This volume contains the Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Ticks and Tick-borne Pathogens (TTP-4), held in Banff, Alberta, Canada, from 21 to 26 July 2002. TTP-4 continues an important tradition established in 1992 at the first Conference in St. Paul, Minnesota, USA, and developed subsequently at the Kruger National Park, South Africa (1995) and the High Tatra Mountains, Slovakia (1999). The 31 papers published in this special issue are divided between six sessions, with a keynote address as an introduction. The first session, which deals with biosystematics, genomics and proteomics of ticks, contains the most recent world list of valid tick names. The papers deal with a broad range of tick-host-pathogen interactions, including remote sensing and mapping of ticks and tick-borne pathogens as well as practical aspects of tick control. It is recommended reading for anyone working on ticks and tick-borne pathogens, which are of increasing medical and veterinary importance worldwide.

Adaptations of the tick-borne pathogen, Anaplasma marginale, for survival in cattle and ticks.- The Argasidae, Ixodidae and Nuttalliellidae (Acari: Ixodida): a world list of valid tick names.- Phylogeny, evolution and historical zoogeography of ticks: a review of recent progress.- The use of the nuclear protein-encoding gene, RNA polymerase II, for tick molecular systematics.- A proteomics approach to characterizing tick salivary secretions.- RNA interference: applicability in tick research.- An inhibitor of thrombin-stimulated blood platelet aggregation from the salivary glands of the hard tick Amblyomma variegatum (Acari: Ixodidae).- A preliminary linkage map of the tick, Ixodes scapularis.- Expression of defensin-like peptides in tick hemolymph and midgut in response to challenge with Borrelia burgdoiferi, Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis.- Involvement of antibacterial peptide defensin in tick midgut defense.- Dynamic changes in Lyme disease spirochetes during transmission by nymphal ticks.- Preliminary observations on specific adaptations of exophilic ixodid ticks to forests or open country habitats.- How specific are host-produced kairomones to host-seeking ixodid ticks?.- Photoperiodic control of developmental diapause in nymphs of prostriate ixodid ticks (Acari: Ixodidae).- Detection and identification of spotted fever group rickettsiae in ticks collected in southern Croatia.- Immunogenicity of Ehrlichia ruminantium grown in tick cell lines.- Kinetics of experimental infection of sheep with Ehrlichia ruminantium cultivated in tick and mammalian cell lines.- A review of studies on the transmission of Anaplasma phagocytophilmn from sheep: implications for the force of infection in endemic cycles.- Sodium valproate facilitates the propagation of granulocytic ehrlichiae (Anaplasma phagocytophilum) in HL-60 cells.- Reduced weight gain due to subclinical Anaplasma phagocytophilum (formerly Ehrlichia phagocytophila) infection.- Ticks and tick-borne diseases of livestock belonging to resource-poor farmers in the eastern Free State of South Africa.- Tick-host-Borrelia population interactions: long-term records in Eastern Europe.- Remotely sensed correlates of phylogeny: tick-borne flaviviruses.- Understanding the relationships between landscape connectivity and abundance of Ixodes ricinus ticks.- Analysis of weather effects on variability in Lyme disease incidence in the northeastern United States.- Molecular and biochemical diagnosis of esterase-mediated pyrethroid resistance in a Mexican strain of Boophilus microplus (Acari: Ixodidae).- In vitro detection of acaricide resistance in Boophilus microplus (Acari: Ixodidae).- Progress towards the eradication of Amblyomma variegatum from the Caribbean.- The susceptibility of different species and stages of ticks to entomopathogenic fungi.- Control of Ixodes scapularis and Amblyomma americanum through use of the '4-poster' treatment device on deer in Maryland.- The use of a 4% (w/w) deltamethrin collar (Scalibor® ProtectorBand) in the extended control of ticks on dogs.- List of Participants.