• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.75-80
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• 2016

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging disease characterized by fever and thrombocytopenia. Haemaphysalis longicornis ticks comprise the major population of ticks in the environment and have been considered as the main vector for SFTS virus (SFTSV). Here we investigated the distribution of ticks carrying SFTSV collected from the environment using the dragging or sweeping methods during April~October 2015 in Jeollanam-do, Korea. Sampling was taken from Songjeong, Omi, Bangkwang, Sandong areas in Jiri walking trails. Among the total 3,869 ticks collected, 3,823 ticks (98.8%) were H. longicornis, 41 (1.1%) were Amblyomma testudinarium, and 5 (0.1%) were Ixodes nipponensis. Classification results by regional groups of H. longicornis indicated that 1,613 ticks were collected in Sandong, 1,190 ticks in Omi, 603 ticks in Bangkwang, and 417 ticks in Songjeong. In monthly distributional studies of H. longicornis based on the developmental stages, nymph (325 ticks) was collected from May to October, 94% of larvae from April to June, and 94% of adult from June to August. These results showed the different dominant stage of ticks according to seasons. However, no SFTSV-specific gene was detected in 3,823 ticks of H. longicornis, 41 of A. testudinarium and 5 of I. nipponensis.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.589-596
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• 2018

Ticks are the vectors of various pathogens, threatening human health and animal production across the globe. Here, for the first time we detected Ricketssia spp., Borrelia spp. and protozoan in ticks from Poyang Lake region in Jiangxi Province of eastern China. In 3 habitat categories and on 12 host species, 311 ticks from 11 species were collected. Haemaphysalis longicornis was the predominant species, accounting for 55.63%, followed by Rhipicephalus microplus, Haemaphysalis flava and Ixodes granulatus. Of the collected ticks, 7.07% were positive for tick-borne pathogens, and H. longicornis and H. flava were found to be co-infected with Ricketssia spp. and protozoan. H. flava was the most detected positive for tick-borne pathogens, whereas H. longicornis had the lowest infection rate, and the difference in infection rates between tick species was significant (${\chi}^2=61.24$, P<0.001). Furthermore, adult ticks demonstrated remarkably greater infection rate than immature ticks (${\chi}^2=10.12$, P=0.018), meanwhile ticks on Erinaceidae showed significantly higher positivity than ticks collected on other host species (${\chi}^2=108.44$, P<0.001). Genetic fragment sequencing and analyses showed at least 4 pathogen species presence in ticks, namely Borrelia yangtzensis, Rickettsia slovaca or Rickettsia raoultii related genospecies, Babesia vogeli and Hepatozoon canis or Hepatozoon felis related genospecies. The finding indicates that the abundant ticks can carry diverse pathogens in Poyang Lake region, and pathogen infection is highly related to species, vertebrate hosts and life stages of ticks.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.319-324
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• 2019

This study aimed to investigate the tick species and give background for tick-borne investigations in Korea. Ticks were collected from the area within 2 km radius of the 4 domestic animal farms, where they were located in mountainous areas and raising animals on pasture, and from animal bodies in 2014 and 2015. In total, 7,973 nymphal and adult ticks were collected from the farms - 7,758 Haemaphysalis longicornis, 198 Haemaphysalis flava, and 17 Ixodes nipponensis, and 1,763 were collected from animals - 729 H. longicornis from cattle; 569 H. longicornis from goats; and 297 H. longicornis, 118 H. flava, 1 I. nipponensis, and 49 Amblyomma testudinarium from wild boars. As more species of ticks were collected from wild boars than domesticated animals and their habitats, various animal hosts should be considered while investigating tick species.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.59 no.3
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• pp.281-289
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• 2021

This study aimed to characterize the seasonal abundance of hard ticks that transmit severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus from April to November 2019 and 2020 on Ganghwa-do, Incheon Metropolitan City, Korea. The ticks were collected at grassland, grave site, copse and mountain road using a collection trap method. The ixodid hard ticks comprising three species (Haemaphysalis longicornis, H. flava, and Ixodes nipponensis) collected were 6,622 in 2019 and 3,811 in 2020. H. longicornis was the most frequent (97.9% in 2019 and 96.0% in 2020), followed by H. flava (2.0% and 3.0% in 2019 and 2020, respectively) and I. nipponensis (less than 0.1%). Our study demonstrated that seasonal patterns of the tick populations examined for two years were totally unsimilar. The hard ticks tested using RT-qPCR were all negative for severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.65-72
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• 1981

Amblyomma testudinarium Koch', 1844, previousely known to occur in India, Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Indochina, the Philipines, Taiwan and Japan, is here firstly discovered and recorded in Korea. A male specimen was collected from grazing Frisian cattle of the Dae Weon Farm on Jeju Island by a local veterinary official on the 28th June in 1981. The specimen was examined at the institute of Veterinary Research in Anyang and was identified as A. testudinarium. The morphological characteristics of the male specimen were redescribed. A tota1 of 18 species of ticks belonging to 7 genera, such as, Argas, Amblyomma, Boophilus, Dermaccntor, Haemaphysalis, Hyalomma and Ixodes, has now been recorded to occur in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.143-149
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• 2020

The study examined the seasonal pattern of larvae, nymph, and adult life stages for Haemaphysalis longicornis and the rate of infection with severe fever from the thrombocytopenia syndrome virus in ticks collected from 12 sections (Jichukdong), 14 sections (Uldaeri), and 18 sections (Howondong) in Bukhansan dullegil for April-October 2019. Haemaphysalis longicornis ticks have been considered the main vector for severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS). Haemaphysalis flava and Ixodes nipponensis were collected using the dragging and flagging method. The ratios of Haemaphysalis longicornis of the collected ticks were 91% (Jichukdong), 94% (Uldaeri), and 98% (Howondong). Monthly distributional studies of Haemaphysalis longicornis based on the developmental stage showed that the adults peaked in September while nymphs were collected more frequently from April through June. The larvae peaked in September and October. SFTS virus detection was performed using 2 × OneStep RT-PCR and nested PCR. On the other hand, no SFTS virus-specific gene was detected in 1,158 ticks of Haemaphysalis longicornis. This result provides estimates of the population densities for the life stages of Haemaphysalis longicornis and the associated disease risk in Bukhansan dullegil, where many people have visited since opening in 2010.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.281-285
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• 2014

