Historic, archived document Do not assume content reflects current scientific knowledge, policies, or practices. sy wh y a LSF&O/ United States AIUS a es a gee"? ~~ National Tick Surveillance Program Animal and Plant Health Inspection Calendar Year 1982 Veterinary Services APHIS 91-39 August 1983 £6, ll AGW National Tick Surveillance Program Calendar Year 1982 During calendar year 1982, the collection and submission of ticks from native and imported animals plus plant and animal material was 3 percent less than in 1981. There were 9,086 collections in 1982, compared to 9,381 in 1981, 7,763 in 1980, 11,553 in 1979, and 12,242 in 1978. Heartwater Survey in the Caribbean In 1982 there was continued concern regarding heartwater in the West Indies. Heartwater was reported from the French island of Guadeloupe in the West Indies'in 1980.' Heartwater is a tick-borne disease of cattle, sheep, and goats caused by the rickettsial agent Cowdria ruminantium. The disease is transmitted by ticks of the genus Amblyomma. In Africa, where the disease originated, the principal vectors are Amblyomma hebraeum and A. variegatum, although other African ticks such as A. pomposum and A. gemma are involved in the natural transmission of heartwater. There is a particular concern about the report of heartwater in the West Indies since one of the principal: vectors, A. variegatum, is now established in Puerto Rico, Guadeloupe; Martinique, Antigua, and St. Kitts. There have been no reports of heartwater in Puerto Rico. The clinical signs of heartwater may vary greatly depending on the virulence of the strain of Cowdria ruminantium and the susceptibility of the host. In acute heartwater there may be high fever, nervous signs, diarrhea, depression, a stiff gait, high stepping, exaggerated chewing movements and blinking of the eyes, convulsions, prostration, and death. Mortality in susceptible livestock may range from 30 to 60 percent or higher. Some wild African ruminants (blesbok, springbok, and black wildebeest) may develop inapparent infections and serve as reservoirs of C. ruminantium. Footnotes 1. Perreau, P.; Morel, P. C.; Barre, N. et al: Existence de la cowdriose (heartwater) a Cowdria ruminantium chez les ruminants de Antilles francaises (La Guadeloupe) et des Mascareignes (La Reunion et lle Maurice). Rev. Elev. Med. Vet. Pays Trop. 33:21-22. 1980. 2. Uilenberg, G. Experimental transmission of Cowdria ruminantium by the Gulf Coast tick Amblyomma maculatum: Danger of introducing heartwater and benign African theileriasis onto the American mainland. Am. J. Vet. Res. Vol. 43 (7):1279-1282. 1982 Recent studies have also shown that at least one North American Amblyomma species, A. maculatum, is an experimental vector of C. ruminantium.? This is an alarming finding since A. maculatum is established in all or part of at least 10 States on the U.S. mainland. A. maculatum is commonly found from the coastal area of Texas, up into northeastern Oklahoma and southeastern Kansas, and eastward from Texas through the Gulf Coast States into Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. In 1982 the U.S. Department of Agriculture sent a team of foreign animal specialists to conduct a survey of six islands in the West Indies. Although evidence of heartwater was not found on Antigua, Dominica, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Nevis, or St. Vincent, one of the vectors of heartwater, A. variegatum, was found on four of the islands. Additional surveillance studies are planned for 1983. A grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to the University of Florida will support further studies in the West Indies. The University of Florida