Abstract:
Globalization, increased frequency of travel, and a rise in legal and illegal animal trades can introduce exotic ticks into the United States. We herein report the importation of a male Rhipicephalus pulchellus (Gerstäcker) on a human traveler returning to Connecticut from Tanzania, Africa, and review historical importation records of this species into the United States. This common tick is broadly distributed throughout East Africa, from Eritrea to Tanzania, has a wide host range on domestic animals and wildlife, and has been most frequently introduced into the United States on tick-infested wild animal hosts and animal trophies, but documentation of importation on humans has been rare. Archival records at the United States Department of Agriculture\'s National Veterinary Services Laboratories show R. pulchellus has been introduced into the United States at least 40 times over the last 62 yr. Rhipicephalus pulchellus has been linked to Rickettsia conorii, the agent of boutonneuse fever in humans, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever orthonairovirus, and Nairobi sheep disease orthonairovirus. Given the potential for this exotic tick to introduce animal or human pathogens, proper surveillance, interception, identification, and reporting of these ticks are vital in protecting human and animal health.
摘要:
全球化,旅行频率增加,合法和非法动物贸易的增加会给美国带来异国情调的蜱虫。我们在此报告了从坦桑尼亚返回康涅狄格州的人类旅行者进口的雄性Rhipicephaluspulchellus(Gerstäcker),非洲,并回顾该物种向美国的历史进口记录。这种常见的蜱虫广泛分布在整个东非,从厄立特里亚到坦桑尼亚,对家畜和野生动物有广泛的寄养范围,并且最经常被引入美国的是受蜱虫感染的野生动物宿主和动物奖杯,但是关于人类进口的文件很少见。美国农业部国家兽医服务实验室的档案记录显示,在过去的62年中,R.pulchellus已被引入美国至少40次。血脉与立克次体有关,人类布托奈斯热的病原体,克里米亚-刚果出血热正负病毒,和内罗毕羊病正负病毒。鉴于这种外来蜱有可能引入动物或人类病原体,适当的监视,拦截,identification,报告这些蜱对保护人类和动物健康至关重要。