Ticks were collected from 35 animals from 5 provinces and 3 metropolitan cities during 2012. Ticks also were collected by tick drag from 4 sites in Gyeonggi-do (2) and Jeollabuk-do (2) Provinces. A total of 612 ticks belonging to 6 species and 3 genera were collected from mammals and a bird (n=573) and by tick drag (n=39). Haemaphyalis longicornis (n=434) was the most commonly collected tick, followed by H. flava (158), Ixodes nipponensis (11), Amblyomma testudinarium (7), H. japonica (1), and H. formosensis (1). H. longicornis and H. flava were collected from all animal hosts examined. For animal hosts (n>1), the highest Tick Index (TI) was observed for domestic dogs (29.6), followed by Siberian roe deer (17.4), water deer (14.4), and raccoon dogs (1.3). A total of 402 H. longicornis (adults 86, 21.4%; nymphs 160, 39.8%; larvae 156, 38.9%) were collected from wild and domestic animals. A total of 158 H. flava (n=158) were collected from wild and domestic animals and 1 ring-necked pheasant, with a higher proportion of adults (103, 65.2%), while nymphs and larvae only accounted for 12.7% (20) and 22.2% (35), respectively. Only 7 A. testudinarium were collected from the wild boar (6 adults) and Eurasian badger (1 nymph), while only 5 I. nipponensis were collected from the water deer (4 adults) and a raccoon dog (1 adult). One adult female H. formosensis was first collected from vegetation by tick drag from Mara Island, Seogwipo-si, Jeju-do Province.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.147-152
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• 2015

The seasonal pattern of larvae, nymph and adult life stages for three tick species were studied for April-October, 2014. Haemaphysalis longicornis (610), Haemaphysalis flava (296) and Ixodes nipponensis (15) were collected from Pocheon by the dragging and flagging method. H.longicornis (254), H.flava (345) and I.nipponensis (15) were collected from Cheolwon in the same way. H.longicornis adults peaked in June while nymphs were more frequently collected from April through June. In contrast, H.longicornis larvae were collected only in September and October. H.flava adults were collected in April, September, and October while nymphs were collected from April through October. The nymphs peaked in April in Pocheon while May was the peak in Cheolwon. Larvae of H.longicornis and H.flava were collected only in September and October. I.nipponensis adults and nymphs were more frequently collected in April, while the larvae were not collected during that period. Collecting ticks by the dragging and flagging method provides estimates of population densities for life stages of the selected species and the associated disease risk. These results can be used to predict seasonal population densities of ticks and the prevalence of tick-borne pathogens.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.57 no.6
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• pp.691-698
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• 2019

The seasonal abundance of hard ticks that transmit severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus was monitored with a collection trap method every April to November during 2015-2018 and with a flagging method every July and August during 2015-2018 in Ganghwa-do (island) of Incheon Metropolitan City, Republic of Korea. This monitoring was performed in a copse, a short grass field, coniferous forest and broad-leaved forest. A total of 17,457 ticks (8,277 larvae, 4,137 nymphs, 3,389 females, and 1,654 males) of the ixodid ticks comprising 3 species (Haemaphysalis longicornis, H. flava, and Ixodes nipponensis) were collected with collection traps. Of the identified ticks, H. longicornis was the most frequently collected ticks (except larval ticks) (94.26%, 8,653/9,180 ticks (nymphs and adults)), followed by H. flava (5.71%, 524/9,180) and Ix. nipponensis (less than 0.04%, 3/9,180). The ticks collected with collecting traps were pooled and assayed for the presence of SFTS virus with negative results. In addition, for monitoring the prevalence of hard ticks, a total of 7,461 ticks (5,529 larvae, 1,272 nymphs, 469 females, and 191 males) of the ixodid ticks comprising 3 species (H. longicornis, H. flava, and Ix. nipponensis) were collected with flagging method. H. longicornis was the highest collected ticks (except larval ticks) (99.53%, 1,908/1,917 ticks (nymphs and adults)), followed by H. flava (1.15%, 22/1,917).

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.59 no.3
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• pp.233-241
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• 2020

Several hard tick species in Ixodidae are medically important pests that transmit infectious disease including severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS). In Korea, the number of SFTS patients continues to steadily increase since its first report in 2013, and Gyeongsangbuk-do (province) is the second most frequent area of SFTS patient occurrence. In order to investigate the distribution of ticks in Sangju city, we collected ticks using the flagging method from 26 sites comprising urban green area, vulnerable area of management, and rural area, and examined SFTS virus from the collected ticks in 2019. Based on Collection Index (CI = tick number / 1 h / 2 people), CI 143 ticks, including Haemaphysalis longicornis, Haemaphysalis flava, and Ixodes nipponensis, were collected; the most abundant species among the three tick species was H. longicornis (CI 138, 96.5%). Ninety two percent (CI 131) of ticks were collected in vulnerable area of management, where people cannot easily enter and are not managed by city hall, whereas only 8.4% (CI 12) were collected in the urban green area and rural area. Regarding SFTS virus detection, virus was not investigated from 26 pools containing CI 143 ticks. The results of this study are expected to be used as a recommendation for ensuring the safety of local residents from tick-borne diseases.