Carpet python riddled with ticks now has anaemia but vets hopeful of recovery – via Herp Digest

By Lily Nothing 1/13/19, Australia, Broadcast News

For video go to

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-14/nike-the-carpet-python-riddled-with-ticks-recovering/10711112

A carpet python "saved from certain death" after being rescued from a Gold Coast pool is being treated for anaemia after having more than 500 ticks removed from its body, a wildlife hospital says.

The snake, which has been named Nike, was discovered at a Coolangatta property last week.

Tony Harrison from Gold Coast and Brisbane Snake Catcher, who was called out to retrieve the animal, said the snake was "trying to drown" the ticks in the water.

The python was taken to the Currumbin Wildlife Hospital for treatment, where it underwent testing and had 511 ticks removed from its body over several hours.

Senior vet Michael Pyne said the snake was very weak when it was brought in for treatment.

"The initial thing is to get some heat into them, reptiles are solar driven and … this guy was obviously found in a pool and was very cold," Dr Pyne said.

"We do see a number of animals come in with significant tick burdens, but this guy was at the very extreme end.

"To have 500-odd ticks on him was just remarkable."

Dr Pyne said while it was typical for snakes to attract ticks, the reptiles were usually able to rub them off.

"There's no doubt he wouldn't have survived if he wasn't brought in," he said.

Dr Pyne said the python had probably been looking to soothe its skin rather than trying to drown the ticks in the pool.

"It's typical of snakes to look for water when they have skin irritations," he said.

"He certainly wasn't going to be able to drown the ticks, he'd run out of breath well before the ticks will.”

In a post on Facebook, the Currumbin Wildlife Hospital Foundation thanked the public for its well wishes and interest in the case.

"Our hospital staff removed 511 ticks from Nike, which left him very unwell with anaemia," the post said.

"Nike also has a nasty infection which may have caused his immobility, allowing the ticks to take advantage of him.

"Nike isn't out of the woods yet, but we are hopeful he will make a full recovery and be released back into the wild in the coming months.”

The snake has been left in the hands of an experienced wildlife carer.

Winter ticks killing moose at alarming rate

Date: October 17, 2018

Source: University of New Hampshire

As winter in New England seems to get warmer, fall lingers longer and spring comes into bloom earlier, areas like northern New Hampshire and western Maine are seeing an unusual continued increase in winter ticks which are endangering the moose population. Researchers at the University of New Hampshire have found that the swell of infestations of this parasite, which attaches itself to moose during the fall and feeds throughout the winter, is the primary cause of an unprecedented 70 percent death rate of calves over a three-year period.

"The iconic moose is rapidly becoming the new poster child for climate change in parts of the Northeast," said Pete Pekins, professor of wildlife ecology. "Normally anything over a 50 percent death rate would concern us, but at 70 percent, we are looking at a real problem in the moose population."

Continued

For ticks, researchers find lemur noses to be males only in Madagascar

Date:

April 6, 2015

Source:

Entomological Society of America

Summary:

Out of 295 ticks collected from the noses of lemurs in Madagascar, 100 percent of them were male. The chosen location may provide a convenient jump-off point for male ticks to switch hosts as the lemurs sniff each other.

Read more ...

Mice give ticks a free lunch

Date:

March 24, 2014

Source:

Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies

Summary:

Mice are effective at transferring disease-causing pathogens to feeding ticks. And, according to a new paper, these 'super hosts' appear indifferent to larval tick infestations. Drawing on 16 years of field research performed at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, New York, the paper found that white-footed mice with hundreds of larval ticks survived just as long as those with only a few ticks. Even more surprising, male mice with large tick loads were more likely to survive during a given season.

Continued

Ticks May Help Detect Lyme-Disease Bacteria in People

By Rachael Rettner, Senior Writer | February 13, 2014 12:34pm ET

A new potential test for persistent Lyme disease uses an organism that's known to be good at picking up diseases: ticks.

In a new study, disease-free ticks were allowed to feed on the skin of 25 people who'd had Lyme disease in the past and received antibiotic treatment for it, and on one person who was receiving antibiotic treatment at the time. Ten of the participants had what's known as post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome, a condition in which symptoms such as fatigue and muscle aches persist even after the patients complete antibiotic therapy.

