Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) infesting cattle and African buffaloes in the Tsavo conservation area, Kenya

Several ixodid tick species are shared between domestic cattle and African buffaloes (Syncerus caffer). So too, are a number of tick-borne diseases. The aim of the study was to compare the species composition of ticks that infest cattle and buffaloes utilising the same habitat within the Tsavo Conservation Area, Kenya. To this end, 25 cattle and 62 buffaloes were each opportunistically sampled for ticks on a single occasion in February 2010. Eight species, namely Amblyomma gemma, Amblyomma lepidum, Hyalomma albiparmatum, Hyalomma rufipes, Hyalomma truncatum, Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi, Rhipicephalus pravus and Rhipicephalus pulchellus infested both cattle and buffaloes. Three species, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) sp., Rhipicephalus kochi, and Rhipicephalus muehlensi were collected only from cattle, and three species, Hyalomma impeltatum, Rhipicephalus humeralis and Rhipicephalus praetextatus were present only on buffaloes. The attachment sites of the various tick species were also recorded. New locality records for H. impeltatum and H. truncatum and the first confirmed locality record for Rhipicephalus praetextatus sensu stricto in Kenya were documented.

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Viraemic transmission of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus to ticks

Epidemiology and Infection ◽

10.1017/s0950268800048524 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 106 (2) ◽

pp. 373-382 ◽

Cited By ~ 33

Author(s):

A. J. Shepherd ◽

R. Swanepoel ◽

S. P. Shepherd ◽

P. A. Leman ◽

O. Mathee

Keyword(s):

Ixodid Tick ◽

Transovarial Transmission ◽

Haemorrhagic Fever ◽

Transmitted Infection ◽

Hyalomma Truncatum ◽

Virus Content ◽

Cchf Virus ◽

Rhipicephalus Evertsi Evertsi ◽

Crimean Congo Haemorrhagic Fever ◽

Tick Vectors

SUMMARYIn order to determine the way in which vertebrates infected with Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) virus and potential ixodid tick vectors interact in nature, immature and adult ticks of several species were fed on viraemic mammals and then assayed for virus content at varying times after feeding. CCHF virus was not isolated from ticks of six species tested after feeding as adults and immature forms on sheep with viraemia of 102·5−3·2LD 50/ml, nor from larval ticks fed on guinea-pigs and white-tailed rats with viraemia of 101·9−2·7LD 50/ml. In contrast, virus was isolated from 10 of 152 pools of engorged adult ticks of 5 species that fed on cattle with viraemia of 101·5−2·7LD 50/ml and from 3 of 137 female ticks after oviposition. Infection was transmitted to larval and nymphalHyalomma truncatumandH. marginatum rufipes, but not toRhipicephalus evertsi evertsi, from a scrub hare with viraemia of 104·250/ml but only nymphalH. truncatumandH. m. rufipesbecame infected from scrub hares with viraemia of 102·6−2·7LD 50/ml. Infection was transmitted trans-stadially inH. m. rufipesandH. truncatuminfected as nymphae, and adultH. m. rufipestransmitted infection to a sheep. No evidence of transovarial transmission was found in larval progeny of ticks exposed to CCHF virus as adults on sheep and cattle or as immatures on scrub hares.

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The comparative prevalence of five ixodid tick species infesting cattle and goats in Maputo Province, Mozambique

Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research ◽

10.4102/ojvr.v76i2.45 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 76 (2) ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

C. De Matos ◽

C. Sitoe ◽

L. Neves ◽

J.O. Nothling ◽

I.G. Horak

Keyword(s):

Host Species ◽

Tick Species ◽

Ixodid Tick ◽

Rhipicephalus Appendiculatus ◽

Boophilus Microplus ◽

Amblyomma Hebraeum ◽

Chi Square ◽

Exact Test ◽

Chi Square Test ◽

Rhipicephalus Evertsi Evertsi

This study compares the prevalence of ixodid tick species on cattle and goats in Maputo Province. Adult ticks as well as the nymphs of three species, and only the adults of two species were collected from sets of five cattle at 21 localities throughout the province and compared with those collected from similar sets of goats at the same places. Amblyomma hebraeum adults and / or nymphs were present on cattle and on goats at all 21 localities, and 90 cattle and 22 goats were infested with adult ticks. Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus adults and / or nymphs were collected from cattle at 20 and from goats at 15 localities, and 92 cattle and 34 goats were infested [Chi-square test (×2), P < 0.001]. The total length of several maturing female R. (Boophilus) microplus collected from cattle and goats exceeded 5 mm, indicating that they successfully engorge on both host species. Rhipicephalus appendiculatus adults and / or nymphs were present on cattle at 15 and on goats at 13 localities, but 28 cattle and only one goat were infested with adult ticks (×2, P < 0.001). Adult Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi were recovered from cattle at 20 and from goats at 17 localities, and 74 cattle and 69 goats were infested. Adult Rhipicephalus simus were collected from cattle at 18 and from goats at 11 localities (Fisher's exact test, P = 0.04), and 60 cattle and 14 goats were infested (×2, P < 0.001). These findings underscore the advisability of including goats in acaricide application programmes designed for the control of tick-borne diseases in cattle at the same locality.

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Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) collected from animals in three western, semi-arid nature reserves in South Africa : research communication

Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research ◽

10.4102/ojvr.v74i1.141 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 74 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

H. Golezardy ◽

I.G. Horak

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Tick Species ◽

National Park ◽

Arid Regions ◽

Ixodid Tick ◽

Nature Reserves ◽

Wild Animals ◽

The West ◽

Hyalomma Truncatum ◽

Semi Arid

The objective of this study was to make an inventory of the ixodid tick species infesting wild animals in three western, semi-arid nature reserves in South Africa. To this end 22 animals in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, 10 in the West Coast National Park and 16 in the Karoo National Park were examined. Fourteen tick species were recovered, of which Hyalomma truncatum, Rhipicephalus exoph thalmos and Rhipicephalus glabroscutatum were each present in two reserves and the remainder only in one. The distributions of two of the 14 tick species recovered, namely Rhipicephalus capensis and Rhipicephalus neumanni, are virtually confined to the western semi-arid regions of southern Africa. Hyalomma truncatum, R. capensis and R. glabroscutatum were the most numerous of the ticks recovered, and eland, Taurotragus oryx, were the most heavily infested with the former two species and gemsbok, Oryx gazella, and mountain reedbuck, Redunca fulvorufula, with R. glabroscutatum.

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Ticks on crested francolins, Francolinus sephaena, and on the vegetation on a farm in Limpopo Province, South Africa : research communication

Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research ◽

10.4102/ojvr.v72i4.191 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 72 (4) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

A.C. Uys ◽

I.G. Horak

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Tick Species ◽

Tick Infestation ◽

Ixodid Tick ◽

Rhipicephalus Appendiculatus ◽

Limpopo Province ◽

Immature Stages ◽

Amblyomma Hebraeum ◽

Boophilus Decoloratus ◽

Rhipicephalus Evertsi Evertsi

Ticks were collected at approximately bi-monthly intervals between June 1996 and June 1997 from crested francolins, Francolinus sephaena, and from the vegetation on a mixed cattle and wildlife farm in Limpopo Province, South Africa. The birds were infested with the immature stages of 13 tick species, of which Amblyomma hebraeum, Amblyomma marmoreum and Hyalomma marginatumrufipes were the most numerous and prevalent. Ten ixodid tick species were collected from the vegetation, of which the immature stages of Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) decoloratus and Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi were the most numerous. No adult ticks were collected from the birds and only two from the vegetation. The restricted home range of crested francolins implies that they could serve as a source of tick infestation only for other animals within the same habitat as the birds.

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Ixodid ticks infesting domestic goats in communal land areas of Zimbabwe

Journal of the South African Veterinary Association ◽

10.4102/jsava.v79i3.257 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 79 (3) ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

T. Hove ◽

R. Mukandi ◽

M. Bere ◽

I.G. Horak ◽

A.A. Latif

Keyword(s):

Ixodid Tick ◽

Rhipicephalus Appendiculatus ◽

Ixodid Ticks ◽

Digital Space ◽

Boophilus Decoloratus ◽

Resource Limited ◽

Communal Land ◽

Central Regions ◽

Rhipicephalus Evertsi Evertsi ◽

Hyalomma Rufipes

The purpose of this study was to determine the species spectrum of ticks infesting goats owned by resource-limited farmers in the state-owned communal land areas of Zimbabwe. Ticks were collected from goats at a single locality within each of 5 communal land areas, and a total of 14 ixodid tick species was recovered. The most numerous tick was Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi, which was present in all areas at each sampling, and a Rhipicephalus sp. (near R. punctatus), which was most abundant on goats in the central regions of Zimbabwe during the March rainy season. Amblyomma hebraeum was present on goats in all areas sampled. In the eastern central region its distribution overlapped that of Amblyomma variegatum, while in the northwest it overlapped those of both Amblyomma marmoreum and A. variegatum. Hyalomma truncatum was present at all localities, whereas only a single Hyalomma rufipes was recovered. Rhipicephalus appendiculatus was collected from goats in the moist, slightly cooler regions, while the few Rhipicephalus zambeziensis recovered were present in the hotter, drier regions. Species recorded in lower numbers were Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) decoloratus, Rhipicephalus lunulatus, Rhipicephalus simus, Rhipicephalus tricuspis and Rhipicephalus turanicus. Attachment in the inter-digital space of adult A. hebreaum and H. truncatum was sometimes associated with lameness.

