PCR-based detection of blood parasites in cattle and adult Rhipicephalus appendiculatus ticks.
To ascertain the infection rate for tick-borne pathogens in Zambia, an epidemiological survey of Theileria parva, Babesia bigemina and Anaplasma marginale in traditionally managed Sanga cattle was conducted using PCR. Of the 71 native Zambian cattle, 28 (39.4%) were positive for T. parva, 16 (22.5%) for B. bigemina and 34 (47.9%) for A. marginale. The mixed infection rate in cattle was 8.5% (6/71), 16.9% (12/71), 7.0% (5/71) and 2.8% (2/71) for T. parva/B. bigemina, T. parva/A. marginale, B. bigemina/A. marginale and T. parva/B. bigemina/A. marginale, respectively. To predict the risk for transmission of tick-borne pathogens from ticks to cattle, a total of 74 Rhipicephalus appendiculatus ticks were collected from a location where cattle had been found positive for T. parva. Of the ticks collected, 10 (13.5%) were found to be PCR-positive for T. parva. The results suggest that the infection rate for tick-borne pathogens was relatively high in Sanga cattle and that adult R. appendiculatus ticks were highly infected with T. parva.
Yamada
Shinji
S
Department of Disease Control, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan.
Konnai
Satoru
S
Imamura
Saiki
S
Simuunza
Martin
M
Chembensofu
Mwelwa
M
Chota
Amos
A
Nambota
Andrew
A
Onuma
Misao
M
Ohashi
Kazuhiko
K
D056893:Alveolata / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000635:transmission; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D015995:Prevalence; D011528:Protozoan Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission*; D048494:Rhipicephalus / Q000469:parasitology*; D013984:Tick Infestations / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D015024:Zambia / Q000453:epidemiology
D016054:DNA, Protozoan