One of the goals of the study was to see whether, through their blood-sucking abilities, the ticks were able to pick up the bacterium that causes Lyme disease, called Borrelia burgdorferi. 

Continued

Leave Rattlesnakes Alone, They Eat Ticks - via Herp Digest

Editor- HD already ran this article. But we reprint it here so following letters to the Editor is seen in the proper context.

By WILLIAM CONWAY | FRESH TALK The Hartford Courant

6:18 p.m. EST, December 3, 2013

The timber rattlesnake, which is extinct in Rhode Island and Maine, is one of Connecticut's endangered species and is reportedly is losing the battle with humans, a trend that should be reversed.

Timber rattlesnakes find welcoming habitat in central Connecticut's rocky, wooded hills. From April to October, rattlesnakes leave their dens in search of food, which can lead them through people's yards and into woodpiles or stone walls. This past rattlesnake season, 45 sightings of the snake were reported to officials in and around Glastonbury, where there is a major concentration of the state's remaining rattlers.

Unfortunately, officials investigating the 45 reports of rattlesnake sightings found nine of these snakes to be dead. It is paramount that Glastonbury residents, and all co-inhabitants of timber rattlesnake territory statewide, are aware that, under the Connecticut Endangered Species Act of 1989 and the Federal Endangered Species Act of 1973, the killing of the rattlers is prohibited.

If the threat of legal punishment for the killing of the timber rattlesnake is not enough, perhaps a recent study concerning the ecosystem benefits of the reptiles can convince citizens to spare the snakes' lives.

Humans have vilified the rattlesnake throughout human history. In many cultures, rattlesnakes are symbols of pure evil. A recent study by a team of University of Maryland biologists, however, proves that the timber rattlesnake provides indirect health benefits to humans.

Timber rattlers feed primarily on mice. After studying the snake's eating habits in eastern forests, the University of Maryland biologists found that each timber rattlesnake also consumes 2,500 to 4,500 blacklegged ticks living on the mice it eats each year. If there are any critters more hated than snakes, it just might be ticks.

But this is not a case of choosing between the lesser of two evils. Protecting the rattlesnake is about questioning our assumptions and beliefs about the vipers and understanding that the loss of one organism can alter entire ecosystems.

Blacklegged ticks (also called deer ticks) carry Lyme disease. Cases of Lyme disease are on the rise in recent times, causing scientists to ask why this disease is gaining strength. Previous studies have proved that a decline in mammals that feed on mice, such as foxes, can be linked to the recent increase in Lyme disease among humans. The University of Maryland study showed that timber rattlesnakes, though not mammals, provide the same tick removal service.

Although media, literature and certain cultural beliefs construct a sinister picture of rattlesnakes, perhaps hard science can help to overturn the vilification of this endangered species.

In early October, Doug Fraser, a Siena College biology professor, who has studied timber rattlers for 30 years, gave an educational talk at the Connecticut Audubon Center at Glastonbury. Fraser enumerated habitat loss, roadkills and poaching as the three greatest threats to the timber rattlesnake. Fraser also discussed the three-year reproduction cycle of rattlesnake females as a major challenge to successful recovery of the snake. In addition, Fraser pointed out that Glastonbury, The Nature Conservancy and the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection have been successful in conserving 7 square miles of prime timber rattlesnake foraging grounds in Glastonbury.

Land conservation programs stem the loss of timber rattlesnake habitat, but we must protect these snakes when they show up in our backyards. According to University of Maryland biologist Karen Lips, timber rattlesnakes are "non-aggressive and rarely attack humans." With this in mind, residents who come across one of the endangered timber rattlesnakes should not kill it — just let it go its own way, eating mice and helping to reduce the blacklegged tick population.

William Conway, 21, of Milford is a senior majoring in environmental studies at Skidmore College.

Fungus Kills Ticks

Nov. 12, 2013 — Ticks may be facing a dangerous fate. In the TICLESS project, Bioforsk, the Norwegian Institute for Agricultural and Environmental Research, is hoping to determine whether fungus can kill ticks in sheep pastures. This would also benefit future hikers.