research team will cooperate with the French veterinarians at the Instit National de las Recherche Agronomique at Gardel, Grande Terre, Guadeloupe. They will study the virulence of the West Indian strain of heartwater, the distribution of the disease, and how to prevent the spread of heartwater and A. variegatum. Amblyomma variegatum Eradication in Puerto Rico Since May 1981, all known Amblyomma variegatum premises have been placed under quarantine and systematic treatment. Municipalities known to have infested herds in 1982 include: Cabo Rojo in the southwest; Ponce in the south central; and Cidra, Aibonito, Aguas Buenas, Comerio, Cayey, and Naranjito in the east central part of the island. Also, in 1982, infestations continued to be reported on Vieques, an island off the east coast of Puerto Rico. The National Veterinary Services Laboratories, Pathobiology Laboratory, Ames lowa, confirmed 50 collections of A. variegatum in calendar year 1982 as compared to 87 confirmed collections in calendar year 1981. Boophilus microplus Eradication in Puerto Rico The Boophilus tick eradication program continued to make progress on two fronts, one in the northwest and the other in the southeast regions of the main lands of Puerto Rico. The northwestern area includes the municipalities of Aguadialla, Moca, Isabela, San Sebastian, and Quebradiallas. The southeastern area includes the municipalities of Guardo, Juncos, San Lorenzo, Las Piedras, Naguabo, Humacao, and Yubucoa. At the end of 1982 approximately 2,4000 herds, involving over 72,000 animals, free of ticks in the two quarantine and systematic tick treatment areas. Important strides in the tick eradication program in 1982 include the development of an effective and close working relationship with commonwealth officials, the appropriate legal structure and action procedures, policies to ensure employee safety while working with pesticides, procedures for handling livestock pesticide toxicosis problems, a Tick Advisory Committee, availability of alternate pesticides, the use of cage vats as an alternative to spraying livestock, and tick and pesticide research projects in Puerto Rico. Progress Report on the New Cattle Fever Tick Research Laboratory By the end of fiscal year 1983, the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) will move the Cattle Fever Tick Research Laboratory from Falcon Heights, Texas, to a new $700,000 facility at Mission, Texas. The new laboratory is located on a 100-acre plot on the northwest corner of the old Moore Air Base near the sterile screwworm fly production plant. The new site will feature the following: (1) separate laboratories for research on tick biology and acaricides, (2) covered animal holding facilities for 64 tick-infested cattle, (3) a modern dipping vat and spraying facilities for acaricide testing, (4) a dipping vat and holding pens exclusively for treating cattle to move them outside the quarantined premises of the laboratory, and (5) about 90 acres of pasture for use as experimental plots. The experimental pastures will permit research on a variety of problems including the role of white-tail deer and exotic game animals in the ecology of Boophilus ticks, and the sterile hybrid Boophilus eradication method. Recent Tick Research at the Falcon Heights Laboratory During the past year samples of both Boophilus mi- croplus and B. annulatus collected from tick-infested cattle detected in the Tick Eradication Buffer Zone were colonized and bioassayed to determine if acari- cide resistant ticks were being introduced from Mexico. As in the past, all of the ticks in the samples tested were completely susceptible. In the event that