Tick 172273 225889316 2008-07-15T21:44:24Z Diligent Terrier 2499413 Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/76.247.212.178|76.247.212.178]] to last version by ClueBot (using [[WP:HG|Huggle]]) {{otheruses}} {{Taxobox | name = Tick | image = Adult deer tick(cropped).jpg | image_caption = Adult deer tick, ''[[Ixodes]] scapularis'' | regnum = [[Animalia]] | phylum = [[Arthropoda]] | subphylum = [[Chelicerata]] | classis = [[Arachnida]] | subclassis = [[Acarina]] | superordo = [[Parasitiformes]] | ordo = '''Ixodida''' | superfamilia = '''Ixodoidea''' | diversity_link = Tick | diversity = 18 genera, c. 900 species | subdivision_ranks = Families | subdivision = Ixodidae - Hard ticks<br> Argasidae - Soft ticks<br> [[Nuttalliellidae]] }} '''Tick''' is the common name for the small [[arachnid]]s in [[superfamily]] '''Ixodoidea''' that, along with other [[mite]]s, constitute the [[Acarina]]. Ticks are [[ectoparasite]]s (external parasites), living by [[hematophagy]] on the [[blood]] of [[mammal]]s, [[bird]]s, and occasionally [[reptile]]s and [[amphibian]]s. Ticks are important [[Vector (biology)|vector]]s of a number of diseases, including [[Lyme disease]]. According to [[Pliny the Elder]], ticks are "the foulest and nastiest creatures that be."<ref>[http://www.ct.gov/caes/lib/caes/documents/special_features%5CTickHandbook.pdf Pesticides for Tick Control<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> == Habitats and behaviors == <!-- This section needs to be expanded and cover more general info, than north US--> Ticks are blood-feeding parasites that are often found in tall [[grass]] and shrubs where they will wait to attach to a passing host. Physical contact is the only method of transportation for ticks. Ticks do not jump or fly, although they may drop from their perch and fall onto a host. Some species actively stalk the host by foot. Changes in temperature and day length are some of the factors signaling a tick to seek a host. Ticks can detect heat emitted or carbon dioxide respired from a nearby host. They will generally drop off the animal when full, but this may take several days. In some cases, ticks will live for some time on the blood of an animal. Ticks have a harpoon-like structure in their mouth area, known as a [[hypostome]], that allows them to anchor themselves firmly in place while feeding. The hypostome has a series of barbs angled back, which is why they are so difficult to remove once they have penetrated a host. Ticks can be found in most wooded or forested areas throughout the world. They are especially common in areas where there are [[deer]] trails or horse paths. Some of the more common diseases that can be contracted from a tick bite include (listed alphabetically): [[Babesiosis]], [[Ehrlichiosis]], [[Lyme disease]], [[Rocky Mountain spotted fever]], Southern tick-associated rash illness, Tick-borne relapsing fever, and [[Tularemia]]. == Population control == === Case Study of the American Deer Tick === The blacklegged or deer tick (''Ixodes scapularis'') is dependent on the [[white-tailed deer]] for successful reproduction. Larval and nymph stages (immature ticks that cannot reproduce) of the deer tick feed on birds and small mammals. The adult female tick needs a large 3 day blood meal from the deer before she can reproduce and lay her 2000 or more eggs. Deer are the primary host for the adult deer tick and are key to the reproductive success of the tick.<ref name="Stafford">Stafford K.C. 2004. Tick management handbook: an integrated guide for homeowners, pest control operators, and public health officials for the prevention of tick-associated disease. The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, Connecticut, USA</ref> .{{Fact|date=June 2008}} See the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station and Connecticut Department of Public Health joint publication "Tick Management Handbook" <ref>[http://www.caes.state.ct.us] p. 46, "Deer Reduction" </ref> for more details of the tick's life cycle and dependence on deer. Numerous studies have shown that abundance and distribution of deer ticks are correlated with deer densities.