Prevalence of Ixodid Ticks in Some States of the Country and its Public Health Importance

Abstract

Ticks are the obligate haematophagus ectoparasites of animals and also associated with human affliction since time immemorial. They are playing the role as reservoirs and vectors of many zoonotic pathogens, responsible for the occurrence of many emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases in recent times. Indian Tick Typhus is the first recorded tick-borne disease in the country and recently it is prevalent in many states of the country due to the ubiquitous presence of its vector tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Indian dog tick). Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD) is the first discovered tick-borne arboviral disease in the country and transmitted by Haemophysalis spinigera and H. turturis are the major vector ticks, recently KFD is prevalent in seven districts of Karnataka state and from four neighbouring states also. Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF), the dreaded disease is transmitted by Hyalomma Spp. ticks with high case fatality rate was first recorded in 2011 in Gujarat and it is also found reported from two adjoining states. In the present study ixodid ticks were collected from rural and urban areas of a few states of the country by NCDC, Bangalore team in which five genera of Ixodid ticks were recorded in the study viz., Haemaphysalis, Rhipicephalus, Boophilus, Amblyomma and Hyalomma. In view of recording of the important vectors of tick-borne diseases reported from various states of the country there is an urgent need to strengthen the surveillance and early diagnosis and control of tick-borne diseases in the country.