Nichol Grace K, Weese J Scott, Dergousoff Shaun J, Greer Amy L, Clow Katie M
Department of Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
Med Vet Entomol. 2025 Sep;39(3):515-524. doi: 10.1111/mve.12790. Epub 2025 Jan 25.
Dermacentor variabilis (Say) (Acari: Ixodidae) is a vector for pathogens that can impact human and animal health. The geographic range of this species is expanding, but there are some areas with limited up-to-date information on the distribution of D. variabilis. Therefore, the objective of this study was to describe the spatial and temporal patterns of adult D. variabilis activity in central and eastern Canada. Ticks were collected from companion animals by veterinary clinic staff. Suspected locations of tick acquisition were spatially projected, and a spatial scan statistic was used to identify statistically significant clusters of frequent submissions from veterinary clinics. Submissions were categorised by calendar week to evaluate temporal trends. In total, 1198 adult D. variabilis, one nymphal D. variabilis and one Dermacentor albipictus (Packard) were collected from the provinces of Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island from April 2019 through March 2020. Peaks in adult D. variabilis submissions occurred in May and June. Most of the submissions were received from south-eastern Manitoba, eastern Ontario and central and western Nova Scotia. A statistically significant cluster of frequent submissions that included seven veterinary clinics was identified in Nova Scotia. These findings can be used to determine the locations and times at which humans and their companion animals should be considered at an increased risk of exposure to D. variabilis and the pathogens they carry.
变异革蜱（赛伊）（蜱螨亚纲：硬蜱科）是可影响人类和动物健康的病原体的传播媒介。该物种的地理分布范围正在扩大，但有些地区关于变异革蜱分布的最新信息有限。因此，本研究的目的是描述加拿大中部和东部成年变异革蜱活动的时空模式。蜱虫由兽医诊所工作人员从伴侣动物身上采集。蜱虫获取的疑似地点进行了空间投影，并使用空间扫描统计量来识别兽医诊所频繁提交样本的具有统计学意义的聚集区。提交的样本按日历周进行分类以评估时间趋势。从2019年4月到2020年3月，总共从曼尼托巴省、安大略省、魁北克省、新不伦瑞克省、新斯科舍省和爱德华王子岛省采集到1198只成年变异革蜱、1只若虫变异革蜱和1只白纹革蜱（帕卡德）。成年变异革蜱提交样本的高峰期出现在5月和6月。大多数提交样本来自曼尼托巴省东南部、安大略省东部以及新斯科舍省中部和西部。在新斯科舍省确定了一个包括7家兽医诊所的频繁提交样本的具有统计学意义的聚集区。这些发现可用于确定人类及其伴侣动物接触变异革蜱及其携带病原体风险增加的地点和时间。
