Chemical ecology of tick-host interactions

Abstract

Ticks impact the health of livestock and humans worldwide through their roles as pests and vectors of diseases such as heartwater, theileriosis, anaplasmosis, babesiosis, Lyme disease, erhlichiosis, tick-borne encephalitis and Crimean Congo Haemorrhagic fever. Intrinsic to their capacity to serve in these roles is the ability to locate vertebrate hosts. Olfactory cues are the primary method used for location of potential hosts and these include both emanations from hosts and pheromones produced by ticks feeding on the host. Through behavioural, chemical and electrophysiological methods, volatile compounds from host breath, ruminant digestion, skin and glandular substances, and other blood-feeding ticks have been identified and their role in the host-finding process elucidated. These volatile compounds can provide the basis for development of surveillance methods or be used in the development of push-pull strategies.