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Survey of ixodid tick species on domestic cats in Japan

Veterinary Parasitology ◽

10.1016/s0304-4017(02)00352-7 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 111 (2-3) ◽

pp. 231-239 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Yojiro Shimada ◽

Hisashi Inokuma ◽

Takeshi Beppu ◽

Masaru Okuda ◽

Takafumi Onishi

Keyword(s):

Tick Species ◽

Ixodid Tick ◽

Domestic Cats

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Small mammals as hosts of immature ixodid ticks

Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research ◽

10.4102/ojvr.v72i3.204 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 72 (3) ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

I.G. Horak ◽

L.J. Fourie ◽

L.E.O. Braack

Keyword(s):

Small Mammals ◽

Tick Species ◽

Ixodid Tick ◽

Ixodid Ticks ◽

Free State ◽

Immature Stages ◽

Rhabdomys Pumilio ◽

Haemaphysalis Leachi ◽

Lepus Capensis ◽

Multimammate Mice

Two hundred and twenty-five small mammals belonging to 16 species were examined for ticks in Free State, Mpumalanga and Limpopo Provinces, South Africa, and 18 ixodid tick species, of which two could only be identified to genus level, were recovered. Scrub hares, Lepus saxatilis, and Cape hares, Lepus capensis, harboured the largest number of tick species. In Free State Province Namaqua rock mice, Aethomys namaquensis, and four-striped grass mice, Rhabdomys pumilio, were good hosts of the immature stages of Haemaphysalis leachi and Rhipicephalus gertrudae, while in Mpumalanga and Limpopo Provinces red veld rats, Aethomys chrysophilus, Namaqua rock mice and Natal multimammate mice, Mastomys natalensis were good hosts of H. leachi and Rhipicephalus simus. Haemaphysalis leachi was the only tick recovered from animals in all three provinces.

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The seasonal activity of adult ixodid ticks on Angora goats in the south western Orange Free State

Journal of the South African Veterinary Association ◽

10.4102/jsava.v62i3.1604 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 62 (3) ◽

pp. 104-106 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

L. J. Fourie ◽

I. G. Horak

Keyword(s):

Tick Species ◽

Late Summer ◽

Ixodid Tick ◽

Ixodid Ticks ◽

Free State ◽

Seasonal Activity ◽

The South ◽

Ixodes Rubicundus ◽

Angora Goats

Adult ixodid ticks were collected at 2-weekly intervals for a period of 23 consecutive months from 15 to 20 Angora goats on a farm in the south western Orange Free State. A total of 6 ixodid tick species were recovered. Rhipicephalus punctatus was the most abundant and prevalent tick, It was present from spring to late summer. Ixodes rubicundus was the next most abundant tick and was present mainly from March or April to July with peak numbers present in April or May. The onset of this tick's activity appeared to be stimulated by low atmospheric temperatures.

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The genus Hyalomma Koch, 1844. I. Reinstatement of Hyalomma (Euhyalomma) glabrum Delpy, 1949 (Acari, Ixodidae) as a valid species with a redescription of the adults, the first description of its immature stages and notes on its biology

Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research ◽

10.4102/ojvr.v73i1.164 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 73 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

D.A. Apanaskevich ◽

I.G. Horak

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Ixodid Tick ◽

Valid Species ◽

Immature Stages ◽

Large Herbivores ◽

Hyalomma Marginatum ◽

Hyalomma Rufipes ◽

Autumn And Winter ◽

First Time ◽

Preferred Hosts

For nearly 50 years the ixodid tick Hyalomma marginatum turanicum, reputedly introduced into South Africa on imported Persian sheep, has been considered identical to the Asian Hyalomma (Euhyalomma) marginatum turanicum Pomerantzev, 1946. Comparisons of this tick with the Asian H. (E.) m. turanicum and other subspecies of Hyalomma (Euhyalomma) marginatum, however, reveal that it is an old taxon, namely Hyalomma rufipes glabrum Delpy, 1949. It is hereby reinstated as Hyalomma (Euhyalomma) glabrum, and its adults are redescribed and its immature stages described for the first time. The preferred hosts of its adults are large herbivores such as zebras, gems bok and eland, on which it occurs during summer. The preferred hosts of its immature stages are scrub hares and ground-frequenting birds, on which it is present during autumn and winter. Data on its distribution and possible disease relationships are also provided.

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