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Background <p>Metabolic responses to infection differ based on arthropod and pathogen. Increased metabolic rates can result in faster depletion of energetic resources, and decreases may allow for energy conservation. <i>Babesia bovis</i> is a protozoan pathogen transmitted by the cattle fever tick, <i>Rhipicephalus microplus</i>. Adult female ticks acquire <i>B. bovis</i> by feeding on an infected animal. <i>Babesia bovis</i> undergoes development and invades the ovaries where it is transmitted transovarially to tick offspring. The effects of infection on <i>R. microplus</i> metabolic rate are not well studied.</p> Methods <p>We tested the hypothesis that <i>R. microplus</i> infected with <i>B. bovis</i> would have altered metabolic rates (volume of carbon dioxide [VCO<sub>2</sub>]) across life stages using flow-through respirometry. Replete females from either an infected or naïve calf were measured across 3&#xa0;days to determine differences in VCO<sub>2</sub>. Hemolymph smears were used to categorize the number of <i>B. bovis</i> kinetes present in the hemolymph of replete females during egg oviposition. The VCO<sub>2</sub> for groups of their offspring were measured twice as eggs and once as larvae. The number of individuals and successfully hatched larvae in each group were enumerated at the end of the experiment to determine the average VCO<sub>2</sub> per individual.</p> Results <p>Infected replete females have decreased VCO<sub>2</sub> while their offspring have increased VCO<sub>2</sub> at the egg and larval stages. Interestingly, replete females had a 25% reduction in body mass compared to uninfected female tick controls. Uninfected larvae were twice as likely to hatch than larvae from infected replete female ticks.</p> Conclusions <p>VCO<sub>2</sub> varied between control and infected ticks depending on life stage. Infected replete females had lower VCO<sub>2</sub> and body mass while their offspring had higher VCO<sub>2</sub> than their control counterparts. Higher larval VCO<sub>2</sub> may promote earlier questing and a shorter lifespan. Changes in metabolic and hatch rates have implications that may promote disease spread.</p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>

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Infection with Babesia bovis alters metabolic rates of Rhipicephalus microplus ticks across life stages

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2025年3月1日

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  • Kayla N. Earls,
  • Karen Poh,
  • Massaro Ueti,
  • Kennan Oyen

摘要

Background

Metabolic responses to infection differ based on arthropod and pathogen. Increased metabolic rates can result in faster depletion of energetic resources, and decreases may allow for energy conservation. Babesia bovis is a protozoan pathogen transmitted by the cattle fever tick, Rhipicephalus microplus. Adult female ticks acquire B. bovis by feeding on an infected animal. Babesia bovis undergoes development and invades the ovaries where it is transmitted transovarially to tick offspring. The effects of infection on R. microplus metabolic rate are not well studied.

Methods

We tested the hypothesis that R. microplus infected with B. bovis would have altered metabolic rates (volume of carbon dioxide [VCO2]) across life stages using flow-through respirometry. Replete females from either an infected or naïve calf were measured across 3 days to determine differences in VCO2. Hemolymph smears were used to categorize the number of B. bovis kinetes present in the hemolymph of replete females during egg oviposition. The VCO2 for groups of their offspring were measured twice as eggs and once as larvae. The number of individuals and successfully hatched larvae in each group were enumerated at the end of the experiment to determine the average VCO2 per individual.

Results

Infected replete females have decreased VCO2 while their offspring have increased VCO2 at the egg and larval stages. Interestingly, replete females had a 25% reduction in body mass compared to uninfected female tick controls. Uninfected larvae were twice as likely to hatch than larvae from infected replete female ticks.

Conclusions

VCO2 varied between control and infected ticks depending on life stage. Infected replete females had lower VCO2 and body mass while their offspring had higher VCO2 than their control counterparts. Higher larval VCO2 may promote earlier questing and a shorter lifespan. Changes in metabolic and hatch rates have implications that may promote disease spread.

Graphical Abstract