Evaluation of a semi-automated in vitro feeding system for Dermacentor reticulatus and Ixodes ricinus adults.

The long feeding duration of ixodid ticks and need for regular blood changes turns the artificial feeding of ticks into a tedious process. To reduce the number of blood changes, a semi-automated system (SAS) for the artificial feeding of hard ticks was developed and evaluated. It consisted of a glass feeding reservoir that can accommodate six tick feeding chambers.

Vaccinomics Approach to the Identification of Candidate Protective Antigens for the Control of Tick Vector Infestations and Infection.

is an emerging tick-borne pathogen causing human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA), tick-borne fever (TBF) in small ruminants, and other forms of anaplasmosis in different domestic and wild animals. The main vectors of this pathogen are tick species, particularly in the United States and in Europe. One of the main limitations for the development of effective vaccines for the prevention and control of infection and transmission is the identification of effective tick protective antigens.

Optimization of an artificial tick feeding assay for Dermacentor reticulatus.

Background: The development of standardized in vitro feeding methods for ixodid ticks has been hampered by their complex feeding behaviour and the long duration of their blood meal. In this study, we aimed to optimize several parameters for the in vitro feeding of adult Dermacentor reticulatus.

Methods: Ticks were fed on heparinized bovine blood collected at a slaughterhouse, using a modified silicone membrane feeding assay.