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MINI REVIEW article

Front. Trop. Dis.

Sec. Neglected Tropical Diseases

Volume 6 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fitd.2025.1597236

This article is part of the Research TopicIntegrated Public Health Approaches for the Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases: Challenges and OpportunitiesView all 3 articles

Ticks and Tickborne Diseases in Global South Countries: Impact and Implications of Environmental Changes

Provisionally accepted
Sammuel ShahzadSammuel Shahzad1*Olalekan Chris AkinsulieOlalekan Chris Akinsulie1Ibrahim IdrisIbrahim Idris2Popy DevnathPopy Devnath1Damilare AjagbeDamilare Ajagbe3Victor Ayodele AliyuVictor Ayodele Aliyu1Moyinoluwa OladoyeMoyinoluwa Oladoye4Ukauwa Blessing ChizaramUkauwa Blessing Chizaram5Charles Egede UgwuCharles Egede Ugwu6Samuel AjuloSamuel Ajulo7Blessing Simon OyeleyeBlessing Simon Oyeleye8Chinelo Geraldine IkeleChinelo Geraldine Ikele9Yaqub Saima ShellyYaqub Saima Shelly10
  • 1College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, United States
  • 2Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria
  • 3Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, College of Arts and Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States
  • 4Department of Respiratory Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, College of Life Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
  • 5Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria
  • 6Paul G. Allen School for Global Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, United States
  • 7School of Veterinary Medicine, Texas Tech University, Amarillo, Texas, United States
  • 8Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria
  • 9Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nsukka, Enugu, Nigeria
  • 10Department of Fisheries, Governemnet of Punjab, Lahore , Pakistan, Lahore, Pakistan

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Ticks and tick-borne diseases (TBDs) are escalating health and veterinary threats in the Global South, driven by environmental change, human activity, and socioeconomic vulnerability. Ticks transmit bacterial, viral, and protozoal pathogens, causing significant public health and economic burdens. Climate shifts and land-use changes have expanded tick habitats, intensifying disease transmission. This review examines the distribution of major tick species in the Global South and explores how ecological disruptions influence disease dynamics. Regional case studies from Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia highlight the impact on human health, livestock productivity, and food security. Addressing this growing threat requires integrated One Health strategies, improved public awareness, enhanced veterinary services, and investment in surveillance and vaccine development. International cooperation and strong policy frameworks are vital to mitigate the spread and impact of TBDs.

Keywords: Ticks, Tick-Borne Diseases, One Health, Tick ecology, Climate-driven disease spread, Global South

Received: 20 Mar 2025; Accepted: 06 Jun 2025.

Copyright: © 2025 Shahzad, Akinsulie, Idris, Devnath, Ajagbe, Aliyu, Oladoye, Chizaram, Ugwu, Ajulo, Oyeleye, Ikele and Shelly. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

* Correspondence: Sammuel Shahzad, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, United States

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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