The Latest Advances in the Knowledge of Ticks and the Diseases They Transmit

Dear Colleagues,

Ticks have been silent companions in the vertebrate evolution, from the feathered dinosaurs from which the oldest identified tick is supposed to have fed, to current species. The capacity of these seemingly simple organisms for survival under changing and adverse conditions lies in their ability to adapt. Their capability of parasitizing reptiles, birds, and mammals from the most varied climates, habitats, and continents plays a key role in their survival. Few animal groups can maintain their life cycle by feeding on penguins in Antarctica, dromedaries in the Saharan desert, or marine iguanas in the Galapagos Islands. In this context, the global change that is a critical challenge for many species is just another possibility for ticks to overcome by establishing contact with unusual hosts, or modifying their area of distribution. An example of this is what has been observed with Hyalomma in Europe.

The tick’s remarkable capacity to survive has been exploited by multiple agents. From viruses and bacteria to protozoa and nematodes, all have used ticks as a vehicle for transmission. The improvement in diagnostic techniques has been a determining factor for the description of new agents. Moreover, the social, environmental, and economic changes of the last decades have caused outbreaks of tick-borne diseases (TBDs) in animals and humans. In this context, TBDs are priority objectives of interest in the One Health paradigm due to the zoonotic nature of many of these agents. Paired with their epidemiological complexity and the current global changes, a multidisciplinary analysis with a global perspective is required.

This Special Issue aims to collect original research and/or review papers about the latest advances in the knowledge of ticks and the diseases they transmit. The goal is to understand the mechanisms of survival and transmission, to determine risk factors, and to establish, where appropriate, methods of control and prevention.

Dr. Ángeles Sonia Olmeda
Dr. Félix Valcárcel Sancho
Guest Editors

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• ticks
• Hyalomma
• tick-borne diseases
• integrated tick control
• natural products
• parasitology
• parasitic diseases
• animal health