Progress towards a program for the eradication of Amblyomma variegatum from the Caribbean

Amblyomma variegatum (Fabricius), the tropical bont tick, is now widely distributed in the Caribbean. Eighteen islands countries are now or were recently infested with the tick. To stop the spread of this tick to other non-infested islands and to the mainland areas of South, Central and North America, a regional eradication program has been proposed and endorsed by the respective governments on each of the Amblyomma variegatum infested islands, including the French government and CARICOM member and associate member countries. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) was requested by CARICOM, on behalf of member and associate member governments to: develop eradication proposals; assist CARICOM member countries to maintain existing Amblyomma tick control programs; advise and assist with the drafting of legislation required for implementation of an eradication program; assist in the identification of funds to implement the eradication program and, if funding was obtained, coordinate the eradication campaign against this tick on all infested islands. The current distribution of the tick and the status of the proposed eradication program in the Caribbean are discussed.