coumaphos-resistant ticks are detected, knowledge of the efficacies of compounds that are alternatives to coumaphos or other organophosphates will be impor- tant in selecting other acaricides for use in the eradi- cation program. None of the nonorganophosphate acar- icides tested to date provide 100 percent control of ei- ther cattle tick species. However, amitraz, a diamidide applied as a spray at 0.015 percent active ingredient, provided greater than 98 percent controls of the larvae, nymphs, and adults on the cattle at the time of treat- ment and provided 100 percent residual protection for 7 days, post treatment against reinfestation by larvae. Unfortunately, a formulation of amitraz suitable for use in dipping vats has not been developed for use in the United States. Tick Research in Puerto Rico The ARS Tropical Tick Research Laboratory in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, continues to provide research support to the tick eradication efforts in Puerto Rico. Because of the risk of crotoxyphos (Cio-Rid®) toxicosis both in personnel of the tick eradication force and treated livestock, a safer but efficacious acaricide is needed. Extensive field tests demonstrated that both amitraz and permethrin can be effective replacements for crotoxyphos. Unfortunately, when applied as sprays neither of these compounds controls 100 percent of the ticks on cattle and, therefore, should not be used on the tick quarantine line. All the potential hosts in Puerto Rico of the tropical bont tick were surveyed for 2 years near Cidra, Puerto Rico, in the heart of the area where the tick occurs. All stages of the tropical bont tick have been collected from goats, horses, and cattle, but not from other domestic animals or wildlife. The limited host-range in Puerto Rico of this tick will greatly simplify efforts to eradicate it. Boophilus Program in Texas In 1982 Veterinary Services Tick Eradication personnel apprehended 81 head of Mexican livestock along the Texas-Mexico border areas from Brownsville to the Amistad Dam near Del Rio. This compared to 76 apprehensions in fiscal year 1981. Thirty-four of the 1982 apprehensions were cattle, of which 14 were infested with Boophilus ticks. Forty-seven apprehensions were horses, of which none was tick infested. Thirty-four Texas premises were placed under quarantine as the result of exposure to infested Mexican livestock. Five new Boophilus infested premises were found in the Free Area and 15 in the Buffer Area during fiscal year 1982. In October 1982, Congress passed Public Law 97-312 which provides that tick inspectors who have been designated by the Secretary of Agriculture and the U.S. Attorney General can carry firearms for self-protection. Inspectors authorized to carry firearms must first receive firearms training at the Federal Law Enforcement Center, Glynco, Georgia. The first class of 24 tick inspectors is tentatively scheduled to begin training in December 1983. New Formulation of Coumaphos For many years arsenicals were used as the acaricide in official U.S. tick Eradication Program work. Because of environmental hazards of arsenic residues in the formulation used to dip cattle, use of arsenical solutions was discontinued in 1973. Coumpahos, formulated as CoRal® Animal Insecticide 25% Wettable Powder, was selected in 1969 for use in official Tick Eradication Programs. Coumaphos has proven to be a very effective acaricide. The wettable powder formulation does have an undesirable characteristic; i.e., very rapid settline out of suspension. This settling out characteristic makes dipping vat management difficult. Bayvet Corporation is now marketing a flowable formulation of