Human-Assisted Dispersal Results in the Northernmost Canadian Record of the American Dog Tick, Dermacentor variabilis (Ixodida: Ixodidae)

Citation

Dergousoff, S.J., Lysyk, T.J., Kutz, S.J., Lejeune, M., Elkin, B.T. (2016). Human-Assisted Dispersal Results in the Northernmost Canadian Record of the American Dog Tick, Dermacentor variabilis (Ixodida: Ixodidae), 126(2), 132-137. http://dx.doi.org/10.3157/021.126.0209

Plain language summary

The American dog tick is important to human and animal health because it is a common pest and can transmit microorganisms that can cause disease. In Canada, this tick occurs from Nova Scotia to western Saskatchewan and its geographic range has been expanding over the last few decades so that it now occurs north of 53o latitude in Saskatchewan. Long distance dispersal occurs through movement of the vertebrate hosts while the ticks are taking a blood meal over several days. We describe the occurrence of an American dog tick on a human at Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, which was approximately 1100 km north of the known distribution. This highlights the importance of human activity for transferring ticks to areas where they currently do not exist.

Abstract

A male American dog tick, Dermacentor variabilis (Say) was removed from a human at Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada, in April 2013. This represents the northernmost record of this species in Canada, which was approximately 1100 km north of its current distributional limits. Reports of adventitious ticks highlight the importance of human activity for transferring ticks to non-endemic areas.

Publication date

2016-09-01

Author profiles