The antiviral immunity of ticks against transmitted viral pathogens

Ticks, being obligate hematophagous arthropods, are exposed to various blood-borne pathogens, including arboviruses. Consequently, their feeding behavior can readily transmit economically important viral pathogens to humans and animals. With this tightly knit vector and pathogen interaction, the replication and transmission of tick-borne viruses (TBVs) must be highly regulated by their respective tick vectors to avoid any adverse effect on the ticks’ biological development and viability. Knowledge about the tick–virus interface, although gaining relevant advances in recent years, is advancing at a slower pace than the scientific developments related to mosquito–virus interactions. The unique and complicated feeding behavior of ticks, compared to that of other blood-feeding arthropods, also limits the studies that would further elaborate the antiviral immunity of ticks against TBVs. Hence, knowledge of molecular and cellular immune mechanisms at the tick–virus interface, will further elucidate the successful viral replication of TBVs in ticks and their effective transmission to human and animal hosts. •Knowledge of the tick's antiviral immune mechanisms remains limited.•The tick possesses various innate immune responses to fight invading viruses.•Viruses manipulate the tick's physiology to counteract the tick immune response.