coumaphos, CoRal® Flowable Cattle Insecticide. The flowable formulation is equally effective against ticks and virtually eliminates the problems of settling out of the suspension. Unfortunately, the current registered label for flowable coumaphos does not list horses as an animal that may: be treated. The Tick Force currently has three vats charged with the flowable formulation of coumaphos. Samples are taken from the vats each time animals are dipped, and, to date, all samples have been within the recommended pesticide concentration. As the supply on hand of wettable powder is depleted, additional vats will be charged with the flowable coumaphos. Use of the flowable formulation of coumaphos should result in more efficient vat management and ensure that all animals are treated with the recommended concentration of pesticide. Suggestions to Protect Livestock from Boophilus Ticks According to Dr. John Gray, Tick Epidemiologist, South Central Region, prevention of tick infestation starts with the livestock owner. No State or Federal agency can provide the day-to-day protective measures that the owner can provide. Prevention starts with good fences that keep the livestock on clean, non-infested land and protect the ranch from becoming exposed to tick-infested stray livestock. Domestic livestock, principally cattle, are usually responsible for spreading ticks. Know the movements of livestock within the ranch and maintain records of movements. In the event that part of the ranch becomes tick infested, the infestation can be defined and eradicated rapidly. If One or more pastures are at high risk to ticks, always have the livestock from such pastures inspected and dipped by tick program personnel before moving these livestock to other pastures. When purchasing new animals—be safe. Have the new animals inspected and dipped before bringing them onto the ranch. Horses at risk to ticks should be on 14-day treatment to prevent the introduction of ticks. Ask the tick program personnel if your horses should be on a ‘‘14- day pass.” Livestock owners ranching in high-risk areas of tick infestation should always be alert to the possibility of tick infestation. They should take special precautions to prevent the introduction and spread of ticks. : R26 Vi YYUY Yuu G yj VQ, Uj ttiyjy,Y tlh Yi WY ae CS6lL AO S}SOH [VW WOl4 SUOIIIIJOD YIIL PERIOD HOST ECTED Idaho Konses Kentucky Lovisiena a) Hine i 2) i Maryland 6 6 Messechusetts alt di +- ir Michigen 3 | | Minnesoto Mississippi 9 | 3 | [ i { + a Missouri Montane 1 New York ial North Caroline 15| 1 6 North Dakota as\{t 1 Ohio Oklahoma Oregon eee | ere 1 te au } [ L | } | | Pi Ivani ‘ennsylvania 1 al { all 4 + Rhode Island ite | 4 - | South Carolina Texes dj 5981| 4533 314) 724 61, 285 64 Virginia Washington | West Virginia Tr 2 ~—+> — + = Wisconsin | | I Wyoming Puerte Rico 2409 io 132 Virgin Islands ANH rom 555 REPLACES £00 FORM S85, OFC 1964, WHICH 1S OOSOLETE USDA-ARS MAY 1971 PERIOD HOST REPORT OF TICKS COLLECTED | animals and Products Calendar Year 1982 for Entr. STATE TOTAL | 96 20 | 6 10 | 23 1 2| 16 12 | 4 1 ARIZONA Je L 4 + $—--p—- a — = le L 11 11B0 pees Douglasis ee | +——_} a IE Me a [be ; 2 oie | ie d oa. | | [ |e | [eal CALIFORNIA L ' al | ue 3 ea ea ul t eles San Ysidro i FLORIDA = 2a | Ne + | 4 = at | le 4 a + 10R __.__ Miami Airport it 1 | | j i | _ ILLINOIS. 4 | } | + 4 ae AL | Dona Ana | 2 { 1BO | | _| 180 PENNSYLVANIA z se 4 +— | } | tle iL + + + Philadelphia a El Paso 14 2B0 5BO 7BU +— + + et ee at + + + ————Higuston__ 2 a GD | 1HG + t + 7 4 J. IE + + — — - + +—— = At + ——}—_.