Issue:
African Swine Fever virus (ASFv) is a significant notifiable swine disease that if introduced into the U.S. across the southern border (by domestic or wildlife animal movements or human traffic), would have severe economic and trade consequences. Eradication efforts would be hampered by spillover events between domestic and feral swine populations. A tick-susceptible host interaction, known as the sylvatic cycle of disease transmission, could establish a permanent reservoir of ASFv disease, if undetected, since certain competent tick hosts are found in Texas.
Objectives:
This study built upon prior research focused on the historical occurrence of Ornithodoros spp. ticks as well as previously published predictive models (Donaldson et al., 2016; Sage et al., 2017; Wormington et al., 2019; Golnar et al., 2019) to identify at-risk locations throughout Texas for the establishment of ASFv in wildlife through contact with competent Ornithodoros spp. tick vectors. Prior to this work, the locations of such Ornithodoros spp. ticks had not been documented extensively in Texas in relation to existing feral swine, commercial swine, or warthog population locations. Through tick maps and dissemination of information, this work contributed towards a surveillance system focused on specific locations to evaluate the sylvatic tick-swine transmission cycle potential.
Value Proposition:
This work delivered maps and ecological modeling of O. turicata habitats and host species, density of feral hogs and warthogs, and host identification through bloodmeal analysis, communicated through reports, scientific conferences and a journal article that will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal. This study complements efforts to interdict at-risk materials entering the U.S. and strengthens the U.S. border protection infrastructure by evaluating other locations along the border not undergoing inspections for risk potential. By identifying locations for future surveillance system development where animals and people may enter the U.S. through non-traditional locations in South Texas pasture locations along the Rio Grande, this program updated the geographic distribution of Ornithodoros spp. ticks and the ecogeographical variables influencing their distribution, identified at-risk locations for the establishment of ASFv in wildlife through contact with competent tick vectors, and provided relevant information for early detection of tick vectors.
| Project Lead | Texas A&M AgriLife Research |
| Research Team | Co-PI: Dee Ellis, DVM, Texas A&M AgriLife Research Co-PI: Meriam Saleh, Ph.D. Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences |
| Budget | $508,731 |
| Duration | May 2022 – August 2024 |