DHS-funded study examines if a long-lived soft tick in Texas might transmit African swine fever which would impact the response, surveillance, and outbreak control.
Meriam Saleh displays a specimen container holding Ornithodoros turicata, a soft tick species being studied for its potential role in African swine fever preparedness and surveillance.
A small, nest-dwelling tick found across large parts of Texas could play an outsized role in how the United States responds to African swine fever (ASF) should the virus ever reach domestic or wild pigs.
In a recent study , researchers at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) , Texas A&M AgriLife Research , and the Department of Biology mapped where Ornithodoros turicata — a soft tick species native to Texas and the southwestern United States — is most likely to survive and examined what that means for ASF preparedness.
The study is part of a $1.4-million, Department of Homeland Security-funded research project through the Cross-Border Threat Screening and Supply Chain Defense (CBTS), DHS Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) Center of Excellence housed at Texas A&M.
Meriam Saleh , a clinical assistant professor in VMBS’ Department of Veterinary Pathobiology , this project seeks to understand whether Texas-derived populations of the tick could help sustain or transmit the virus if it were introduced into the U.S.
— and how that risk could affect the food supply, trade, and cross-border livestock movement.
By supporting research at the intersection of animal health, border security, and supply chain resilience, CBTS helps address emerging transboundary threats before they escalate into large-scale economic or homeland security challenges.
Dee Ellis, a veterinarian in AgriLife Research and the Department of Entomology.
Ellis focuses on the industry and stakeholder impacts of the virus.
Though ASF is not currently in the U.S., it is present in the Caribbean, Europe, Africa, and parts of Asia.
The report adds to ongoing university-led research relevant to veterinary medicine, animal health, and clinical decision-making.
Source university website: Texas A&M VMBS
https://vetmed.tamu.edu/news/press-releases/african-swine-fever-soft-tick-texas/
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