Historic, archived document Do not assume content reflects current scientific knowledge, policies, or practices. . doe 7 ire » 2 , a in a4 Dome ie a - Ss z a 04, ie i 7: St Se ey ee aa oe errr ee iy; sored 5 a MEO Sy : ae a Ob i. oh he, 1 Ate wee ra ; 6 a .. - A ASA. 9 rere 3 a fae aay | BPs te oe ae a - atm ihe eae. i) pee 3 : i eeu 7 ; : - Py ; ’ ie a e 2 a = be - _ a & gee Se ts Poe -” os ry : a . a (as Pe ee q 7 a > : Poe oy a) yp * ee ary, 8 tas hale 7 ° i = _ ra u ; ! ne NORCO APHIS 91 - 14 ‘AL US a Der acai. Le September 1973 * ad ‘On : ‘< 4 gave een Cooperative State-F ederal TICK ERADICATION ACTIVITIES Fiscal Year 1972 Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service - U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 415248 | i Area in Mexico infested with ticks Area in U.S. infested with ticks from time to time. YY Potential area in U.S. if quarantine not held. m=) Threat Prepared by aX) 0d , Veterinary Services ~y» d Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. (0° U.S. Department of Agriculture Federal Center Building Hyattsville, Maryland 20782 CATTLE FEVER TICK SITUATION me June 1972 . ( : COOPERATIVE STATE- FEDERAL TICK ERADICATION ACTIVITIES FISCAL YEAR W972 jx! ve The Tick Eradication Program Cattle fever ticks, Boophi/us annulatus -and Boophilus microplus, spread cattle tick fever {bovine piroplasmosis). An all-out State-Federal cooperative eradication program was instituted by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in 1906. In 1943, 37 years later, the tick had been eradicated from the United States except for a narrow buffer zone under Federal and State quarantines along the Texas-Mexico border. There, reinfestations occur, and an active program is required to prevent spread into adjacent areas. Reinfestations have also occurred in California and in Florida from time to time. But vigilance and prompt eradication measures have eliminated the outbreaks. Keeping the ticks out of the United States is a major part of the effort against cattle fever ticks. The eradication program includes inspection, quarantine, and dipping of infested and exposed animals and animals from infested or exposed premises. National Tick Sureillance Program A detailed report, APHIS 91-8, ‘National Tick Surveillance Program, Calendar Year 1971,” was published in November 1972. This report indicated that during calendar year 1971, 4,247 tick survey collections were made and identified. Of these collections, 2,326 were from cattle, 483 from dogs, 824 from horses or mules, 210 from zoo animals and miscellaneous hosts, 227 from native wildlife, and 177 from animals offered for importation. Table 1 lists exotic ticks and certain other parasites that were collected in the United States in fiscal year 1972 and the hosts on which these parasites were found. Parasite Identification and Confirmation Emphasis on the importance of collecting ticks from all livestock species for identification continued during fiscal year 1972. A total of 2,618 collections of ticks were received and identified at the Veterinary Services Diagnostic Laboratory, Parasitology Section, Beltsville, Md. The laboratory also identified 341 mite specimens and 244 miscellaneous (lice, grubs, fleas, etc.) specimens. Approximately 27,200 collections of suspected screwworm larvae were received and identified at Beltsville and at the Veterinary Services Screwworm Data Center, Mission, Tex. Of these, 23,244 collections were identified as screwworms, and the remainder were classified as various species of blowfly larvae. Table 1.—Exotic ticks and certain other parasites collected State or area ANIZONA? aes Seana eee July 1971 June 1972 GCaliforniave. stones eae July 1972 GoloradGlen ace June 1972 June 1972 June 1972 Elonidate cc. tae as October 1971 Georgial jn yaseee November 1971 [daho« <4 he G08 os May 1972 LINO isvs a ecie eoe September 1971 September 1971 September 1971 September 1971 Montanal 22 tee cree April 1972 New Jersey ........ July 1971 July 1971 August 1971 September 1971 April 1972 April 1972 New York August 1971 See footnotes at end of table. Parasite Dermacentor albipictus Dermacentor albipictus Octobius megnini Ixodes scapularis Dermestes vulpinus (skin beetle) Dermestidae (skin beetles) Tribolium sp. (flour, dried fruit and cereal beetles) Sitophilus oryzae Octobius megnini Acaridia columbae (common nemotode of pigeons) Amblyomma dissimile Amblyomma dissimile Amblyomma javanense Amblyomma varium Ctenocephalides felis (cat flea) Dermestes maculatus (skin beetle) Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi Rhipicephalus evertsi mimeticus Rhipicephalus evertsi mimeticus Rhipicephalus pulchellus Strongylus asini Rhipicephalus pulchellus Rhipicephalus evertsi Amblyomma javanense Host and remarks 2 collections from cattle from Sonora, Mexico. Collected at Douglas. 2 collections collected at Nogales. !’? Bovine border stray from Mexico. Bovine border stray from Mexico. Both collected at San Diego. Collected from wooden crate used to ship trophy hides. Collected at Denver. Collected from burlap bags containing excelsior packing. An introduced weevil that damages stored grain. Horse from Lima, Peru. Collected at Miami.” Pigeon from France. Boa constrictor from Colombia, South America. Collected in Latah County. Boa constrictor from Colombia, South America. Collected at Lincoln Park Zoo. Pangolin from Bangkok, Thailand. Collected at Lincoln Park Zoo. Two-toed sloth from Peru, South America. Collected at Lincoln Park Zoo. Monkey from South America. Collected at Lincoln Park Zoo. Cock feathers imported from India. Collected in Lewis and Clark County. Zebra from Africa. Collected at Clifton, New Jersey. Miscellaneous zoo ruminants from South-West Africa. Collected at Clifton, New Jersey. Zebra. Collected at Clifton, New Jersey.” Zebra from South-West Africa. Collected at Clifton, New Jersey. Zebra. Collected at Clifton, New Jersey.” Zebra. Collected at Clifton, New Jersey.” Pangolin from Bangkok, Thailand. Collected at John F. Kennedy Airport by Fish and Wildlife personnel. Table 1.—Exotic ticks and certain other parasites collected—continued Parasite Host and remarks State or area Date NewiYornkse ss sos May 1972 Oregon seis aee cee July 1971 February 1972 May 1972 Pennsylvania ....... July 1971 WGX ASS ha. gheke ee Pee July 1971 July 1971 August 1971 September 1971 February 1972 February 1972 January 1972 April 1972 May 1972 Virgin Islands January 1972 Rhipicephalus evertsi Amblyomma sparsum Amblyomma dissimile Amblyomma testudinis Dermestidae (skin beetles) Boophilus annulatus Boophilus microplus Boophilus sp. (immatures) Dermacentor albipictus Amblyomma cajennense Amblyomma ovale Amblyomma sp. Dermacentor sp. Rhipicephalus sanguineus Otobius megnini Amblyomma maculatum Amblyomma maculatum Amblyomma variegatum Zebra from South-West Africa. Collected at Clifton, New Jersey. Tortoise originated from South Africa. Collected by State Veterinarian. Iguana from Florida. Collected in Multnomah County. Boa constrictor. Collected in Polk County.? Poultry feathers from India. Collected in Montgomery County. 17 collections. Collected at ports of Brownsville, 16 collections. Del Rio, Eagle Pass, El Paso, 24 collections. Laredo, and Presidio. 31 collections. Bovine. Collected at Eagle Pass. ! Dog. Collected in Kendall County by County agent. Lizard from El Salvador, Central America. Collected at Houston. Bovine offered from import. El Paso. Bovine offered for import. Eagle Pass. | Equine offered for import. El Paso. | Bovine offered for import. Brownsville.” Bovine offered for import. Brownsville.” 6 collections from sheep and goats on 2 premises on St. Croix. é Collected by a Veterinary Services inspector, USDA. Collected by a Veterinary Services veterinarian, USDA. Collected by a veterinary practitioner. Collected by a zoo veterinarian or other zoo personnel. Chemical Analyses During fiscal year 1972, the Chemical Section of the Veterinary Services Diagnostic Laboratory at Beltsville actively supported field activities and, in addition to tissue residue work, performed quantitative analyses on the following samples:' Toxaphene - 9,330 (Field Samples) Delnav - 354 Dursban - 9 Toxaphene - 920 (Emulsion Concentrate) Imidan - 114 Ronnel - 6 Co-Ral - 996 Ciodrin - 15 Arsenic - 3 In addition, chemicals for 11,880 arsenical field tests and 140 lime-sulfur tests were prepared, standardized, packaged, and mailed to the field. Emulsion stability tests were run on seven toxaphene