An invasive human commensal and a native marsupial maintain tick populations at the urban fringe.
Med Vet Entomol
; 37(3): 460-471, 2023 09.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-36718907
ABSTRACT
Ticks (Acari Ixodidae) are major disease vectors globally making it increasingly important to understand how altered vertebrate communities in urban areas shape tick population dynamics. In urban landscapes of Australia, little is known about which native and introduced small mammals maintain tick populations preventing host-targeted tick management and leading to human-wildlife conflict. Here, we determined (1) larval, nymphal, and adult tick burdens on host species and potential drivers, (2) the number of ticks supported by the different host populations, and (3) the proportion of medically significant tick species feeding on the different host species in Northern Sydney. We counted 3551 ticks on 241 mammals at 15 sites and found that long-nosed bandicoots (Perameles nasuta) hosted more ticks of all life stages than other small mammals but introduced black rats (Rattus rattus) were more abundant at most sites (33%-100%) and therefore important in supporting larval and nymphal ticks in our study areas. Black rats and bandicoots hosted a greater proportion of medically significant tick species including Ixodes holocyclus than other hosts. Our results show that an introduced human commensal contributes to maintaining urban tick populations and suggests ticks could be managed by controlling rat populations on urban fringes.
Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Infestações por Carrapato
/
Ixodes
/
Ixodidae
/
Marsupiais
Limite:
Animals
/
Humans
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Med Vet Entomol
Assunto da revista:
BIOLOGIA
/
MEDICINA VETERINARIA
Ano de publicação:
2023
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Austrália