A review on prevalence, control measure, and tolerance of Tanzania Shorthorn Zebu cattle to East Coast fever in Tanzania.
In Tanzania, control of East Coast fever (ECF) has predominantly relied on tick control using acaricides and chemotherapy, little on ECF vaccination, and very little on dissemination regarding animal immunization. In this paper, the prevalence, control measure, and tolerance of Tanzania Shorthorn Zebu (TSHZ) cattle to ECF are reviewed. In addition, the opportunities available for reducing the use of acaricides for the benefit of the farmers in terms of reduction of costs of purchasing acaricides and environmental pollution are described. The tick distribution and epidemiological factors for ECF such as the agro-ecological zones (AEZ), livestock production systems (LPS), strain, and age of the animals are also described. These factors influence the epidemiology of ECF and the distribution of TSHZ strains in different geographic locations of Tanzania. We have further showed that there is a tendency of farmers to select among the strains of TSHZ for animals which can tolerate ticks and ECF and crossbreed them with their local strains with the aim of benefiting from the inherent characteristics of the most tolerant strains. Generally, many strains of TSHZ cattle are tolerant to tick infestation and ECF infection and can be bred to respond to the needs of the people. In this review paper, we recommend that in future, ECF epidemiological studies should account for factors such as livestock production system, agro-climate, breed of animal, tick control strategy, and the dynamic interactions between them. In conclusion, we have demonstrated that an integrated control method involving use of acaricides, immunization, and ECF-tolerant/-resistant animals is required.
School Quality Assurance Department, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Eastern Zone, P.O. Box 325, Morogoro, Tanzania. emalaisser@gmail.com.|Department of Animal, Aquaculture and Range Sciences, Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), P.O.Box 3004, Chuo Kikuu, Morogoro, Tanzania. emalaisser@gmail.com.
E L K
EL
Laisser
Department of Animal, Aquaculture and Range Sciences, Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), P.O.Box 3004, Chuo Kikuu, Morogoro, Tanzania.
S W
SW
Chenyambuga
Department of MedicalSciences, SUA, P.O.Box 3021, Chuo Kikuu, Morogoro, Tanzania.
E D
ED
Karimuribo
Department of Animal, Aquaculture and Range Sciences, Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), P.O.Box 3004, Chuo Kikuu, Morogoro, Tanzania.
G
G
Msalya
Department of Anatomy, Histology and Cell Biology, SUA, P.O.Box 3016, Chuo Kikuu, Morogoro, Tanzania.
M J
MJ
Kipanyula
Tanzania Livestock Research Institute, Mabuki, P.O. Box 352, Mwanza, Tanzania.
A J
AJ
Mwilawa
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Public Health, SUA, P.O.Box 3021, Chuo Kikuu, Morogoro, Tanzania.
R H
RH
Mdegela
Mzumbe University, P.O. Box 1, Mzumbe, Morogoro, Tanzania.
L J M
LJ
Kusiluka
D056810:Acaricides; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D007114:Immunization / Q000662:veterinary; D058751:Livestock; D015995:Prevalence; D013636:Tanzania / Q000453:epidemiology; D013801:Theileriasis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D013983:Tick Control; D013984:Tick Infestations / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary; D017282:Tick-Borne Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D013987:Ticks; D014611:Vaccination
D056810:Acaricides
East Coast fever; Tanzania shorthorn zebu; Theileria parva infection; Tolerance