The cosmopolitan brown dog tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille), has recently been implicated as a potential vector of Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) in areas of eastern Arizona where the principal North American vectors, Dermacentor andersoni Stiles and Dermacentor variabilis (Say), are not known to occur.  Accordingly, the USDA-CSREES Regional Integrated Pest Management Centers, in cooperation with the National Plant Diagnostic Network, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the 1862 Land Grant Universities, has issued the attached two-sided color National Pest Alert, containing information on the transmission and symptoms of RMSF, the life cycle of R. sanguineus, and methods for avoiding and controlling brown dog ticks.  Copies of this alert, printed on high-quality 8 ½” x 11” glossy paper suitable for use as posters, may be obtained by contacting Susan Ratcliffe at sratcliffe@uiuc.edu or by calling 217-333-9656.  The Defense Pest Management Information Analysis Center also has a supply; for small numbers of copies, contact the AFPMB Webmaster at afpmb-webmaster@osd.mil.

Download National Pest Alert on Brown Dog Tick