title: Identification of hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) and seroprevalence to Theileria parva in cattle raised in North Kivu Province, Democratic Republic of Congo.
abstract: This study aimed to identify tick species and to determine their relationship with the Theileria parva seroprevalence in cattle raised under an extensive farming system in North Kivu Province, Democratic Republic of Congo in two agro-ecological zones namely medium (1,000-1,850 m) and high (>1,850 m) altitude. Among the 3,215 ticks collected on 482 animals, from February to April 2009, Rhipicephalus appendiculatus (64.26 %), the main vector of T. parva, was the most abundant species followed by Rhipicephalus decoloratus (35.49 %) and Amblyomma variegatum (0.25 %). The mean burden of R. appendiculatus tick per infested animal appeared significantly higher at medium (6.5 ± 0.22 ticks) than at high (0.07 ± 0.3 ticks) altitude (P < 0.05). However, an indirect fluorescent antibody test carried out on 450 blood samples revealed a global T. parva seroprevalence of 43 % (95 % CI: 38-47) which was not significantly (P > 0.05) different between medium (48.4 %; 95 % CI: 38-49) and high (41.9 %; 95 % CI: 35-49) altitude. These relatively low seroprevalences suggest that there is a state of endemicity to T. parva infection in the study area. The presence of the tick vector on animals was associated with an increased risk of being seropositive to T. parva infection (odds ratio = 2.04; 95 % CI: 1.8-2.3; P < 0.001). The results suggest the need for a longitudinal study to investigate the seasonal dynamics of tick species and T. parva infection. The rate of tick infection should also be evaluated in order to determine the intensity of T. parva transmission to cattle.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Catholic University of Graben, B P 29, Butembo, North Kivu Province, Democratic Republic of Congo.
authors.forename: Moïse Kasereka
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Kalume
authors.forename: Claude
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Saegerman
authors.forename: Daniel Kambale
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Mbahikyavolo
authors.forename: Alexis M'Pondi
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Makumyaviri
authors.forename: Tanguy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Marcotty
authors.forename: Maxime
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Madder
authors.forename: Yannick
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Caron
authors.forename: Laetitia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lempereur
authors.forename: Bertrand
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Losson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology; D015023:Democratic Republic of the Congo / Q000453:epidemiology; D004199:Disease Vectors; D026863:Ixodidae / Q000469:parasitology*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D016797:Theileria parva / Q000276:immunology*; D013801:Theileriasis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology; D013984:Tick Infestations / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan