In 2017, a male elk (Cervus canadensis) was found dead in Pennsylvania, US. The elk was in poor nutritional condition and had alopecia and ulcerative dermatitis throughout the neck and dorsum region associated with severe Dermacentor albipictus infestations. Histologically, there was severe chronic-active dermatitis with hyperkeratosis and crust formation.

Winter ticks (Dermacentor albipictus) are an aggressive one-host tick that infest a wide-diversity of ungulates. Infestations can result in anemia, alopecia, emaciation, and death. Most notably, the winter tick has caused negative impacts to moose (Alces alces) populations in the northeast United States and Canada. Winter ticks have been identified on other cervid species, including deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and elk (Cervus canadensis), which generally results in low tick burdens and mild or no disease. Recently, however, a wild yearling bull elk in Pennsylvania was found dead as a result of severe winter tick infestation. To obtain baseline data on winter ticks in wild elk in Pennsylvania, we collected 1453 ticks from 190 hunter-harvested wild elk between 2017–2018. Of the 204 harvested elk, 94.3% (190/204) had ticks collected for this study and none of the sampled elk had evidence of winter-tick associated disease. The average tick burden was 7.7 ticks/elk and average winter tick load on all elk was 0.5. Results of this study indicate that winter ticks do infest wild elk in Pennsylvania. However, during the fall months, the tick burden is low and rarely associated with lesions. These data herein serve as a baseline to monitor winter tick populations over time.

Babesia microti is a protozoan that infects red blood cells, causing hemolytic anemia and flu-like symptoms in humans. Understanding co-infections is crucial for the better diagnosis, treatment, and management of tick-borne diseases. This study examined the prevalence of Babesia microti co-infection with other prevalent tick-borne pathogens in Pennsylvania. The dataset acquired from the Dr. Jane Huffman Wildlife Genetics Institute included passive surveillance data from Ixodes spp. from 2021 to 2023. Submitted ticks were screened for tick-borne pathogens using species-specific TaqMan qPCR. Of the 793 B. microti-positive ticks pulled for analysis, 65.0% were co-infected with other pathogens (n = 516). Notably, 60.9% of the B. microti-positive ticks were co-infected with Borrelia burgdorferi, 10.2% with Anaplasma phagocytophilum Ap-ha, and 7.5% carried a triple co-infection with B. burgdorferi and A. phagocytophilum Ap-ha. The rates of B. microti infection and its co-infections are on the rise, with patterns observed in Pennsylvania and other regions of the USA. While other studies have collected both nymphal and adult ticks to screen for co-infections in Pennsylvania, our study stood out as a unique contribution to the field by focusing exclusively on B. microti-positive ticks. The continued monitoring of tick-borne co-infections is vital to prevent misdiagnosis and ensure effective treatment regimens.

The American black bear (Ursus americanus) was nearly extirpated from New Jersey in the early to mid-twentieth century. The black bear is the largest land mammal in New Jersey and occupies the northwestern region of the state. Both sexes of black bears are known to practice multiple mating. In this study, we assessed paternity among bears from New Jersey. All analyses were performed using eight microsatellite loci: G10L, Mu50, G10P, G10H, G10O, G10J, G10C, and Mu59. We analyzed fifteen family units (sow and offspring) for a total of 50 cubs and yearlings for paternity. Data from eight microsatellite loci allowed assignment of multiple paternities for cubs in three out of 15 (20%) litters.

Babesia odocoilei is a tick-borne protozoal parasite which infects the erythrocytes of members of the families Cervidae and Bovidae. Infection can result in hemolytic anemia, lethargy, anorexia, and death. The reservoir host of B. odocoilei is the white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus); however, infections with overt disease have only been documented in reindeer (Rangider tarandu tarandus), caribou (Rangider tarandu caribou) and captive elk (Cervus elaphus canadensis). Infected elk may remain asymptomatic, creating the risk for dissemination of the pathogen when elk are relocated. Additionally, infected asymptomatic elk may contribute to the spread of B. odocoilei in the local wildlife/captive population via feeding ticks. Information regarding endemic regions of B. odocoilei infection is limited due to frequent asymptomatic infections and a lack of targeted surveillance of B. odocoilei in wildlife. To obtain data on B. odocoilei infection in wild elk in Pennsylvania, we tested blood samples collected from 190 hunter-harvested wild elk between 2016 and 2017. Of the 190 blood samples tested, 18.4% (35/190) tested positive for Babesia spp. Genetic sequencing of the positive samples showed a 98.0–100.0% match for B. odocoilei. No other Babesia species were identified. Results of this study documents B. odocoilei infection within hunter-harvested wild elk from Pennsylvania.

Monitoring the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in wildlife is vital to public health. White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in the United States have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, and their interactions with blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis) raise the question of whether or not these ticks also carry SARS-CoV-2. In this study, 449 blacklegged ticks from Northeast Pennsylvania were collected in the fall of 2022 and tested via RT-qPCR for the presence of SARS-CoV-2. Fourteen ticks were amplified with late quantification cycles (Cq) using primers from two nucleocapsid genes (N1 and N2) via TaqMan assays. Three of these samples were amplified on a SYBR green assay during secondary testing. However, melt curve and gel electrophoresis analysis verified negative results for these three samples. Genetic sequencing was performed on one of the three samples to look for potential cross-reactions causing the amplification observed. However, no significant match was found in the NCBI database. Although all 449 blacklegged ticks were negative for SARS-CoV-2, I. scapularis should continue to be tested for COVID-19. If blacklegged ticks test positive for COVID-19 in the future, research should focus on determining the stability of SARS-CoV-2 with the tick vector and the potential for transmission through tick bites.