Tick-borne diseases, which afflict humans and other animals, are caused by infectious agents transmitted by tick bites. They are caused by infection with a variety of pathogens, including rickettsia and other types of bacteria, viruses, and protozoa. The economic impact of tick-borne diseases is considered to be substantial in humans, and tick-borne diseases are estimated to affect ~80 % of cattle worldwide.
Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is a positive-strand RNA virus associated with tick-borne encephalitis in the genus Flavivirus.
Kyasanur forest disease (KFD) is a tick-borne viral haemorrhagic fever endemic to South-western part of India. The disease is caused by a virus belonging to the family Flaviviridae. KFDV is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected hard ticks which act as a reservoir of KFDV.
The Asiatic long-tailed climbing mouse is a species of rodent found in South and Southeast Asia. It is known as ගස් මීයා by Sinhalese people.
Powassan virus (POWV) is a Flavivirus transmitted by ticks, found in North America and in the Russian Far East. It is named after the town of Powassan, Ontario, where it was identified in a young boy who eventually died from it. It can cause encephalitis, an infection of the brain. No approved vaccine or antiviral drug exists. Prevention of tick bites is the best precaution.
Ixodes scapularis is commonly known as the deer tick or black-legged tick, and in some parts of the US as the bear tick. It was also named Ixodes dammini until it was shown to be the same species in 1993. It is a hard-bodied tick found in the eastern and northern Midwest of the United States as well as in southeastern Canada. It is a vector for several diseases of animals, including humans and is known as the deer tick owing to its habit of parasitizing the white-tailed deer. It is also known to parasitize mice, lizards, migratory birds, etc. especially while the tick is in the larval or nymphal stage.
Langat virus (LGTV) is a virus of the genus Flavivirus. The virus was first isolated in Malaysia in 1956 from a hard tick of the Ixodes genus. This virus is antigenically related to Omsk hemorrhagic fever virus, Kyasanur forest disease virus, Alkhurma virus, Louping ill virus and other viruses of the tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) complex. The Langat virus does not pose a significant epidemiological threat in comparison with TBEV. There are no known cases of human diseases associated with LGTV. The Malaysian strain is naturally attenuated and induces neutralizing antibodies to tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) and protection against other TBEV complex viruses in animals.
Ixodes ceylonensis is a hard-bodied tick of the genus Ixodes. It is found in India and Sri Lanka. It is an obligate ectoparasite of mammals.
Haemaphysalis aculeata is a hard-bodied tick of the genus Haemaphysalis. It is found in India and Sri Lanka.
Haemaphysalis bispinosa is a hard-bodied tick of the genus Haemaphysalis. It is found in India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Pakistan, Nepal, Australia, and Indonesia. It is an obligate ectoparasite of mammals. It is a potential vector of Kyasanur Forest disease virus. These ticks was found parasitized by a chalcid Hunterellus sagarensis in these diseased areas.
Haemaphysalis anomala is a hard-bodied tick of the family Ixodidae. It is found in India, Vietnam and Sri Lanka. It is an obligate ectoparasite of mammals.
Haemaphysalis cuspidata is a hard-bodied tick of the genus Haemaphysalis. It is found in India and Sri Lanka. It is a potential vector of Kyasanur Forest disease virus.
Haemaphysalis hystricis, the East Asian mountain haemaphysalid, is a hard-bodied tick of the genus Haemaphysalis. It is found in India, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Myanmar, China, Japan, India, Indonesia, Laos, Taiwan and Thailand. It is an obligate ectoparasite of mammals. It is a potential vector of Kyasanur Forest disease virus, Coxiella sp., Ehrlichia sp., and Rickettsia japonica. In 2007, an unknown trypanosoma species known as Trypanosoma KG1 isolate was isolated from naturally infected H. hystricis ticks.
Haemaphysalis intermedia, the flat-inner-spurred haemaphysalid, is a hard-bodied tick of the genus Haemaphysalis. It is found in India and Sri Lanka. It is an obligate ectoparasite of mammals. It is a potential vector of Kyasanur Forest disease virus, Ganjam virus, and Nairobi sheep disease virus.
Haemaphysalis minuta, is a hard-bodied tick of the genus Haemaphysalis. It is found in India and Sri Lanka. It is an obligate ectoparasite of mammals. It is a potential vector of Kyasanur Forest disease virus.
Haemaphysalis turturis is a hard-bodied tick of the family Ixodidae. It is found in India and Sri Lanka. It is an obligate ectoparasite of mammals. It is a potential vector of Kyasanur Forest disease virus, and ganjam virus.
Hyalomma brevipunctata, or Sharif's Indian hyalomma, is a hard-bodied tick of the family Ixodidae. It is found in India and Sri Lanka.
Nosomma monstrosum, is a hard-bodied tick of the genus Nosomma. It is found in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Vietnam.
Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides is a hard-bodied tick of the genus Rhipicephalus. It is one of the major medically important ticks in the world.
Natalia Aleksandrovna Filippova was a world authority on the taxonomy of mites and especially ticks. Her monographs on the identification, morphology, development, distribution and behaviour of the family Argasidae and the sub-families of Ixodinae and Amblyomminae are standard works on these important vectors of disease.
