Successful completion of the life cycle of Amblyomma variegatum using tick artificial membrane feeding system

The three-host tick Amblyomma variegatum , commonly known as the tropical bont tick, poses a major threat to livestock health and productivity in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. This tick is agressive, transmits multiple pathogens including Ehrlichia ruminantium, an intracellular obligate bacterium that causes heartwater, and directly damages the skin, and causes losses in productivity. The tropical bont tick, which belongs to the Ixodidae family, has long mouth parts and feeding behaviors are characterized by prolonged blood meals during each life stage. The inability to control the tick and prevent the diseases it transmits is partly due to the necessity of rearing the tick on animals. Thus, the goal of this study was to develop an artificial membrane feeding system to complete the life cycle of A. variegatum . All life stages of A. variegatum were fed using fresh goat blood at 38°C, and blood replacement occurred every 12 hours. Key parameters, such as humidity, temperature, and membrane thickness, were optimized to mimic natural tick feeding conditions. The attachment of ticks to the artificial membranes was induced by synthetic pheromones and host hairs. The attachment and engorgement rates for immature tick stages exceeded 80%, demonstrating high feeding success using the artificial system. The reproductive capacity of A. variegatum adult female ticks proved to be successful, with an oviposition rate of 35%. The larvae resulting from these eggs exhibited feeding patterns comparable to larvae derived from female ticks fed on goats. Collectively, these findings demonstrate the feasibility of using artificial feeding system to complete the breeding cycle of A. variegatum without the use of live hosts for tick engorgement. Consequently, this innovative approach will facilitate further research to close the knowledge gap, including understanding the tick-pathogen interactions and feeding of other tick species or hematophagous arthropods of human and veterinary importance.