<ref name="Stafford"/><ref>Rand, P.W., et al. 2004. Abundance of ''Ixodes scapularis'' (acari:Ixodidae) after complete removal of deer from an isolated offshore island, endemic for Lyme disease. Journal of Medical Entomology 41:779-784</ref><ref>Walter, W.D., et al. 2002. Evaluation of immunocontraception in a free-ranging suburban white-tailed deer herd. Wildlife Society Bulletin 30:186-192</ref><ref>Wilson, M.L., et al. 1990. Microgeographic distribution of immature "Ixodes dammini" ticks correlated with deer. Medical and Veterinary Entomology 4:151-159</ref> For example when the deer population was reduced by 74% at a 248-acre study site in [[Bridgeport, Connecticut]], the number of nymphal ticks collected at the site decreased by 92%.<ref name="Stafford"/> Furthermore, the relationship between deer abundance, tick abundance, and human cases of Lyme disease was well documented in the Mumford Cove Community in [[Groton, Connecticut]], from 1996 to 2004. The deer population in Mumford Cove was reduced from about 77 deer per square mile to about 10 deer per square mile after 2 years of controlled hunting. After the initial reduction the deer population was maintained at low levels. Reducing deer densities to 10 deer per square mile was adequate to reduce by more than 90% the risk of humans contracting Lyme disease in Mumford Cove.<ref>DEP Wildlife Division: Managing Urban Deer in Connecticut 2nd edition June 2007</ref> Deer population management must serve as the main tool in any long-term strategy to reduce human incidences of Lyme disease.<ref>Telford SR 1993 Forum: perspectives on the environmental management of ticks and Lyme disease. pp164-167 in Howard S. Ginsberg, Ecology and environmental management of Lyme disease. New Brunswick, N.J. Rutgers University Press</ref> A method of reducing deer tick (''Ixodes scapularis/dammini'') populations - Damminix [http://www.ticktubes.com] - may be cited. It consists of biodegradable cardboard tubes stuffed with [[permethrin]]-treated cotton and works in the following way: Mice collect the cotton for lining their nests. The pesticide on the cotton kills any immature ticks that are feeding on the mice. It is important to put the tubes where mice will find them, such as in dense, dark brush or at the base of a log; mice are unlikely to gather the cotton from an open lawn. Best results are obtained with regular applications early in the spring and again in late summer. The more neighbors who also use Damminix, the better. Damminix appears to help control tick populations, particularly in the year following initial use. Note that it is not effective on the West Coast. See [http://www.umm.edu/patiented/articles/how_can_lyme_disease_other_tick-borne_infections_be_prevented_000016_8.htm UMM Patient Education Link]. A potential alternative to Damminix's permethrin is [[fipronil]]. It is used in the Maxforce Tick Management system, in which fipronil is painted onto rodents visiting the plastic baitboxes. see[http://www.maxforcetms.net/]. This system is no longer generally available for sale by Bayer. In 2005, there were selective reports of grey squirrels "chewing" into some Maxforce TMS boxes in areas of the northeastern United States, compromising the child resistant box. Due to this problem, the [[United States Environmental Protection Agency|Environmental Protection Agency]] (EPA) asked that all similarly designed TMS boxes applied in 2006 be covered with a protective shroud capable of preventing squirrel damage. The Maxforce TMS system remains registered by the federal EPA for its continued use. A metal shroud has been developed and is reportedly in use to eliminate any potential squirrel damage to the plastic box. This shroud reportedly satisfies the EPA's mandate to protect the boxes from such damage and is recommended by Bayer Environmental Science. Availability however outside of [[Connecticut]], [[New York]], [[New Jersey]] and [[Rhode Island]] may be minimal. === Other Control Measures === Also, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers advice on reducing ticks around your home. [http://www.cdc.gov/Features/StopTicks/] The parasitic [[Ichneumon wasp]] ''[[Ixodiphagus hookeri]]'' has long been investigated for its potential to control tick populations. It lays its eggs into ticks; the hatching wasps kill its host. Another "natural" form of control for ticks is the [[Guineafowl]]. They consume mass quantities of ticks.