Tick ​​bites in sheep can lead to the disease tick-borne fever (TBF), which causes high fever and weakens the immune system. As a result of TBF, animals may become seriously ill from diseases they usually cope with. Bioforsk is therefore conducting field trials where the aim is to reduce tick populations in sheep grazing areas by using a tick pathogenic fungus calledMetarhizium. Metarhizium occurs naturally in Norwegian soil and in the soils of many other countries worldwide where it has the potential to infect and kill ticks. When living organisms or "natural enemies" of a pest are utilized in order to reduce pest population levels, this is known as biological control.

Read on

Ticks Kill Sheep

Nov. 12, 2013 — In some lamb herds, a mortality rate of 30 percent has been recorded, albeit, no predators have been involved in these losses. The situation is so serious that the sheep industry could be under threat. It is therefore crucial to identify the causes and implement preventative measures. The answer may be found somewhere within the genetics of the sheep and the course of the disease, assessment and control of tick populations and biological control of ticks.

Weakens the immune system

Tick-bites in sheep may result in the disease tick-borne fever (TBF), induced by the bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum (A.ph). TBF causes high fever and weakens the immune system.

"It is estimated that approximately 300,000 lambs are exposed to this bacteria each year. However, they do not necessarily die from the infection," says tick researcher Lise Grøva at Bioforsk Organic at Tingvoll in Norway.

Continued

Scientists Prove Ticks Harbor Heartland Virus, a Recently Discovered Disease in the United States

July 22, 2013 — Scientists have for the first time traced a novel virus that infected two men from northwestern Missouri in 2009 to populations of ticks in the region, providing confirmation that lone star ticks are carrying the recently discovered virus and humans in the area are likely at risk of infection. The findings were published online today in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

Dubbed Heartland virus or HRTV, the infection causes fever, headaches, and low white blood cell and platelet counts. The two men infected in 2009, who live about 70 miles apart, were sufficiently ill to require hospitalization. They eventually recovered, and no other cases have been reported. Disease experts anticipate, however, that more people could become infected. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services is working with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to identify additional cases and determine the role of this novel virus as a human pathogen.

Read more

Box ticking: Dubious benefits of midges and ticks explored

They are Scotland's most notorious bloodsucking pests, but the Mountaineering Council of Scotland is highlighting the benefits of midges and ticks.

Swatted, warded off with smelly repellent or twisted out with tweezers from where they have burrowed into skin, midges and ticks usually get short shrift by people they encounter.

Midge bites can cause irritating red itchy sores while those of ticks can result in serious, long-lasting medical problems.

But to raise greater awareness of the health risks the latter can pose to human health, the Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS) has explored the positive benefits of the tiny pests.

The pros include their importance as a food source for wild birds.

Heather Morning, mountain safety advisor at the MCofS, said there was a serious message behind compiling the list.

Read on

Tick-Caused Bobcat Fever Can Be Deadly to Domestic Cats

June 24, 2013 — Kansas State University veterinarians are warning pet owners to watch out for ticks carrying a disease that could kill cats.

Cytauxzoon felis, also known as bobcat fever, is a blood parasite that infects domestic cats and has a very high death rate. Susan Nelson, a veterinarian and clinical associate professor at Kansas State University's Veterinary Health Center, says this disease was thought to be carried only by the American dog tick, but now may be carried by the lone star tick, which is quite prevalent in northeast Kansas.

"Most people have probably seen a lone star tick even if they're not familiar with them by name," Nelson said. "They're the ones that have a bright white spot on their back."

Bobcat fever does not affect humans or dogs. It is called bobcat fever because bobcats are considered the main reservoir for the disease, as it is typically not fatal for them.

Most cases of bobcat fever occur from March through September, which coincides with the times cats are most likely to encounter ticks. Late spring and early summer are the peak times for ticks in Kansas.

Continued

Wild Mice Have Natural Protection Against Lyme Borreliosis

Apr. 4, 2013 — Like humans, mice can become infected with Borrelia. However, not all mice that come into contact with these bacteria contract the dreaded Lyme disease: Animals with a particular gene variant are immune to the bacteria, as scientists from the universities of Zurich and Lund demonstrate. Wild mice are the primary hosts for Borrelia, which are transmitted by ticks.

