Stephen L. Doggett Senior Hospital Scientist

1. Stephen L. DoggettSenior Hospital Scientist Department of Medical Entomology Institute for Clinical Pathology & Medical Research, Westmead Hospital, Westmead NSW 2145

2. Ticks – introduction Biology/ecology/lifecycle Management Avoidance Overview

3. Ticks • Worldwide – about 800 sp. • Australia – 75 (~15 attack humans) • 2 groups – Soft & Hard ticks • Most important - Ixodes holocyclus • Paralysis tick, scrub, bush, shell back • Seed, grass (larval stage)

4. Tick Samples to DME • 1988-2013: 671 specimens • Amblyomma: 3.7% • Aponomma: 0.3% • Haemaphysalis: 1.8% • Rhipicephalus: 1.3% • Ixodes: 93% • Ixodes holocyclus: (98%) • Adults: 37%, Nymph: 26%, Larvae: 37%

8. AdultFemale AdultMale 1mm Nymph Larva

9. Tick Life Cycle Paralysis tick, Ixodes holocyclus

16. 0.5m 3m Host Seeking Behaviour

17. When are ticks active? • Most of the year • Survival dependant on humidity • Most active: • Following rain • Periods of high humidity • Larvae far more common than other stages • High mortality in larval stage to nymph

18. Red-necked Wallaby Northern Brown Bandicoot Norwegian Rat House Mouse Southern Brown Bandicoot Bush Rat Magpie Long-nosed Bandicoot Grasslands Melomys Water Rat Australian Raven Mountain Brushtail Possum Common Brushtail Possum Crimson Rosella Domestic Fowl Brush-tailed Phascogale Pied Butcherbird Human Echidna Dog Koala Swamp Wallaby Common Dunnart Cat Feathertail Glider Pig Rabbit Black Rat Red-legged Pademelon Eastern Grey Kangaroo Animal Hosts After Roberts (1970)

20. Main Host Bandicoot

24. Tick Removal MAKE SURE YOU REMOVE THE HEAD!!!

30. Tick Management • Cultural Control: Behaviour modification • Physical Control: Exclusion fencing • Biological Control • Parasites/pathogens/predators • Host removal • Habitat modification • Chemical Control • Repellents • Habitat treatment • Host treatment

31. Tick Control Methods

32. Cultural Control • Avoid ticky habitat • Avoid good ticky times • After rain, high humidity • Wear light coloured clothing • Check oneself regularly during & after • Tuck pants into socks, shirts into pants • Remove clothing, place into hot dryer • Use repellents/permethrin on clothing

34. Formulations

35. Gimmicks

36. APVMA • Australian Pesticides & Veterinary Medicines Authority(National Registration Authority: NRA) • For insecticides/repellents, assess: • Human Toxicity • Product Efficacy • Environmental Impacts

37. Active Approved use Registered? Directions

38. = “Natural”“Organic” “Safe” & “Effective” Repellent Actives • DEET (N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide) • Picaridin • Lemon Eucalyptus Oil (PMD) • IR3535 • Citronella, melaleuca oil

39. Repellent Efficacy • Mosquitoes • Fradin & Day, NEJM (2002)

40. Permethrin Impregnated Clothing • Permethrin = toxicant not a repellent • Two forms: • DIY, ‘dip’ clothing • Impregnated fabrics (IF) • Studies show: • IF better protection than DIY • IF more washes than DIY • IF less environmental impacts • Permethin better protection than repellents • Widely used by armies

41. Permethrin Impregnated Clothing?

42. Human Safety • Risk analysis • What is worse: bites or repellents? • DEET first registered, 1957 • Billions of uses • Recommended by WHO & CDC • Only product recommended by CDC • US EPA: adverse reactions 1:100million • EPA: “permethrin factory-treated clothing is unlikely to pose any significant acute or chronic hazard to people” Read & heed the label!

43. Host Exclusion Fencing

45. Habitat Modification • Reduce overhanging foliage • Clearing brush/bushes • Removal of leaf litter/mulch • Maintain lawns <15cm • Cementing • Inc. sunlight to ground, dec. humidity • Achieves most prolonged level of control

47. Chemical Control • Advantages • Rapid control, 97% within 24 hours • Cost effective • Less environmental damage • Disadvantages • Not tick specific • Relatively short term • Pyrethroids: Permethrin, Betacyfluthrin, Bifenthrin

48. Bifenthrin • Pyrethroid • Toxic to lower vertebrates • Strongly binds to the soil • reduced contamination risk • Recommended by WHO for mosquito c. • BUT DOES IT WORK? • Two formulations: • Emulsifiable Concentration, Granular

49. Bifenthrin - Formulations Granular (Bithor, Brigade, Vigilanti) Can be used against all stages Directions for use: “Applications should be made in the spring to control larvae and nymphs that reside in the soil and leaf litter…” Application: Hand, fertilizer spreaders, backpack, aerial

50. WE WANT YOUR TICKS!