Biosurveillance and Research Needs Involving Area-Wide Systematic Active Sampling to Enhance Integrated Cattle Fever Tick (Ixodida: Ixodidae) Eradication

Abstract The one-host cattle fever tick, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus (Say), and southern microplus (Canestrini), are important ectoparasitic pests of cattle, Bos taurus L., mostly for transmitting the causal agents bovine babesiosis. Bovine babesiosis inflicted substantial production losses in United States before vectors were eliminated by 1943, with exception a Permanent Quarantine Zone South Texas, buffer along Mexico border where invasive ixodids remain. As suitable hosts, infested white-tailed deer nilgai antelope populations disperse R. microplus, which increases risk emergence States. A incursion first detected 2016 on Texas coastal plain wildlife corridor involved infestations antelope, deer, vegetation. Efforts at passive sampling spp. hosts concentrated Zone. Hence, knowledge gap exists full extent recent incursions. Area-wide, systematic, active supportive research, involving Zone, Temporary most plain, other parts outside quarantine zones, needed to bridge gap. Herein, we provide research perspectives rationale develop implement systematic that will an increasingly accurate assessment distribution Texas. We suggest this is essential advance integrated vector-borne animal disease eradication approaches keeping free