Exploration of the spatial epidemiology of tick borne pathogens of livestock in Southern Cumbria
Changes to farm production subsidies are provoking the maintenance of far less stock. Given thatwildlife is more abundant in sustainable uplands, pathogens able to exploit both wild-living anddomesticated hosts are of particular concern. Tick-borne pathogens are not only a case in point; butalso their threat is now augmented by increasing tick abundance, changing climate, and theextraordinary nationwide increase in the abundance of deer (that serve as a key host species). The major objective of this thesis was to further understand the spatial distribution of questingIxodes ricinus ticks across farms in Southern Cumbria; as well as to attempt to understand theepidemiological and ecological factors that have a significant influence on the patterns of infectionsin livestock. This project integrated field work, GIS, molecular methods and citizen science in aneffort to understand these complex epidemiologies. Results demonstrated that: I. ricinus exhibit a patchy distribution across all study sites, withproximity to woodland indicated as the main driver behind this. The causal agent of tick borne fever,Anaplasma phagocytophilum was observed across the sites, with sheep being implicated as the maindrivers behind this, rather than deer. Conflicting to anecdotal evidence, Babesia divergens (the agent of red water fever in cattle) was notfound at any of the sites. However, the discovery of B. venatorum in a new area of the UK is ofpotential medical importance. In addition to the confirmation of B. OO-2012, and a B. odocoilei- likespecies; this, to the best of my knowledge, is the first recording of these pathogens in the UK. Contrary to scientific studies, Borrelia afzelli was observed in adult I ricinus females feeding oncattle; suggesting that the results from in vitro assays do not seamlessly translate into the field, andthat further work is needed to quantify the role cattle may play in the circulation of Borrelia, which isof public health importance. Louping Ill Virus was sampled for, but was not confirmed. The truly multidisciplinary nature of this project, has demonstrated the need for a holistic approachwhen considering the ecology and epidemiology of tick borne disease
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