Range expansion of the tick Amblyomma triguttatum triguttatum, an Australian vector of Q fever

Abstract

The tick Amblyomma triguttatum triguttatum has previously been reported from Western Australia, Queensland and New South Wales. A viable population of this species, including all developmental stages, has now been discovered on the southern end of Yorke Peninsula, South Australia. Species determination was carried out morphologically and using 18S and 16S rRNA. The data for 16S rRNA are the first published for this species. Amblyomma t. triguttatum is significant through its involvement in the natural, Australian cycle of Coxiella burnetti, the pathogen causing Q fever. The environment of Yorke Peninsula contains all of the components required for a natural Q fever cycle and three cases of this disease have been reported from this area since 1995. These findings reinforce the need to put in place effective mechanisms to monitor parasite distributions at a time of large scale global change.