concentrates. Active Program Continues in Texas Because the territory in Mexico along the lower Rio Grande River is tick-infested, ticks carried by Mexican animals illegally entering the United States, reinfest Texas regularly. The River, as the international boundary, is not an effective barrier against such illegal movements (see table 2). The systematic eradication area, under Federal and State quarantine, extends from Del Rio, Tex., to the Gulf of Mexico, approximately 500 miles. This zone is patrolled by Veterinary Services inspectors who, in cooperation with the Texas Animal Health Commission, work to reduce the introduction and prevent the dissemination of the ticks. The areas under quarantine in Texas include parts of Cameron, Hidalgo, Kinney, Maverick, Starr, Val Verde, Webb, and Zapata Counties. Of the 51 tick-infested herds in the systematic aréa, 22 were found by apprehension and inspection of stray livestock; 11 at dipping and/or inspection prior to movement; three through 14-day or other routine inspections; two as a result of mingling of livestock; six by pasture inspection; four by chute inspection; and three by pen inspection. Of these 51 infestations, 22 resulted from tick-infested livestock straying from Mexico and one from intermingling of livestock. It was not possible to identify the source of 28 infestations. Of the 10 infested herds found in the final area (outside the area under Federal quarantine), three were found on pasture inspection; one on 14-day or other routine inspection; four on dipping or inspection prior to movement; one by tracing from infected or exposed premises; and one on continual surveillance of premises released from quarantine. The source of the 10 infestations in the final area was not determined. There were 1,173 lots of ticks submitted to the Parasitology Section of the Veterinary Services Diagnostic Laboratory for identification; 6 skin scrapings and 369 lots of screwworm larvae were also submitted by the tick force. Of the ticks submitted, 115 were B. microplus. 'Trade names are used in this publication solely for the purpose of providing specific information. Mention of a trade name does not constitute a guarantee or warranty of the product by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Table 2.—Tick eradication activities in systematic and final areas of Texas 5-year 5-year average average Activities 1952 (1968-1962 1963-1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 Inspected for ticks Fiscal years Systematic area! Number Number Number Number Number Number Number Number Hercdsiomlotsiaente- ae cree 32,363 35,976 45,211 36,441 33,268 41,151 46,962 44,874 IVESTOCK = «saeco eae es 558 809 774,606 1,268,839 934,416 775,724 806,926 680,360 709,905 Final area! Herdstormlotsie «2 acne aes 12,011 14,092 17,890 (ey 153775 19,857 28,111 29,225 EIvestocksr) {ponyee ote % 168,088 297,008 473,002 395,744 354,099 558,057 963,650 1,020,695 Dipped or sprayed for ticks Systematic area Herdstomlots;24..)6. 2 cree 13,845 10,070 12,491 13,587 14,731 14,482 15,751 . 14,840 IVeSTOCKNS Sec cicga ns Sele 81,685 54,826 79,788 65,484 79,103 71,695 84,214 80,279 Final area Herdsion lots aie.c.. «205 os 113 473 702 877 Ue27/7 1,367 4,282 5 8,803 iVestOCcKE ert ore eee es 12323 2,348 4,061 3,441 25,845 30,843 54,206 72,758 Intrastate certificates issued Number of certificates ...... 14,913 12,930 14,323 14,431 S27 155732 15/725 20,951 Number of livestock ........ 57,704 80,362 102,529 62,297 70,368 70,821 74,259 82,048 Interstate certificates issued Number of certificates....... 13 178 33 3 8 3 2 2 Number of livestock ....... 808 12,724 4,305 159 1,334 114 4 7) Herds held for further treatment Systematic.ahedi . 42-1... = 2 92 10 30 19 46 41 118 354 Finaltaneat sess cries > 0 2 1 3 9 7 54 10 Tick-infested native herds found Systematic area ........... 29 9 28 13 32 12 43 4 44 Ginaliaveale ss ae ES ee 1 (0) 1 2 15 7 68 10 Mexican livestock illegally entering United States” Equine Gavighthaxs rs east ae 1,873 82 123 92 127 147 232 84 Mpck-intested) 9)... so sts 183 6 5 5 4 20 40 11 Cattle P Catigh tiie anys. anus ane ee 147 38 118 90 67 110 93 ne, mick-tnfested).2 52. 