Biological control of ticks in domestic environments: Modeling the potential impact of entomopathogenic fungi on the transmission of East Coast fever in cattle
Biological control of ticks using entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) is a highly desired alternative to chemical acaricides for the control of tick-borne pathogens. For Metarhizium anisopliae isolate ICIPE 7, one of these EPFs, efficacy against multiple tick species has been demonstrated in laboratory and...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877959X24001286 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832540384979320832 |
|---|---|
| author | Joseph Wang'ang'a Oundo Nienke Hartemink Mart C.M. de Jong Constantianus J.M. Koenraadt Shewit Kalayou Daniel Masiga Quirine ten Bosch |
| author_facet | Joseph Wang'ang'a Oundo Nienke Hartemink Mart C.M. de Jong Constantianus J.M. Koenraadt Shewit Kalayou Daniel Masiga Quirine ten Bosch |
| author_sort | Joseph Wang'ang'a Oundo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Biological control of ticks using entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) is a highly desired alternative to chemical acaricides for the control of tick-borne pathogens. For Metarhizium anisopliae isolate ICIPE 7, one of these EPFs, efficacy against multiple tick species has been demonstrated in laboratory and field settings. However, we currently have little quantitative understanding of how EPFs can impact transmission. We developed a deterministic model of tick–host–pathogen interactions to explore how the effects of EPF on Rhipicephalus appendiculatus ticks may impact the transmission dynamics of East Coast fever (ECF) in cattle populations. We parameterized the multi-faceted effects of EPFs on tick dynamics using experimental data on Tickoff® biopesticide (a novel formulation of M. anisopliae ICIPE 7) and related EPFs. The epidemiological impact of EPF was evaluated across a range of product profiles and implementation strategies. Model results indicate that, for the explored product profiles, EPF derives most of its epidemiological impact through the delayed mortality effect. This EPF-induced mortality could not only reduce the onward Theileria parva transmission to cattle (both treated and untreated) but could also cause a reduction in the tick-to-host ratio and thus cattle exposure to ticks. The effects of EPF on reproduction fitness and engorgement of ticks elicit negligible impact. High levels of population coverage and treatment frequency are needed to reduce the tick population size and reach meaningful epidemiological impact in cattle populations. Additionally, increasing the persistence time of fungal conidia on cattle skin – through technological improvements to the EPF formulation–can substantially reduce acute infections when combined with appreciable population coverage levels, treatment frequency, and efficient spraying techniques. Our model analysis provides insights into the potential impact of EPF when deployed at a population level, and lends support to further research and development of this biological tick control tool. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-453396e6bab949ec9f8fabcc36e1d2df |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1877-9603 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases |
| spelling | doaj-art-453396e6bab949ec9f8fabcc36e1d2df2025-02-05T04:31:32ZengElsevierTicks and Tick-Borne Diseases1877-96032025-01-01161102435Biological control of ticks in domestic environments: Modeling the potential impact of entomopathogenic fungi on the transmission of East Coast fever in cattleJoseph Wang'ang'a Oundo0Nienke Hartemink1Mart C.M. de Jong2Constantianus J.M. Koenraadt3Shewit Kalayou4Daniel Masiga5Quirine ten Bosch6International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), Nairobi, Kenya; Quantitative Veterinary Epidemiology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands; Corresponding author at: International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), Nairobi, Kenya.Quantitative Veterinary Epidemiology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, the NetherlandsQuantitative Veterinary Epidemiology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, the NetherlandsLaboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, the NetherlandsInternational Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), Nairobi, KenyaInternational Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), Nairobi, KenyaQuantitative Veterinary Epidemiology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, the NetherlandsBiological control of ticks using entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) is a highly desired alternative to chemical acaricides for the control of tick-borne pathogens. For Metarhizium anisopliae isolate ICIPE 7, one of these EPFs, efficacy against multiple