A comparative test of ixodid tick identification by a network of European researchers.
This study reports the results of a comparative test of identification of ticks occurring in Western Europe and Northern Africa. A total of 14 laboratories were voluntarily enrolled in the test. Each participant received between 22 and 25 specimens of adult and nymphal ticks of 11 species: Dermacentor marginatus, D. reticulatus, Haemaphysalis punctata, Hyalomma lusitanicum, Hy. marginatum, Ixodes ricinus, I. hexagonus, Rhipicephalus annulatus, R. bursa, R. rossicus, and/or R. sanguineus s.l. Ticks were morphologically identified by three of the co-authors and the identification confirmed by a fourth co-author who used molecular methods based on several genes. Then ticks were randomly selected and blindly distributed among participants, together with a questionnaire. Only specimens collected while questing and, if possible, in the same survey, were circulated. Because of the random nature of the test, a participant could receive several specimens of the same species. Species in the different genera had variable misidentification rates (MR) of 7% (Dermacentor), 14% (Ixodes), 19% (Haemaphysalis), 36% (Hyalomma), and 54% (Rhipicephalus). Within genera, the MR was also variable ranging from 5.4% for I. ricinus or 7.4% for D. marginatus or D. reticulatus to 100% for R. rossicus. The test provided a total misidentification rate of 29.6% of the species of ticks. There are no significant differences in MR according to the sex of the tick. Participants were requested to perform a second round of identifications on the same set of ticks, using only purposely prepared keys (without illustrations), circulated to the enrolled participants, including 2 species of the genus Dermacentor, 8 of Haemaphysalis, 10 of Hyalomma, 23 of Ixodes, and 6 of Rhipicephalus. The average MR in the second round was 28%: 0% (Dermacentor), 33% (Haemaphysalis), 30% (Hyalomma) 18% (Ixodes), and 50% (Rhipicephalus). Species which are not reported in the countries of a participating laboratory had always highest MR, i.e. purely Mediterranean species had highest MR by laboratories in Central and Northern Europe. Participants expressed their concerns about a correct identification for almost 50% of the ticks of the genera Hyalomma and Rhipicephalus. The results revealed less than total confidence in identifying the most prominent species of ticks in the Western Palearctic, and underpin the need for reference libraries for specialists involved in this task. Results also showed that a combination of certain genes may adequately identify the target species of ticks.
Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Miguel Servet 177, 50013, Zaragoza, Spain. Electronic address: aestrada@unizar.es.
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Estrada-Peña
University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Electronic address: gianluca.damico@usamvcluj.ro.
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D'Amico
Center of Rickettsiosis and Arthropod-Borne Diseases, Hospital San Pedro-CIBIR, Logroño, La Rioja, Spain. Electronic address: ampalomar@riojasalud.es.
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Palomar
MIVEGEC UMR 5290 IRD-CNRS-UM1-UM2 Centre IRD, 911 Avenue Agropolis, BP 64501, 34394 Montpellier, France. Electronic address: marlene.dupraz@ird.fr.
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Dupraz
Laboratory for Zoonoses and Environmental Microbiology, National Institute for Public Health and Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands. Electronic address: manoj.fonville@rivm.nl.
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Fonville
University of Antwerp, Department of Biology, Evolutionary Ecology Group, Antwerpen, Belgium. Electronic address: Dieter.Heylen@uantwerpen.be.
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Heylen
Parasitology & Parasitic Diseases, Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Extremadura,10071, Cáceres, Spain. Electronic address: mahabela@unex.es.
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Habela
University of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Parasitology and Zoology, Istvan u. 2., 1078 Budapest, Hungary. Electronic address: hornok.sandor@univet.hu.
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Hornok
Laboratory of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium. Electronic address: llempereur@hotmail.com.
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Lempereur
Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort, 0110, South Africa. Electronic address: maximemadder@hotmail.com.
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Madder
Instituto Nacional de Saúde Dr. Ricardo Jorge, Centro de Estudos de Vectores e Doenças Infecciosas Dr. Francisco Cambournac, Av. da Liberdade, 5, 2965-575, Águas de Moura, Portugal. Electronic address: sofia.nuncio@insa.min-saude.pt.
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Núncio
Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Str. prov. per Casamassima km 3, 70010 Valenzano, Bari, Italy. Electronic address: domenico.otranto@uniba.it.
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Otranto
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Zoological Institute, Department of Ecology and Parasitology, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany. Electronic address: miripfaeffle@web.de.
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Pfaffle
BIOEPAR, INRA, Oniris, La Chantrerie, 44307, Nantes, France. Electronic address: olivier.plantard@oniris-nantes.fr.
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Plantard
Instituto Nacional de Saúde Dr. Ricardo Jorge, Centro de Estudos de Vectores e Doenças Infecciosas Dr. Francisco Cambournac, Av. da Liberdade, 5, 2965-575, Águas de Moura, Portugal. Electronic address: m.santos.silva@insa.min-saude.pt.
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Santos-Silva
Laboratory for Zoonoses and Environmental Microbiology, National Institute for Public Health and Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands. Electronic address: hein.sprong@rivm.nl.
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Sprong
Kafkas University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Parasitology, Kars, Turkey. Electronic address: zativet@gmail.com.
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Vatansever
CIRAD, UMR CMAEE, F-34398 Montpellier, France. Electronic address: laurence.vial@cirad.fr.
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Vial
University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Electronic address: amihalca@usamvcluj.ro.
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Mihalca
D000352:Africa, Northern; D000818:Animals; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D026863:Ixodidae / Q000145:classification* / Q000254:growth & development; D008297:Male; D009758:Nymph / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development; D012108:Research Personnel
Comparative test; Identification; Ixodid ticks; Molecular; Morphology; Western Palearctic