Endris R G, Haslett T M, Hess W R
Plum Island Animal Disease Center, USDA-ARS-NAA, Greenport, New York 11944-0848.
J Med Entomol. 1991 Nov;28(6):854-8. doi: 10.1093/jmedent/28.6.854.
The soft tick Ornithodoros puertoricensis Fox has been found on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic) where African swine fever (ASF) was endemic from 1978 to 1984. To evaluate the vector potential of O. puertoricensis for African swine fever virus (ASFV), second-instar nymphs were experimentally infected by feeding on a viremic pig that was infected with the Dominican Republic isolate (DR-II) of ASFV. Subsequent infection rates and mean virus titers for individually triturated ticks were: second-instar nymph (95.4%, 10(4.38 +/- 0.85)), third-instar nymph (48.9%, 10(4.59 +/- 0.61)), male (46.7%, 10(4.36 +/- 0.61)), and female (35.3%, 10(4.38 +/- 1.09)). Infected ticks transmitted ASFV to susceptible pigs by bite 23, 85, 126, 160, 182, and 239 d after the infective blood meal. These findings show that ASFV is passed transstadially among O. puertoricensis and that O. puertoricensis can be an efficient vector of African swine fever virus.
软蜱波多黎各钝缘蜱（Ornithodoros puertoricensis Fox）在加勒比海的伊斯帕尼奥拉岛（海地和多米尼加共和国）被发现，1978年至1984年期间非洲猪瘟（ASF）在该岛呈地方性流行。为了评估波多黎各钝缘蜱传播非洲猪瘟病毒（ASFV）的可能性，通过让二龄若蜱吸食感染了ASFV多米尼加分离株（DR-II）的病毒血症猪，对其进行实验性感染。随后对单独研磨的蜱的感染率和平均病毒滴度进行检测，结果如下：二龄若蜱（95.4%，10(4.38 ± 0.85)）、三龄若蜱（48.9%，10(4.59 ± 0.61)）、雄蜱（46.7%，10(4.36 ± 0.61)）和雌蜱（35.3%，10(4.38 ± 1.09)）。感染后的蜱在摄入感染性血餐23、85、126、160、182和239天后，通过叮咬将ASFV传播给易感猪。这些发现表明，ASFV可在波多黎各钝缘蜱的不同发育阶段之间经变态传递，并且波多黎各钝缘蜱可能是非洲猪瘟病毒的有效传播媒介。
