Survey of ixodid ticks and two tick-borne pathogens in African buffaloes, Syncerus caffer, from the Caprivi Strip, Namibia.
A capture operation to ascertain health status in free-ranging buffaloes from six different areas in the Caprivi Strip in the northeast corner of Namibia was conducted in October 2009. Basic information on the ticks and tick-borne pathogens normally found in wildlife from this area are scarce. The objective of this study was to assess the host status of African buffaloes, Syncerus caffer, for ixodid ticks and two selected tick-borne pathogens in the Caprivi Strip, a key area bordering Angola, Zambia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe. Four different tick species have been identified among the 233 collected specimens, and, of 95 tested buffaloes, 54 (57%) were positive for Theileria parva, whereas only 3 (3%) showed evidence of being infected with Ehrlichia ruminantium.
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise "G. Caporale" (Istituto G. Caporale), 64100 Teramo, Italy. i.pascucci@izs.it
Ilaria
I
Pascucci
Andrea
A
Capobianco Dondona
Cesare
C
Cammà
Maurilia
M
Marcacci
Marco
M
Di Domenico
Rossella
R
Lelli
Massimo
M
Scacchia
Mark
M
Jago
Siegfried
S
Khaiseb
Anna Laure
AL
Hager
Georgina
G
Tjipura-Zaire
Vincenzo
V
Caporale
D000818:Animals; D002020:Buffaloes; D016995:Ehrlichia ruminantium / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006357:Heartwater Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D026863:Ixodidae; D009276:Namibia / Q000453:epidemiology; D016797:Theileria parva / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013801:Theileriasis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D013984:Tick Infestations / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D017282:Tick-Borne Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*