{{Fact|date=May 2008}} Just 2 birds can clear 2 acres in a single year. Topical (drops/dust) flea/tick medicines need to be used with care. [[Phenothrin]] (85.7%) in combination with Methopren was a popular topical flea/tick therapy for felines. Phenothrin kills adult fleas and ticks. Methoprene is an insect growth regulator that interrupts the insect's life cycle by killing the eggs. However, the EPA has made at least one manufacturer of these products withdraw some products and include strong cautionary statements on others, warning of adverse reactions.<ref>[http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsheets/flea-tick-drops.htm]</ref> ==Example species== [[Image:Tick male size comparison (aka).jpg|left|thumb|Male tick size comparison to a match.]] *''[[Dermacentor variabilis]]'', the American [[dog]] tick, is perhaps the most well-known of the North American hard ticks. This tick does not carry Lyme disease, but can carry [[Rocky Mountain spotted fever]]. [[Image:Tick engorged with thumb.jpg|right|thumb|Engorged deer tick attached to back of toddler's head. Adult thumb shown for scale.]] *''[[Ixodes scapularis]]'' (formerly ''Ixodes dammini''), known as the black-legged tick or [[deer]] tick, is common to the eastern part of [[North America]] and is known for spreading [[Lyme disease]]. *''Ixodes pacificus'', the Western black-legged tick, lives in the western part of North America and is responsible for spreading Lyme disease and [[Rocky Mountain spotted fever]]. It tends to prefer livestock as its adult host. [[Image:Tick 2 (aka).jpg|thumb|''Ixodes hexagonus'']] *[[Australia]] tick fauna consists of approximately 75 species, the majority of which fall into the ''Ixodidae'', hard tick, family. The most medically important tick is the [[Paralysis tick]], ''Ixodes holocyclus''. It is found in a 20-kilometre band that follows the eastern coastline of Australia. As this is where much of the human population resides in [[New South Wales]], encounters with these parasites are relatively common. Although most cases of tick bite are uneventful, some can result in life threatening illnesses including paralysis, tick [[typhus]] and severe allergic reactions. The Lone star tick is part of the Ioxdidae family, classifying it as a hard tick. The adult females are distinguished by a white dot or "lone star" on its back. The adult males can also be seen with dots and white streaks on the edge of their bodies. ==See also == *[[Use of DNA in forensic entomology]] for information in using DNA to identify species. *[http://medent.usyd.edu.au/fact/ticks.htm link University of Sydney and Westmead Hospital, Dept of Entymology] for more information about ticks *[[Tick-borne meningoencephalitis]], is a common [[Virus|viral]] infection in some parts of Europe. == Fossil record == Fossil ticks are rare but not unknown<ref>Feuente, J. de la (2003) ''Experimental and Applied Acarology'' 29, 331-334.</ref>. The oldest example is an argasid (bird) tick from [[Cretaceous]] New Jersey amber. The younger Baltic and Dominican ambers have also yielded examples; all of which can be placed in living genera. == References == <!--See [[Wikipedia:Footnotes]] for an explanation of how to generate footnotes using the <ref(erences/)> tags--> {{reflist|2}} #<small>Muma, Walter: [http://www.trackertrail.com/lymedisease/natureclass02.html Lyme Disease: Nature Class - March 1997]. #Stafford, Kirby C. III: [http://www.dph.state.ct.us/BCH/infectiousdise/tickborne/tick.htm Tick Bite Prevention], Connecticut Department of Public Health, Feb. 1999. #Fivaz, B., T. Petney, and I. Horak. 1993. ''Tick Vector Biology: Medical and Veterinary Aspects''. Springer. ISBN 0-387-54045-8. #[http://www.tickencounter.org TickEncounter.org] University of Rhode Island site with tick and tick-borne disease information </small> [[Category:Acari]] {{Link FA|nl}} [[an:Caparra]] [[gn:Jatevu]] [[ay:Jamak'u]] [[bs:Krpelj]] [[bg:Кърлеж]] [[ca:Paparra]] [[cs:Klíště]] [[de:Zecken]] [[et:Puuk]] [[es:Garrapata]] [[eo:Iksodo]] [[fr:Tique]] [[hr:Krpelji]] [[io:Zeko]] [[ia:Ixode]] [[it:Ixodida]] [[he:קרציות]] [[ht:Tik]] [[lv:Ērces]] [[lb:Zecken]] [[lt:Erkės]] [[hu:Kullancsok]] [[nl:Teken (dieren)]] [[ja:マダニ]] [[no:Flåtter]] [[pl:Kleszcze (pajęczaki)]] [[pt:Carrapato]] [[qu:Amaku]] [[ru:Клещи (членистоногие)]] [[sk:Kliešťovité]] [[sl:Klopi]] [[sr:Крпељ]] [[fi:Puutiainen]] [[sv:Fästingar]] [[tr:Kene]]