- + | + t + T — _+ + = ——}- t { be { | ek IL Bere zs + == = = a oy | je ee | eee | eee | + = + } + at + + 1 =i Je. 1 + + —t- 1 + + +- +- + + + —} + a | + + —— ee — —_— =o —— + AH Fora 5-55 PEPL ACES ADE FORM S65, DEC 1964, WHICH 13 OOSOLETE USOA-ARS pereny Key to Host ey AH Animal Hides F Foodstuffs Rey/itoiSpectes BG Baggage GD Ground a Dermacentor parumapertus ek BH Bighorn Sheep HG Household Goods aa Haemaphysalis longicornis ( = H. Nymphal Stage BO Bovine HO Horse d Dermacentor hunteri bispinosa) F CR Crate OR Orchid dn Dermacentor nuttalli D Deer SDN GG a Vy; Dey’ pcScCe its laa NYY Ye: OAL) Y Wht yy, ZB6L AD ajyeg Wol4 SUON}99}|OD 4911 STATE TovaL | 7118 2 v v REPORT OF TICKS COLLECTED PERIOD HOST Calendar Year 1982 Cattle 7 1 Heweli Ideho Indiena lowa Kenses Kentucky Lovisiens laine Maryland Mossochusetts Michigan Minnesote Montane Nebreska New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dekota Ohio Oklehome [ab Oregon Pennsylvania Rhede Island South Caroline South Dekote ll 3 Tennessee Texes 184 35 Utah Verment Virginie Washington West Virginie Wisconsin | 21 9 4533 | 599 | 10 1 + Wyemi Prerte Rico : Virgin Islends ARH Fors MAY 1971 PAGCPL ACES 406 FORw B85, OFC 1964, WHICH 19 COSOLETE Key to Species v Amblyomma variegatum n Amblyomma inornatum ** Nymphal Stage ee @ ee e+ |e | O519 O148I9NG | Par ee C86L AO s6og WOl4 SUOI]D9IJOD YI REPORT OF TICKS COLLECTED Ry O/T ul sem | ales Messechusetts | aa ait aac ame | pe Minnesote | Mississippi pf pap Misseuri lentene a 2 aI et ey ee ee fr aearel li t Koved || Sen eal i | ee Sc oeTIN | fone c ; a | = Wisconsin ie al ml | iP | E sr Wyemi Pverte Rico — t +- Virgia Isleads ANH Fone REPLACES ACE FORM G68, CGC 1964, WHICH 1D COCOLETE ; USDA-ARS May 1971 Key to Species * Dog spent 1 week in Wisconsin prior to collection. a Ixodes dammini k Ixodes kingi n Amblyomma inornatua 11 c86L AO SOININ Puy SOSIOH{ WO SUO!}D9IjOD YL PERIOD HOST REPORT OF TICKS COLLECTED Calendar Year 1982 Horses and Mules Alabama i : : Be eee awe | oo ealeee ae Alaska jl Is eile t eM se jl eet sate eal ee oy crane Arizona Ne I al Ie Sea == : = | EBS 2 2 ee pe) eee at Arkansas i a { Fee | + alles | cee fe Al el eae BAe ee " California | | | Colorado | 1 IL 1 Ee Me dS PERU EE Connecticut onne ¥ 1 — ah — ee j—- -—-+— oe feo t- ft -—- — a mech eats ——t— Delaware H { ae ee + =| ie = OE ee ao) Lee = els £ | Florida 22 6 [eee | | 12 | py 2 ill 1 + ey + ‘i 3 = } = Soa etic = = + Georgia Hawaii ‘ll i i We ee i A! = NN Ea Pael| I | + a + = Sar = + = Saas | + + =e Idaho I) ; + 4 + - +4 —te = | + + er 4 - —f- -—4-- —+-— + - —- 4 — Selon ~ e ! | { Illinois a} all i be all | ae Ae + 1B iF Piage eee Ae { -t—— il Indiana alle : | al lowa Kansas : i | | { 4 a ls if a — —— - -- - Ft =i 4 + qp eae SS — —- —+ Kentucky 2 { 2] | | | j— —- —t— + ——- + —— — +. --~-- + -—|-— + { Sis It { = = t aI i t Louisiana (rary a) eave ee dal al a ss | ee tiie ee Zul Hl i ! | Maine | ei sfleic, ais | He | fe | Ie { Maryland i i | | | | T T | | ] Mossachusetts | | | + + a - SS + SS a ee —+—— t +— Michigan | | 9 aH sell et + = te a | = : fe A F | | Minnesota | } 3 | rote, 1 Mea IE i le ust gc! so ib oe | Mississippi | Woes | t | | [ | + = = a {oS r= = + Missouri | | | Montana ‘ : = y s + salve -= ==} Nebraska | | j as | | mad ieee ee oe A _ —- | | : == ar a sla Salis = = = t = aa ST] : | \ lew Hampshire | | : Sal peels nek eh [eel See Poesy | | New Jersey New Mexi H | | su mexice i | 1 aes es I ——————————————————e eel es 4 New York lhe | ee eee || oil | eel ea ite i | | Paap es North Carolina j | | F sal a" = = tea s)= SSeS + r a a = North Dakota | + | — en | cee at - tL edt = =, pee le IL = Ohio | | Oklahoma | | —— a + ———————— Silat Sheen +--+ -——f +—--—. — = 4 sue | - + | i 1 ! Oregon i ida ae Ele a | ca ne a Ee aaa Pennsylvania | + | | a