Rhipicephalus sanguineus, commonly called the brown dog tick, kennel tick,[1] or pantropical dog tick,[1] is a species of tick found worldwide, but more commonly in warmer climates. This species is unusual among ticks in that its entire lifecycle can be completed indoors.[2] The brown dog tick is easily recognized by its reddish-brown color, elongated body shape, and hexagonal basis capituli (flat surface where mouthparts are attached). Adults are 2.28 to 3.18 mm in length and 1.11 to 1.68 mm in width. They do not have ornamentation on their backs.[3]
| Rhipicephalus sanguineus | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Ixodida |
| Family: | Ixodidae |
| Genus: | Rhipicephalus |
| Species: | R. sanguineus
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| Binomial name | |
| Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille, 1806)
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| Synonyms | |
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Development edit
The tick follows the normal developmental stages of egg, larva, nymph, and adult. It is called a three-host tick because it feeds on a different host during each of the larval, nymphal, and adult stages. However, the hosts tend to be of one species. Larvae feed for 5–15 days, drop from the host, and develop into nymphs after 1–2 weeks. The nymphs then attach to either the previous host or a different host and feed for 3–13 days before dropping from the host. After two weeks, they develop into adults and attach to another host where they continue to ingest blood, followed by a period of mating.[4] The females drop yet again in order to lay their eggs, which can total up to 7,000 in number.[5]
Rhipicephalus sanguineus can acquire bacterial or protozoal causative agents of disease at any of these life stages.[6]
Hosts edit
Rhipicephalus sanguineus feeds on a wide variety of mammals, but dogs are the preferred host in the U.S., and the population can reach pest proportions in houses and kennels.[2] The preferred attachment sites on a dog are the head, ears, back, between toes, and axilla.[7]
Medical importance edit
Rhipicephalus sanguineus is one of the most important vectors of diseases in dogs worldwide.[8] In the United States, R. sanguineus is a vector of many disease-causing pathogens in dogs, including Ehrlichia canis, which causes canine ehrlichiosis, and Babesia canis, which is responsible for canine babesiosis. In dogs, symptoms of canine ehrlichiosis include lameness and fever; those for babesiosis include fever, anorexia, and anemia. R. sanguineus has not been shown to transmit the bacteria that cause Lyme disease in humans.[2] In parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa, it is a vector of Rickettsia conorii, known locally as Mediterranean spotted fever, boutonneuse fever, or tick typhus.[2]
It can also transmit Rickettsia rickettsii, the bacteria responsible for causing Rocky Mountain spotted fever in humans in the Southwestern United States.[9]
Microorganisms found in R. sanguineus edit
Management edit
The best management strategy is prevention of infestations in the house or kennel. In addition, the earlier the infestation is discovered, the easier it is to control. Regular grooming and inspection of pets is essential to management, especially when dogs have been quartered or have interacted with other dogs.[2]
Distribution edit
A cosmopolitan species, it can be found worldwide[11] with the exception of the United Kingdom where Hoyle et al. 2001 and Bates et al. 2002 found it only in quarantine kennels. No further intrusion into the UK has been found as of 2010[update].[12]
See also edit
References edit
- ^ a b Gray, J; Dantas-Torres, F; Estrada-Peña, A; Levin, M (2013). "Systematics and ecology of the brown dog tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus". Ticks Tick Borne Dis. 4 (3): 171–80. doi:10.1016/j.ttbdis.2012.12.003. PMID 23415851.
- ^ a b c d e C. C. Lord (2001). "Brown dog tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus Latreille". Featured Creatures. University of Florida. Retrieved October 14, 2008.
- ^ Dantas-Torres, F. (2008). "The brown dog tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille, 1806) (Acari: Ixodidae): From taxonomy to control". Veterinary Parasitology. 152 (3–4): 173–185. doi:10.1016/j.vetpar.2007.12.030. PMID 18280045.
- ^ Ioffe-Uspensky, I.; Mumcuoglu, K.Y.; Uspensky, I.; Galun, R. (1997). "Rhipicephalus sanguineus and R. turanicus (Acari: Ixodidae): closely related species with different biological characteristics". Journal of Medical Entomology. 34 (1): 74–81. doi:10.1093/jmedent/34.1.74. PMID 9086715.
- ^ Koch, H.G. (1982). "Oviposition of the brown dog tick (Acari: Ixodidae) in the laboratory". Annals of the Entomological Society of America. 75 (5): 583–586. doi:10.1093/aesa/75.5.583.
- ^ "How ticks spread disease | Ticks | CDC". www.cdc.gov. 2019-04-09. Retrieved 2019-05-31.
- ^ Dantas-Torres, F. (2010). "Biology and ecology of the brown dog tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus". Parasites & Vectors. 3. doi:10.1186/1756-3305-3-26. PMC 2857863. PMID 20377860. Art. No. 26.
- ^ Domenico Otranto & Filipe Dantas-Torres (2010). "Canine and feline vector-borne diseases in Italy: current situation and perspectives". Parasites & Vectors. 3 (1): 2. doi:10.1186/1756-3305-3-2. PMC 2818618. PMID 20145730.
- ^ "Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever: Questions and Answers | Tickborne Rickettsial Diseases". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2018-08-06. Retrieved April 17, 2010.
- ^ René-Martellet, Magalie; Minard, Guillaume; Massot, Raphael; Tran Van, Van; Valiente Moro, Claire; Chabanne, Luc; Mavingui, Patrick (2017-09-07). "Bacterial microbiota associated with Rhipicephalus sanguineus (s.l.) ticks from France, Senegal and Arizona". Parasites & Vectors. 10 (1): 416. doi:10.1186/s13071-017-2352-9. ISSN 1756-3305. PMC 5591579. PMID 28886749.
- ^ "TickEncounter Resource Center > Tick Identification > Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Brown Dog tick)". tickencounter.org. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
- ^ Jameson, L. J.; Phipps, L. P.; Medlock, J. M. (2010). "Surveillance for exotic ticks on companion animals in the UK". Veterinary Record. 166 (7). British Veterinary Association (BMJ): 202–203. doi:10.1136/vr.b4786. ISSN 0042-4900. PMID 20154311. S2CID 29671884.
External links edit
- Brown dog tick on the University of Florida / Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Featured Creatures website
- Pereira, Marcelo Campos. "Rhipicephalus". Universidade de São Paulo; Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
- "Rhipicephalus sanguineus". Extento.hawaii.edu