45 .).0 82 15 34 14 17 20 64 24 Sheep and goats Catighitere ise iccetee ee (0) 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 mick-intested 27.005... = (0) 10) 0 (6) 0 0 0 0 Swine : Cangntcmun tte see eS: 0 0 0) 0 0 0 13 0 hick-infestedys.4. ar. 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 CORE ers Poe 5-year 5-year average average Activities Number Number Number Number Number Number Number Number Exposures to clean premises .... 108 26 33 16 46 26 136 91 Re-exposures to held premises .. 73 3 2 1 1 8 8 6 U.S. livestock straying into Mexico and returning Caught et aereast- teiey-)atetyoroien ick 7 16 31 16 13 28 20 39 Importation of livestock from tick-infested areas of Mexico into Texas Offered fonimportation’=..5 5.54. eee Roi Ree iayateamiaderohasoon pera choke close eae 692,665 671,824 503,817 819,210 Rejected because of B. spp. infestation ...................20.. 11,707 13,289 24,327 9,936 58,328 1 The systematic area is that area under Federal quarantine; the final area is that area outside the area under Federal quarantine. 2 8,271 cattle and 24,909 horses were sprayed (rather than dipped). All treatments were with arsenic except as indicated on page 2. 3 Herds held for further treatment include all herds whether infestation was in all cattle in herds or confined to Mexican strays. All cattle involved in these herds are native cattle. 22 herds of 35 head of tick-infested Mexico livestock were found, all in the systematic area. Cattle offered for importation from Mexico are carefully inspected for ticks when presented for entry. They must be free of ticks and must be given a precautionary dipping before entering the United States. Eleven dipping vats met the criteria required for use of organophosphorous dips. In these vats, 840 cattle and 416 horses were dipped with dioxathion (Delnav) permitted dip; also 1,066 cattle and 10,217 horses were sprayed with dioxathion. In two of these vats, 5,340 cattle and 159 horses were dipped in coumaphos (Co-Ral); one horse was sprayed with coumaphos. Seventy-four dipping vats met the criteria required for use of arsenic; and 107,667 cattle and 5,535 horses were dipped in arsenic. Also, 7,205 cattle and 14,691 horses were sprayed with arsenic. U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam The U.S. Virgin Islands of St. Croix, St. Thomas, and St. John remain tick-infested and under Federal quarantine. The Island of Guam is also under Federal quarantine. Ticks collected from cattle on St. Croix were identified on September 1, 1967, as Amb/yomma variegatum (tropical bont tick): This was the first evidence that the tropical bont tick might establish itself on U.S. territory. This tick is an important pest in many areas of the world and can serve as a vector of diseases affecting animals and man. The tick is a three-host tick with a very broad host range. Generally, the adult tick feeds on larger animals; and the larval and nymphal stages feed on smaller animals such as cane rats, ground squirrels, and mongooses. A program was immediately undertaken to prevent further spread of the tick on the island, and an eradication program was quickly developed. All livestock on the island were immediately inspected. Later a second inspection was made, and in June 1969 all livestock were inspected again. The infestation was found to be limited to six contiguous premises involving some 2,600 acres. A. variegatum ticks were collected from cattle, sheep, goats, dogs, horses, and mongooses. The A. variegatum eradication program on St. Croix included insular quarantines on the infested premises; dipping all livestock at 7-day intervals (changed to 14-day intervals in August 1968) in 0.125 percent coumaphos (Co-Ral); and spraying infested premises with 2 pounds of active ingredient carbary! (Sevin) per acre. In August 1971, a tick survey was made on the Islands of St. Thomas and St. John. A total of 26 herds comprising 267 cattle, 23 horses, 121 sheep, and 97 goats was inspected. Numerous B. microplus and D. nitens but no A. variegatum ticks were found. Table 3.—Collections of ticks made in the U.S. Virgin Islands during fiscal years 1969-1972 Boophilus microplus | 1969 1970 | 1971 | 1972 Cattle sere Tae ate ite wate trcdtte tee adie t te 145 145 21 30 FAGRSES We rey ehees cers cateence teat ce ois sincn exits