Springtime spells tick-time. Lyme borreliosis is the most common tick-borne disease in Switzerland: around 10,000 people a year become infected with the pathogen. The actual hosts for Borrelia, however, are wild mice. Like in humans, the pathogen is also transmitted by ticks in mice. Interestingly, not all mice are equally susceptible to the bacterium and individual animals are immune to the pathogen. Scientists from the universities of Zurich and Lund headed by evolutionary biologist Barbara Tschirren reveal that the difference in vulnerability among the animals is genetic in origin.

Protective gene variant

Tschirren and colleagues examined wild mice for signs of a Borreliainfection in a large-scale field study. Borrelia afzelii -- the scientific name for the bacteria -- feed on mouse blood. The researchers discovered that mice with a particular variant of the antigen receptor TLR2 were around three times less susceptible toBorrelia. "The immune system of mice with this receptor variant recognizes the pathogen better and can trigger an immune response more quickly to destroy the Borreliain time," says Tschirren. Infected mice exhibit similar symptoms to humans -- especially joint complaints. Consequently, in the wild infected mice probably do not survive for very long and weakened animals soon fall victim to foxes and birds of prey. 

Continued:  http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/04/130404072925.htm

Precautions for Tick-Borne Disease Extend 'Beyond Lyme'

ScienceDaily (Sep. 7, 2012) — This year's mild winter and early spring were a bonanza for tick populations in the eastern United States. Reports of tick-borne disease rose fast.

While Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne disease in the Northeast and Upper Midwest, new research results emphasize that it is not the greatest cause for concern in most Southeastern states.

The findings are published today in a paper in the journal Zoonoses and Public Health.

The majority of human-biting ticks in the North--members of the blacklegged tick species--cause Lyme disease, but these same ticks do not commonly bite humans south of mid-Virginia.

Biologist Graham Hickling of the University of Tennessee, co-author of the paper, says many patients in Southeastern states, who become sick from a tick-bite, assume they have Lyme disease, but the odds of that being the case are low.

"Ticks in the eastern U.S. collectively carry more than a dozen agents that can cause human disease," says Hickling.

Continued: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/09/120907142341.htm

Lyme disease warning after herbicide banned

SCOTS outdoors enthusiasts are being warned to be extra vigilant against tick bites after a herbicide ban raised concerns that the insects' population is likely to soar.

The number of cases of Lyme disease – a potentially debilitating condition transmitted by ticks – has already risen from 28 in 2001 to 308 in 2010, but an EU ban on the herbicide Asulam has left nature watchers fearful that the increase in infections could accelerate.

Asulam is used to control the spread of bracken which provides a perfect habitat for ticks. It was withdrawn from sale at the end of 2011 and its use will be prohibited from December this year.

Lyme disease is transmitted via the bite of an infected tick and can lead to complications, including damage to the nervous system and heart.

Tick-borne disease charity BADA-UK has now expressed fears that the Asulam ban will lead to a rise in cases of the disease.

The charity's patron, survival expert Ray Mears said: "The spread of bracken as a result of the Asulam ban will lead to increased tick numbers making it all the more important that the public takes precautions against tick bites when out and about in rural areas."

Wendy Fox, chairwoman of BADA-UK, was left disabled as a result of Lyme disease. She said: "Increased interest in outdoor pursuits, combined with an increasing tick population is resulting in a year-on-year rise in cases of tick-borne disease."

The charity is backing a Scots research firm which is seeking hillwalkers to help them assess whether there would be a market for a device which removes ticks. Roslin-based Xeroshield is looking to develop the gadget.

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/health/lyme-disease-warning-after-herbicide-banned.17116952

Predicting the Spread of Ticks Across Canada

ScienceDaily (Mar. 5, 2012) — Researchers are watching as ticks that carry Lyme disease colonize Canada, but their research aims to predict the communities most likely to be hit by this sickness.

"Our findings will help community groups and government agencies to alert the Canadians who may be at risk of picking up Lyme disease -- those of us who like to visit the outdoors in spring and summer, when nymphal ticks are active but difficult to spot because of their size," said lead author Patrick Leighton of the University of Montreal's Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. Nymphal ticks are ticks that have not yet reached full maturity. "Identifying where the ticks are setting up home helps pinpoint where Lyme disease risk will occur before people start getting the disease."