er = ah te = | =| Rhode Island sleeves Ne | A a | = Pepe lees | i South Carolina South Dakota = —-4 - = Tennessee 5 = = Sy Se +—— + $$ ___—— ——+- ———— - 7} — ———-+-— ——}—--. Texas 724; 18 | 41 8 | 48 | 2s | 29 8 A 5s] ae] A 5 t 4 - +—— ———|—_ ee | ee nd Fe dn Be es ee ee oe ~ od Utah | Vermont Virginia : Washington | 1 + + + — -— —+ +— +. — +— +——}- +> West Virginia H | + + + =|! at te ak + + = + Wisconsin | i oT. ae —— 4 + +——— — —+-—-—— --——— +- + + + Wyoming Puerto Ri 132 ico 1 . Virgin Islands ANH Form 5-55 REPLACES ADE FORM 5-55, DEC 1964, WHICH 15 OBSOLETE USDA-ARS MAY 1971 Key. to Species **Nymphal Stage v Amblyomma variegatum 13 on | I ZB6L AD SHIIPIIM @AIVEN WOs4 SUOI}DEI|OD AOL STATE TOTAL Alabama PERIOD HOST REPORT OF TICKS COLLECTED Native Wildlife Calendar Year 1982 Alaska Arizona Arkansas Connecticut + + = — 1 a al + + 4 Delaware al | | ve E +--+ =I | + Florida Bails | } i: Georgia a Hawaii | io? T irc | ] Idaho a + | - = = = = 5 | acca yaa ae Mlinois a} Ab i wu =i | al. Indiana = | He lowa Kansas | IL ie See = + + 3RC 2RC “ Kentucky 14_|iGF | es i | _5RC | GE | Usain 2rc | Lovisiano 1 | ena! aly IIe : 2 + 4 —__} Maine | | IL ah Maryland Massachusetts | | Michigan 3 =" t Minnesota | + T a ai meron iva 3 a li aT Mississippi at 4 Bare 1 IL + Missouri Montana | | t | [ aod aE Nebraska To + T — IF + + + Nevada | ie He | aael! + a =I + New Hompshire + + + + + +— + + New Jersey New Mexico | | + + + 4 New York | it + + + + + —t —+ + —+- in North Carolina gill ie eae alt ae) he ele ae eo ip_| arc* Ae North Dakota | | al us - Ohio Oklahoma Oregon +- + =I Jt —- + +- + Pe i | nnsylvania | [ | i! | il il iL Rhode Island lk + 5 —— + South Carolina South Dakota —-— - + + + + ak + + at —— + 1 Tennessee [ ane | JL | i = RC BD BBC ip** 1D S208. 285 _[1BC, 3DBD, 2J 11D 43R" 88D 11D ap__| 9pe* |g9n | 1D 1R Utah 1RC ta 14CO Vermont Virginia | ai | = F | Washington | | | L | L West Virginia L [ i T T eT + Fs = aT T Wisconsin 4 ak 1 4 4 + + Wyoming i SS DPD GD DD Puerto Rico Virgin Islands REPLACES ADE FORM 5-55, OEC 1964, WHICH 13 OBSOLETE ANH Form 5-55 MAY 1971 Key to Host B Bird FY BB Black bear GF BC Bobcat J 0 BD Badger R BI Bluebird RC co Coyote TO D Deer Feral Swine Grey Fox Javelina (peccary) Rabbit Raccoon Towhee Key to Species to op USDA-ARS *Origin Kansas **Nymphal Stage Bracketed figures refer to state indicated Ixodes affinis Ixodes brunneus Amblyomma inornatum Ixodes texanus 15 PERIOD HOST REPORT OF TICKS COLLECTED Zoo Animals and Calendar Year 1982 Miscellaneous Hosts Alaska | | . ] : + JI 4 + Arizona | JL } i | { aL | lis Arkansas | Alabama — 1 } | Connecticut + ther Tt + Delaware I 4 | | | iia Florida cle | Georgia Hawaii Serine | 7 ima HEE Indiana i ae | | 1 7 | | lowe Kansas { = i Ne 4 =| se Kentucky 2a 2H | - Louisiana Ib { =F | 1 r r i Maine = ica peal ie | Maryland Massachusetts | ena = a = Michigan Minnesoto ii il at + tL Mi aes ISSISSIPPI 3 1X 1X + +——_—1 + + 1g Missouri Montana Nebraska Le Nevada ca au| | [ | | | | New Hampshire | New Jersey New Mexico “New York | | | WT T North Caroli 1, lo rolina 5 | 2H | L 2 i 3H | | Ne North Dokota 1 Ohio Oklahoma — Pennsylvania + = + + + + 4 4— { Rhode Island zl South Carolina 1 Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico Virgin Islands ANH roms 5-55 AGPLACES ADE FORM S85, OFC 1964, WHICH IS OOSOLETE MAY 1971 USDA-ARS Key to Host Key to Species *Animal from an Eastern State Cc Cat Q Host not given ta Ornithodoros talaje **Nymphal Stage CL Clothing Ss Sheep v Amblyomma variegatum Bracketed figures refer to state indicated G Goat x Inanimate object ar Amblyomma rotundatum 0 H Human Y Swine HM Dwelling ZO Zoo Office HS Horse Stall 17 Revised August 1983