Dr. Joseph Corn, Mr. David Shaw and Ms. Stacey Vigil Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study

University of Georgia

Dr. James Mertins National Veterinary Services Laboratories

USDA, APHIS

Committee on Parasitic Diseases United States Animal Health Association October 22, 2014, Kansas City, Missouri

Conducted by the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, University of Georgia through Cooperative Agreements with USDA-APHIS-Veterinary Services

Cooperative Agreement is for Surveillance for Exotic Arthropods in the Southeast and includes (1) surveys for exotic arthropods on wildlife in the Southeast (2) surveys for Culicoides in the Southeast, (3) surveys for the tropical bont tick in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, and (4) surveys for cattle fever ticks on wildlife in South Texas.

Surveys began in February 2012 Objective: ◦ 1) determine if wildlife are serving as hosts of the

two species of fever ticks; Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus and Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus in the quarantine zone in South Texas

Aransas NWR C.B. Ranch Cp. Ranch Chaparral WMA Cl. Ranch Daughtrey WMA G.T. L.A. Ranch Laguna Atascosa NWR

L.E.W. Ranch M.M. Ranch P. Ranch R. Ranch

L.L. Ranch Las Palomas WMA L.P. L.B. Ranch

SCWDS Ectoparasite Surveys, Texas 2012 to 2014

Feb-Mar 2012: Aransas NWR, Laguna Atascosa NWR, Las Palomas WMA, Chaparral WMA, Daughtrey WMA ◦ 402/497 free-ranging mammals and birds infested

May-Jun 2012: Las Palomas WMA, Chaparral WMA, Daughtrey WMA; CFT Quarantine Zone: CB Ranch, LA Ranch, P Ranch ◦ 132/200 free-ranging mammals, birds, reptiles and

amphibians infested In total over 25,000 arthropods collected

Oct-Nov 2013: CFT Quarantine Zone: R Ranch, C Ranch, Ce Ranch, CB Ranch, LEW Ranch, LL Ranch o 74/168 free-ranging mammals, birds, and, amphibians

infested April 2014: CFT Quarantine Zone: LB Ranch,

MM Ranch, LP Ranch, GT Ranch o 52/88 free-ranging mammals and birds infested

South Texas tick fauna: Only area in U.S. with resident sympatric populations of ticks representing every tick genus known in U.S.

Some species feed extensively on domestic animals, but all feed on wildlife to some degree, and most feed exclusively on wildlife

During the initial two surveys: ◦ At least 20 tick species collected ◦ Soft ticks: Argas brevipes, Carios sp. (probably dugesi),

and Ornithodoros turicata ◦ Hard ticks: ◦ Amblyomma (i.e., americanum, auricularium,

cajennense, imitator, inornatum, maculatum and sp. (an undescribed nymph)

◦ Anocentor nitens ◦ Dermacentor (i.e., albipictus, halli, and variabilis) ◦ Ixodes (i.e., affinis (First report in Texas), conepati,

cookei, scapularis, texanus, tovari, and woodi)

Cattle fever ticks not found

Immature stages that initially could not be

differentiated; sympatric only in South Texas ◦ Larvae of A. cajennense, A. imitator and A.

americanum ◦ Larvae of Amblyomma auricularium and A.

inornatum ◦ Larvae of Dermacentor halli and Dermacentor

variabilis ◦ Nymphs of A. cajennense and A. imitator

NVSL has developed provisional means of ID for most of these

Collecting other arthropods from hosts So far have identified over 75 species of

dipterans, fleas, chewing lice, sucking lice, and mites

Many of the acarine taxa encountered, particularly the feather mites of birds, represent novel forms not previously described

These findings emphasize how little is known about the ectoparasite fauna of South Texas

Survey for ticks on feral swine planned for Jan-Feb 2015

Surveys will focus on infested ranches in the Cattle Fever Tick Quarantine Zone

Collaborating with USDA-APHIS-Wildlife Services

Collaborating with Cattle Fever Tick Program

Surveys for the tropical bont tick conducted in St. Croix during January-February and June-July 2014.

Surveys conducted at the infested premises and surrounding premises

Mongooses examined: o January-February 52/77 mongooses with ticks o June-July 22/56 mongooses with ticks oTBT was not collected during this period

Surveys for the tropical bont tick planned for Vieques to begin in November 2014

Vieques is not known to be infested Surveys will take place on the eastern end of

the island where there are stray livestock, but no domestic livestock

Surveys will be for ticks on mongooses, cattle egrets and other wildlife

Determine Culicoides present in the Southeast, including at selected sites where exotic BTV or EHDV have been detected.

Map the current distribution of Culicoides in the Southeast, trying to identify changes in species distributions, and also identifying Culicoides present at sites where exotic BT and EHD viruses have been found.

Image from http://www.culicoides.net

10 CDC miniature light traps (equipped w/ UV light and ethanol-filled collection jar) placed out on a site in the late afternoon and collected the next morning

Sites include primarily state/county parks, state forests, wildlife management areas, as well as private areas chosen for proximity to BTV/EHDV outbreaks or presence of an exotic serotype of BTV/EHDV

Trapping conducted late summer to early fall 2007-2014 across the southeast, and year-around in central and southern Florida from 2007-2012

SCWDS Culicoides Survey Sites in the SE United States 2007 – 2014

307 Sites in Ten States

Total Sites

Total Counties

Trap Nights

Traps Sorted

Total Culicoides Slides IDs

Florida 178 57 3,013 2,861 74,061 1,544 2,439

S. Carolina 5 5 132 20 237 0 35

N. Carolina 8 10 129 0 0 0 0

Tennessee 8 11 128 0 0 0 0

Georgia 22 22 680 544 39,644 501 878

Alabama 25 30 857 765 12,309 466 952

Mississippi 28 29 892 823 57,430 757 1,462

Louisiana 18 22 526 465 20,006 441 799

Arkansas 10 11 238 152 19,951 75 148

Texas 5 4 41 41 3,364 178 177

All States 307 201 6,636 5,740 227,196 4,000 6,961

Lab Work Field Work

Culicoides spp. New County Records: New State Records:

C. beckae Mississippi, Louisiana C. oklahomensis Arkansas, Alabama C. alachua St. Lucie Co., FL Alabama, Georgia C. hollensis Collier Co., Lee Co., FL C. neopulicaris Alabama C. butleri Texas

C. insignis** Many throughout FL, Georgia, and Alabama Mississippi

C. sonorensis** Manatee Co., Sarasota Co., FL; Clarke Co., AL

C. barbosai Georgia, Louisiana C. loisae Alabama C. kirbyi Mississippi

**known vectors of BTV

From Kramer WL, et al. 1985. Seasonal Variation in Population Size, Fecundity, and Parity Rates of Culicoides insignis (Diptera:

Ceratopogonidae) in Florida, USA. J Med Ent. 22(2). 163-169.

Neotropical range, often locally abundant in Florida

Often associated with livestock Also found in a variety of other

habitats: mangrove swamps, tidal mud flats, drainage ditches, sugarcane fields, etc.

Frequent pest of livestock; bites can cause generalized skin reactions

Known vector of BTV ◦ Thought to be the primary vector in

areas where C. sonorensis is not present

From Kramer WL, et al. 1985. Seasonal Variation in Population Size, Fecundity, and Parity Rates of Culicoides insignis (Diptera:

Ceratopogonidae) in Florida, USA. J Med Ent. 22(2). 163-169.

C. insignis found by SCWDS *new records 2013*