and results in a significant economic cost to the livestock industry. These cattle disease vectors continue to threaten the U.S. cattle industry despite their elimination through efforts of the Cattle Fever Tick Eradication Program. Mexico and the U.S. share a common interest in managing cattle fever ticks through their economically important binational cattle trade. Here, we report the outcomes of a meeting where stakeholders from Mexico and the U.S. representing the livestock and pharmaceutical industry, regulatory agencies, and research institutions gathered to discuss research and knowledge gaps requiring attention to advance progressive management strategies for cattle fever and cattle fever ticks. Research recommendations and other actionable activities reflect consensus among meeting participants to seize opportunities for collaborative efforts. Addressing these research gaps is expected to yield scientific knowledge benefitting the interdependent livestock industries of Mexico and the U.S. through its translation into enhanced biosecurity against the economic and animal health impacts of cattle fever.

Technical Abstract: Bovine babesiosis is a reportable transboundary animal disease caused by Babesia bovis and B. bigemina in the Americas where these apicomplexan protozoa are transmitted by the invasive cattle fever ticks Rhipicephalus microplus and R. annulatus. In countries like Mexico where cattle fever ticks remain endemic bovine babesiosis is detrimental to cattle health having a significant economic on the livestock industry. These tick disease vectors continue to threaten the U.S. cattle industry after they were eliminated through efforts of the Cattle Fever Tick Eradication Program. Mexico and the U.S. share a common interest in managing cattle fever ticks through their economically important binational cattle trade. Here, we report the outcomes of a meeting where stakeholders from Mexico and the U.S. representing the livestock industry, regulatory agencies, and scientists gathered to discuss research and knowledge gaps requiring attention to advance progressive management strategies for bovine babesiosis and cattle fever ticks. Research recommendations and other actionable activities reflect consensus among meeting participants to seize opportunities for collaborative efforts. Addressing these research gaps is expected to yield scientific knowledge benefitting the interdependent livestock industries of Mexico and the U.S. through its translation into enhanced biosecurity against the economic and animal health impacts of bovine babesiosis and cattle fever ticks.