Nation-wide surveillance of ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) on birds in Singapore

Surveillance programs focused on bird ticks are often challenging owing to the difficulty in capturing and screening birds as well as the fact that ticks on avian hosts frequently occur at a low prevalence. Nonetheless, elucidating the diversity and host preferences of avian ticks is critical for understanding public health risks posed by both migratory and resident birds. The first nation-wide surveillance program of avian ticks was initiated to examine bird-tick interactions in Singapore, a key juncture along the East Asian–Australasian flyway. Two tick species were detected, namely Haemaphysalis wellingtoni and Rhipicephalus linnaei, while five bird species were found to host ticks in Singapore, namely Columba livia, Gallus gallus, Ixobrychus flavicollis, Lanius cristatus, and Pitta moluccensis. The threats posed to public health by the human-biting tick H. wellingtoni are discussed along with the potential for migratory birds and ticks to transport tick-borne pathogens into, and through, Singapore.