Affiliations 

  • 1 University of Pisa, Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Via del Borghetto 80, 56124 Pisa, Italy; Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, The BioRobotics Institute, Viale Rinaldo Piaggio 34, Pontedera, 56025 Pisa, Italy. Electronic address: benelli.giovanni@gmail.com
  • 2 School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino, Via Sant'Agostino 1, 62032 Camerino, Italy
  • 3 Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, The BioRobotics Institute, Viale Rinaldo Piaggio 34, Pontedera, 56025 Pisa, Italy
  • 4 Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, The BioRobotics Institute, Viale Rinaldo Piaggio 34, Pontedera, 56025 Pisa, Italy; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Khalifa University, PO Box 127788, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
  • 5 Biomaterials and Biotechnology in Animal Health Lab, Department of Animal Health and Management, Alagappa University, Karaikudi 630 003, Tamil Nadu, India
  • 6 Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
  • 7 Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, National Central University, No. 300, Jhongda RD., Jhongli, Taoyuan, 32001, Taiwan, ROC
  • 8 Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
  • 9 Department of Parasitology, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
  • 10 University of Pisa, Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Via del Borghetto 80, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Ticks Tick Borne Dis, 2017 10;8(6):821-826.
PMID: 28865955 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2017.08.004

Abstract

Ticks serve as vectors of a wide range of infectious agents deleterious to humans and animals. Tick bite prevention is based to a large extent on the use of chemical repellents and acaricides. However, development of resistance in targeted ticks, environmental pollution, and contamination of livestock meat and milk are major concerns. Recently, metal, metal oxide and carbon nanoparticles, particularly those obtained through green fabrication routes, were found to be highly effective against a wide array of arthropod pests and vectors. We summarize current knowledge on the toxicity of nanoparticles against tick vectors of medical and veterinary importance. We also discuss the toxicity of products from botanical- and bacterial-based as well as classic chemical nanosynthesis routes, showing differences in bioactivity against ticks based on the products used for the fabrication of nanoparticles. Further research is needed, to validate the efficacy of nanoparticle-based acaricides in the field and clarify mechanisms of action of nanoparticles against ticks. From a technical point of view, the literature analyzed here showed little standardization of size and weight of tested ticks, a lack of uniform methods to assess toxicity and concerns related to data analysis. Finally, an important challenge for future research is the need for ecotoxicology studies to evaluate potential negative effects on non-target organisms and site contamination arising from nanoparticle-based treatments in close proximity of livestock and farmers.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.