Changes in temperature are one of the most important factors that have contributed to the spreading of tick populations across Canada since 1990. As average temperatures continue to increase over the coming decades, the area where ticks may live and reproduce will continue to reach further north. Lyme-transmitting ticks were virtually unknown in Canada in 1990, but today they may be found in areas where 18% of the country's population lives. This figure will rise to 80% in eastern Canada by 2020, according to the researchers' findings.

Read on:  http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/03/120305223610.htm

Natural Pesticide Protects Cattle Against Ticks in Africa

ScienceDaily (Oct. 11, 2011) — Cattle are extremely vulnerable to ticks, mites and flies which can transmit blood parasites, cause irritating wounds and then infections. In order to control them farmers must dip their cattle in a pesticide. This is impractical and expensive for poor farmers with just a small number of livestock.

A solution may lie in the perennial plant, Lippia javanica, widely consumed to alleviate symptoms of fever is also used by some farmers to make a pesticide. The University of Greenwich team in collaboration with the University of Zimbabwe, pulped and soaked the Lippia leaves in water to produce an extract which could be sprayed on cattle. Varying concentrations were tried to discover the best application method and the level of protection provided by the plant extract.

The research was led by Phil Stevenson, Professor of Plant Chemistry and Dr Steven Belmain, Ecologist, from the Agriculture, Health & Environment Department at the Natural Resources Institute (NRI). Professor Phil Stevenson says: "When used at the correct dosage, Lippia javanica proved to be almost as effective as the industrial pesticides used for tick control."

The shrub's leaves can easily be harvested from abundant bushes in the wild and can also be easily grown from seed. Therefore, farmers need think only about the time it takes them to harvest and prepare the Lippia extract as opposed to buying expensive commercial synthetic products.
Further work is being carried out to refine the extraction of the active ingredients of the plant and optimise application on the lower parts of the animal where the ticks usually attach themselves.
The work is part of the EU funded African Dryland Alliance for Pesticidal Plant Technologies (ADAPPT) project led by NRI, together with partners including the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and non-governmental organisations, agricultural institutes, ministries and universities from eight African countries.

The project is carrying out research into the use of plants as environmentally benign and safer alternatives to synthetic pesticides. It is examining roots, leaves, seeds, and flowers requiring only basic preparation which farmers can use to reduce field crop damage, stored product losses and livestock illness or mortality.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111011095902.htm

Tick Responsible for Equine Piroplasmosis Outbreak Identified

ScienceDaily (Oct. 3, 2011) — The cayenne tick has been identified as one of the vectors of equine piroplasmosis in horses in a 2009 Texas outbreak, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists.

The United States has been considered free from the disease since 1978, but sporadic cases have occurred in recent years. In October 2009, in Kleberg County, Texas, a mare was presented for veterinary care with clinical signs of infection, including poor appetite and weight loss. Subsequent investigation and testing confirmed the original case and identified more than 290 additional infected animals on the ranch.

Research leader Donald Knowles, entomologist Glen Scoles and veterinary medical officer Massaro Ueti with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Animal Disease Research Unit, in Pullman, Wash., and collaborator Robert Mealey with Washington State University in Pullman have been working on the project with USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC).

ARS is USDA's principal intramural scientific research agency, and the research supports the USDA priority of promoting international food security.

The researchers' goal was to assess and prevent the spread of the Texas outbreak, which could have serious international trade implications if it is found to have spread beyond the ranch where the outbreak occurred. Part of their initiative was to identify the tick species responsible for the new outbreak.

Only two U.S. tick species -- Dermacentor variabilis and Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus -- had previously been shown experimentally to be vectors of Theileria equi, the microbe that causes equine piroplasmosis, according to Scoles.

The cayenne tick, Amblyomma cajennense, had not previously been shown to be a competent vector. Adult cayenne ticks were collected from positive horses on the outbreak ranch and allowed to re-attach and feed on a noninfected horse. Scoles led the study showing these ticks successfully transmitted T. equi. The results will be published in the October issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Knowles, Ueti and Mealey are treating some of the South Texas horses with imidocarb dipropionate. Tests conducted thus far by the team have been promising and trials are ongoing.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111003132222.htm