Among dog ticks, which species is associated with human diseases?

• A. Brown dog tick
• B. American dog tick
• C. Both
• D. Neither

Answer: (B)

Ticks vary in their ability to transmit diseases to humans. The American dog tick is a recognized transmitter of Rocky Mountain spotted fever in people, making it the dog-tick species most clearly linked to human disease. This tick can pass Rickettsia rickettsii to humans during feeding, which is a serious illness characterized by fever, headache, and often a rash.

The brown dog tick, by contrast, is mainly a concern for dogs and kennels, serving as a vector for canine diseases rather than human illnesses in most regions. It can bite people, but it is not the typical source of human disease in the same way the American dog tick is.