title: Tick-borne pathogens of potential zoonotic importance in the southern African Region.
abstract: The aim of this communication is to provide preliminary information on the tick-borne pathogens of potential zoonotic importance present in southern Africa, mainly focusing on their geographical distribution and host range, and to identify research gaps. The following tick-borne zoonoses have been reported to occur in southern Africa based mainly on case reports: Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever caused by Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus; ehrlichiosis caused by Ehrlichia ruminantium, Ehrlichia canis and Anaplasma phagocytophilum; babesiosis caused by Babesia microti; relapsing fever caused by Borrelia duttonii and rickettsioses caused by Rickettsia africae, Rickettsia aeschlimannii and Rickettsia conorii. The epidemiological factors influencing their occurrence are briefly reviewed.
authors: School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa; School of Medicine, University of Zambia, Zambia. schitanga@gmail.com.
authors: Simbarashe
authors: S
authors: Chitanga
authors: Holly
authors: H
authors: Gaff
authors: Samson
authors: S
authors: Mukaratirwa
mesh_terms: D000353:Africa, Southern / Q000453:epidemiology; D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000635:transmission; D003225:Hemorrhagic Fever Virus, Crimean-Congo / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006479:Hemorrhagic Fever, Crimean / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D017282:Tick-Borne Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D015047:Zoonoses