Veterinary Practitioner Vol. 20 No. 2 December 2019

HUMAN PARASITISATION WITH NYMPHAL DERMACENTOR AURATUS SUPINO, 1897 (ACARI: IXODOIIDEA: IXODIDAE)

Saidul Islam1, Prabhat Chandra Sarmah2 and Kanta Bhattacharjee3 Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Science Assam Agricultural University, Khanapara, Guwahati- 781 022, Assam, India

Received on: 29.09.2019 ABSTRACT Accepted on: 03.11.2019

Human parasitisation with nymphal tick and its morhphology has been described. First author accidentally acquired with three nymphal tick infestation from wilderness. Nymphs were attached in hand and both the arm pits leading to intense itching, oedematous swelling and pinkish skin discolouration at the site of attachment. On sixth day of infestation there was mild pyrexia, the differential leukocytic count showed polymorphs 68%, lymphocytes 27%, monocytes 2% and eosinophils 3%. Though the conditions were ameliorated after steroid therapy, yet, the site of attachment was indurated for 8 months which gradually resolved. A nymph replete with blood meal was put in a desiccator with sufficient humidity at room temperature of 170C for moulting that transformed into adult female in 43 days measuring 5.0 X 5.5 mm in size. Detail morphological study confirmed the species as Dermacentor auratus Supino, 1897. Significance of human tick parasitisation has been reviewed and warranted for transmission of possible vector borne pathogens.

Key words: Dermacentor auratus, nymph, human, India

Introduction Result and Discussion Ticks form a major group of ectoparasites of animals, Tick species and morphology birds and reptiles to cause different types of direct injuries The partially fed nymphs were brown coloured measuring and transmit infectious diseases. Human parasitisation 2.0 X 2.5 mm in size with deep cervical groove, nearly circular by tick, although not common as compared to the animals, small scutum broadest in the middle and 3/3 dentition in the has been recorded in different parts of the world (Wassef hypostome. and Hoogstraal, 1984; Kolonin, 2009). This Engorged nymph after dropping off the host transformed communication describes human infestation with a into adult female (Fig. 1) in 43 days and measured 5.0 X 5.5 species of tick identified to be the nymphal stages of mm in size. The tick soon after moulting was uniformly deep Dermacentor auratus Supino, 1897 which attacked the red in colour and it gradually changed to a brownish red base. present first author during a visit to the Nameri National Microscopic examination revealed presence of short rostrum, Park, Assam for routine health check-up of captive white ornamentation (on the dorsum of rectangular basis elephants in 2009. capitulum, semi circular scutum, legs and triangular spiracles), roughly circular brownish porose areas and 3/3 hypostomal Materials and Methods dentition with 14 rows of denticles (Fig. 2). The scutum During a routine regular health check up of camp possessed numerous brownish punctuations of varying size, elephants of Nameri National Park, (between 27º 00’ 36” the finer ones being more abundant in the scapular region 0 N latitude and 92 47’ 24” E longitude, covering an area and the broader circular ones on the middle and posterior of 200 sq. km) Assam, India in the month of November, region. A dark cleft without ornamentation ran down the midline 2009, 3 nymphal ticks got attached to the body of the first of the scutum with a lateral wavy streak on either side of the author. One of the three ticks was found attached to the median (Fig. 3). Spiracle (Fig. 4) was distinct and all the four skin between the thumb and forefinger of the left hand pairs of legs (Fig. 5, Fig. 6, Fig. 7. & Fig. 8) had characteristic and the other two each in the left and right arm pits. features. Eyes were lateral to the anterior scutum at the level of Though the ticks on the hand and right arm pit were Coxae II, genital opening ventrally between Coxae II with a long th removed on the 4 day of attachment, the third tick genital groove widely divergent at the level of the anus which parasitizing in the left arm pit escaped detection and could was surrounded by the anal groove posteriorly at the level of th be recovered as engorged one, after dropping off on 6 triangular spiracles. Coxa IV was proportionally larger than day of attachment. The skin conditions along with clinical coxae I to III and provided with 2 well separated spurs in each illness experienced as a result of tick attachment were of them. Tarsus I had wavy dorsal border while ventral surface noted. All the ticks were examined grossly and the of Tarsi I to IV possessed 3 spurs, the proximal one of tarsus IV engorged one kept in a desiccator with sufficient humidity being bifid. Posterior border of the tick was provided with 11 0 and at room temperature of 17 C for moulting and brownish festoons without ornamentation. The female tick was morphological study thereafter as per available keys morphologically indistinguishable from Dermacentor auratus, (Yamaguti et al.,1971; Soulsby, 1982). Supino 1897.

1Corresponding author: [email protected]; 2Professor and Head (Retd.), Department of Parasitology, CVSc, AAU, Khanapara, Guwahati -781 022, e-mail: [email protected]; 3Assistant Professor, Department of Parasitology, CVSc, AAU, Khanapara, Guwahati – 781 022, e-mail: [email protected]

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Fig.2: Hypostome of D. auratus Supino, 1897 showing dentitions Fig.1: An engorged female Dermacentor auratus Supino, 1897 recovered from human body

Fig.3: Porose area, scutum with cleft and punctuations Fig.4: Spiracle of a female D. auratus

Fig.5: One of the first pair of leg Fig.6: One of the second pair of leg

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Fig.7: One of the third pair of leg Fig.8: One of the fourth pair of leg

Fig.9: Site of attachment of the nymph on left hand (inset) Fig.10: Oedematous swelling at the site of attachment on left hand (inset) compared with non-infested right hand.