tick species has been demonstrated in laboratory and field settings. However, we currently have little quantitative understanding of how EPFs can impact transmission. We developed a deterministic model of tick–host–pathogen interactions to explore how the effects of EPF on Rhipicephalus appendiculatus ticks may impact the transmission dynamics of East Coast fever (ECF) in cattle populations. We parameterized the multi-faceted effects of EPFs on tick dynamics using experimental data on Tickoff® biopesticide (a novel formulation of M. anisopliae ICIPE 7) and related EPFs. The epidemiological impact of EPF was evaluated across a range of product profiles and implementation strategies. Model results indicate that, for the explored product profiles, EPF derives most of its epidemiological impact through the delayed mortality effect. This EPF-induced mortality could not only reduce the onward Theileria parva transmission to cattle (both treated and untreated) but could also cause a reduction in the tick-to-host ratio and thus cattle exposure to ticks. The effects of EPF on reproduction fitness and engorgement of ticks elicit negligible impact. High levels of population coverage and treatment frequency are needed to reduce the tick population size and reach meaningful epidemiological impact in cattle populations. Additionally, increasing the persistence time of fungal conidia on cattle skin – through technological improvements to the EPF formulation–can substantially reduce acute infections when combined with appreciable population coverage levels, treatment frequency, and efficient spraying techniques. Our model analysis provides insights into the potential impact of EPF when deployed at a population level, and lends support to further research and development of this biological tick control tool.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877959X24001286Rhipicephalus appendiculatusEast Coast feverTheileria parvaCattleMetarhizium anisopliaeEntomopathogenic fungi |
| spellingShingle | Joseph Wang'ang'a Oundo Nienke Hartemink Mart C.M. de Jong Constantianus J.M. Koenraadt Shewit Kalayou Daniel Masiga Quirine ten Bosch Biological control of ticks in domestic environments: Modeling the potential impact of entomopathogenic fungi on the transmission of East Coast fever in cattle Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases Rhipicephalus appendiculatus East Coast fever Theileria parva Cattle Metarhizium anisopliae Entomopathogenic fungi |
| title | Biological control of ticks in domestic environments: Modeling the potential impact of entomopathogenic fungi on the transmission of East Coast fever in cattle |
| title_full | Biological control of ticks in domestic environments: Modeling the potential impact of entomopathogenic fungi on the transmission of East Coast fever in cattle |
| title_fullStr | Biological control of ticks in domestic environments: Modeling the potential impact of entomopathogenic fungi on the transmission of East Coast fever in cattle |
| title_full_unstemmed | Biological control of ticks in domestic environments: Modeling the potential impact of entomopathogenic fungi on the transmission of East Coast fever in cattle |
| title_short | Biological control of ticks in domestic environments: Modeling the potential impact of entomopathogenic fungi on the transmission of East Coast fever in cattle |
| title_sort | biological control of ticks in domestic environments modeling the potential impact of entomopathogenic fungi on the transmission of east coast fever in cattle |
| topic | Rhipicephalus appendiculatus East Coast fever Theileria parva Cattle Metarhizium anisopliae Entomopathogenic fungi |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877959X24001286 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT josephwangangaoundo biologicalcontrolofticksindomesticenvironmentsmodelingthepotentialimpactofentomopathogenicfungionthetransmissionofeastcoastfeverincattle AT nienkehartemink biologicalcontrolofticksindomesticenvironmentsmodelingthepotentialimpactofentomopathogenicfungionthetransmissionofeastcoastfeverincattle AT martcmdejong biologicalcontrolofticksindomesticenvironmentsmodelingthepotentialimpactofentomopathogenicfungionthetransmissionofeastcoastfeverincattle AT constantianusjmkoenraadt biologicalcontrolofticksindomesticenvironmentsmodelingthepotentialimpactofentomopathogenicfungionthetransmissionofeastcoastfeverincattle AT shewitkalayou biologicalcontrolofticksindomesticenvironmentsmodelingthepotentialimpactofentomopathogenicfungionthetransmissionofeastcoastfeverincattle AT danielmasiga biologicalcontrolofticksindomesticenvironmentsmodelingthepotentialimpactofentomopathogenicfungionthetransmissionofeastcoastfeverincattle AT quirinetenbosch biologicalcontrolofticksindomesticenvironmentsmodelingthepotentialimpactofentomopathogenicfungionthetransmissionofeastcoastfeverincattle |