The tropical bont tick, Amblyomma variegatum, was introduced into the Caribbean in 1828 on cattle imported to Guadeloupe from Senegal, West Africa.  Since being introduced into the eastern Caribbean, this tick has become established on 14 countries comprising 19 islands.  The tick is a vector of the rickettsia, Cowdria ruminantium, the causative agent of a disease known as heartwater in ruminants.  Previously unexposed populations are highly susceptible to infection.  Death losses reach over 50 percent in cattle and 90 percent in sheep and goats.  A. variegatum is also associated  with increased incidence of a skin infection known as dermatophilosis which is caused by the bacteria Dermatophilus congolensis.  Southern Florida, the Yucatan peninsula and Venezuela have high probabilities of becoming the first mainland areas to become infested by this pest.  In response to this threat, International Services (IS) maintains a network in the Caribbean to track the distribution of this pest.  IS also provides technical and financial assistance to individual countries trying to eradicate or suppress this pest.  These efforts will prevent this pest from entering the US livestock population.

• Additional Tropical Bont Tick Information