Fig. 11: Pinkish discolouration under the right arm pit after removal of Fig.12: Discolouration of the left arm pit after the nymph was replete the nymph with blood feeding 172 Veterinary Practitioner Vol. 20 No. 2 December 2019

Host reaction The study reveals that accidental infestation with nymphal There was neither any visible reaction nor any irritation felt stage of tick in wildlife veterinarians may be a nuisance and within 24 hours of attachment of the nymphal ticks which even serious health risk considering their potential role as disease evaded the usual sanitation measures taken by the host. vector that necessitates measures to adopt unfailing personal However, after 24 hours, there was mild irritation at the site of protection. attachment. The intensity of pruritus and itching gradually increased. On 4th day of attachment, when the nymphal stages Acknowledgements were removed from the left hand (Fig. 9) and the right arm pit, Authors express their kind acknowledgements to the the surrounding area developed oedematous swelling (Fig. Divisional Forest Officer, Nameri National Park, Sonitpur District, 10) with pinkish coloration (Fig. 11) and continuous itching. On Assam, India and the Dean, Faculty of Veterinary Science, 6th day when the nymphal stage on the left arm pit (Fig. 12) was Assam Agricultural University, Khanapara, Guwahati - 781 022 replete, reaction and colouration of skin was found similar to for the facilities to carry out the present study. the other attachment sites. At this stage, with mild pyrexia, the References differential leukocytic count of the subject revealed polymorphs Eddussuriya, Bandu DP and Weilgama DJ (2003) Case reports: 68%, lymphocytes 27%, monocytes 2% and eosinophils 3%. Intraaural tick infestations in humans in Srilanka. Trans. R. The pruritus, itching and pinkish colouration of skin persisted Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg. 97: 412-413. for another 8 weeks, after which these gradually subsided with Ghosh S, Bansal GC, Gupta SC, Ray D, Khan MQ, Ishad H, antiallergic oral medications. However, all the attachment sites Sahidzzuwan SU and Ahmed JS (2007) Status of tick remained indurated for about 8 months and resolved gradually distribution in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. Parasitol thereafter without any apparent tick transmitted illness. Res. 101: 207-216. Hoogstraal H and Wassef HY (1985) Dermacentor (Indocentor) Dermacentor auratus has been recorded from India and auratus (Acari: Ixodoiidea: Ixodidae): Hosts, Distribution and neighbouring countries like SriLanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Medical importance in tropical Asia. J. Med. Entomol. 22: Myanmar and China etc. (Ghosh et al., 2007; Kolonin, 2009). It 170-178. has also been recorded from Assam in India (Miranpuri et al., Kirwan EO’G (1935) A tick on the upper eyelid (Dermacentor auratus 1975; Lahkar, 1991). Distribution of this species apparently nymph). Br. J. Ophthalmol. 19: 659-661. centres Indian sub-region where the wild pigs (Sus scrofa) is Kolonin GV (2009) Fauna of Ixodid Ticks of the World (Acari, Ixodidae). the major host for adult ticks which also infest domestic pig, http://www.kolonin.org. bear, rhinoceros, deer and possibly python (Hoogstraal and Lahkar BC (1991) Studies on Ixodid ticks with special reference to Boophilus microplus (Canestrini, 1887). Thesis submitted Wassef, 1985). The immature stages generally feed on to Assam Agricultural University, Khanapara, Guwahati- 781 animals other than wild pigs and also have been reported 022, India, pp. 204. attacking man in India (Kirwan, 1935) and SriLanka Miranpuri GS, Bindra OS and Prasad V (1975) Tick fauna of North- (Eddussuriya and Weilgama, 2003) besides being proved as western India (Acari: Metastigmata). Int. J. Acarol. 1: 31- an efficient vector of Kyasanur forest disease virus in Southern 54. India (Pattnaik, 2006; Kolonin, 2009). Nuttall GHF, Cooper WF, Arthur DR, Warburton C and Robinson LE The present report adds to the list of cases of human (1960) Ticks: a monograph of the Ixodoiidea. Vol. 2, Part 2, pp. 237. parasitisation with D. auratus published elsewhere (Kirwan, Pattnaik P (2006) Kyasanur Forest Disease: an epidemiological view 1935; Eddussuriya and Weilgama, 2003). Host reaction to the in India. Rev. Med. Virol. 16:151-165. nymphal tick bite recorded in the present communication also Soulsby EJL (1982) Helminths, Arthropods and Protozoa of found to be of similar nature as reported by Eddussuriya and Domesticated Animals. 7th ed. ELBS and Baillie Tindal, London. Weilgama (2003) and Hoogstraal and Wassef (1985). Wassef HY and Hoogstraal H (1984) Dermacentor (Indocentor) auratus Morphological description of the female D. auratus (Acari: Ixodoiidea: Ixodidae): Identity of male and female. J. recorded in the present study is in agreement with those Med. Entomol. 21: 169-175 reported earlier by Nuttall et al. (1960), Wassef and Hoogstraal Yamaguti N, Tipon VJ, Keegan HL and Toshioka S (1971) Ticks of Japan, Korea and the Ryukyu Islands. Brigham Young Univ. (1984) and Kolonin (2009). Sci. Bull., Biological Series, 24: 226.

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