Michael Lehrke

• Ixodidae ticks are hard ticks
• Taxonomy:
• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Arthropoda
• Class: Arachnida (Eight legs)
• Subclass: Acari (Ticks & Mites)
• Superorder: Parasitiformes (Parasitic ticks)
• Order: Ixodida
• Family Ixodidae (Hard ticks)
• 702 species in 14 genera

• Amblyomma americanum
• The lone star tick
• Dermacentor andersoni
• Wood tick
• Dermacentor variabilis
• American dog tick
• Ixodes scapularis
(Ixodes dammini)
• Black-legged deer tick
• Rhipicephalus sanguineus
• Brown dog tick

• Hard scutum or shield, on females it is partial on males it is full
• A capitulum (mouth parts) that projects from the body
• Opposed to soft ticks in which the head is beneath the body

• Red-brown color, females have white spot posterior to scutum, males have more than one spot around body
• Mouth parts are particularly long
• Festoons are present

• Females have a white scutum and brown body, males are brown with white markings (D. variabilis has more white)
• Eleven festoons
• Basis capituli is straight
• Coxae get larger from anterior to posterior

• They have reddish bodies with black scutum, males are usually mostly black
• Lack of festoons
• Have anal groove on ventral side, anterior to the anus
• Adults are “1/2 sesame” sized and nymphs are “poppy seed” sized

• Brown abdomen and scutum
• Festoons present
• Hexagonal basis capituli
• Coxae remain same size

• Definitive hosts: Cats, cattle, sheep, goats, horses, rodents, primates
• Intermediate hosts: Cats, rodents, rabbits
• It is a three-host tick
• Southern US and Mexico

• Definitive hosts: Dogs, cattle, sheep, goats, horses, primates, raccoons
• Intermediate hosts: Rodents, rabbits
• It is a three-host tick
• Western North America and Canada

• Definitive hosts: Dogs, cats, cattle, rodents, primates, raccoons
• Intermediate hosts: Rabbits
• It is a three-host tick
• Central and Eastern US

• Definitive hosts: Dogs, cats, cattle, rodents, horses, pigs, rabbits, birds, primates
• Intermediate hosts: Rabbits, rodents, snakes/turtles
• It is a three-host tick
• Central, Midwest and
Eastern US

• Definitive hosts: Dogs, rodents, rabbits, primates
• Intermediate hosts: Dogs, rodents, rabbits
• It is a three-host tick
• Entire US (your dog is not safe!!)

• Three host tick: feeds on three hosts during life cycle
• Can be all different or the same individual
• Molt in between feedings
• Usually winter before each feeding and after molting
• Progress from Egg -> Larvae -> Nymph -> Adult
• Larvae, aka rebels, have 6 legs (nymphs keep it real with 8 again)

• Usually asymptomatic, like a normal insect bite
• Tick cuts into skin (can take 10 min to 2 hours to prepare), inserts feeding tube, and secrete anesthetic saliva! (Sucks, literally)
• Dermacentor and Ixodes have been implicated with tick paralysis
• Acute, ascending, flaccid motor paralysis, can result in death
• Thought to be caused by toxins
• Ticks can transmit diseases!

• Remove the tick, duh
• DO NOT use ointments/Vaseline or heat, ticks vomit, possibly forcing pathogens into you!
• Avoid tick infested areas
• Repellent (DEET)

• Anaplasmosis
• Babesiosis
• Ehrlichiosis
• Lyme disease
• Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

• Formerly human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (HE), now referred to human granulocytic anaplasmosis
• Caused by bacteria Anaplasma phagocytophilum, transmitted by
Ixodes scapularis
• Symptoms include fever, headache, chills, muscle aches usually
1-2 weeks after bite
• Diagnosed on symptoms and can be confirmed by lab tests, treated with doxycycline

• Caused by blood parasite Babesia microti, transmitted by
Ixodes scapularis
• Usually asymptomatic, can cause flu-like symptoms, dangerous to immunocompromised people
• Diagnosed with blood smears, visualizing “Maltesecross” formations, treated, usually clears itself or can be treated with drug combinations

• Caused by Ehrlichia species of bacteria, transmitted by lonestar tick
• Flu-like symptoms, malaise, confusion, rash, red eyes
• Diagnosed on clinical signs and lab tests, treated with doxycycline

• Caused by the bacteria
Rickettsia rickettsi, transmitted by Dermacentor variabilis,
Dermacentor andersoni, and
Rhipicephalus sanguineus
• Flu-like symptoms, spotted rash, can be deadly if not treated
• Suspicion, blood tests, platelet count, treated with doxycycline

• NOT “Lyme’s Disease” – Named after
• Caused by the spirochete bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi, transmitted by Ixodes scapularis
• Acute: Flu-like symptoms, erythema migrans (bull’s-eye rash), Bell’s palsy, joint pain, fatigue
• Chronic: Arthritis, neurological issues, persistent fatigue
• Post-treatment: fatigue, sleep disturbance, cognitive defects, joint problems

• Diagnosed with blood tests (after several weeks), treated with doxycycline, Ceftin, or amoxicillin

• Prevalent on the East Coast and in the Midwest
(particularly around this area and Wisconsin)
• Prevalence is dramatically climbing
• In 2000 MN had 465 cases, in 2010 that rose to 1293 (270% increase)!
• In 2000 WI had 631 cases, which rose to 2505 in 2010 (400% increase)!

• These diseases can be prevented by avoiding ticks, using repellents (DEET), and promptly removing ticks