ORIGINAL RESEARCH

 

Ixodid ticks on dogs belonging to people in rural communities and villages in Maputo Province, Mozambique

 

 

C. De Matos^I; C. Sitoe^II; L. Neves^III; N.R. Bryson^IV; I.G. Horak^V

^IDirecção de Ciências Animais, Instituto de Investigação Agrária de Mozambique, C.P. 1922, Maputo, Mozambique, and Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort, 0110 South Africa
^IIDirecção de Ciencias Animais, Instituto de Investigação Agrária de Mozambique, C.P. 1922, Maputo, Mozambique
^IIIFaculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, C.P. 257, Maputo, Mozambique
^IVDepartment of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort, 0110 South Africa
^VDepartment of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort, 0110 South Africa, and ARC-Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, Onderstepoort, 0110 South Africa, and Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of the Free State, P.O. Box 339, Bloemfontein, 9300 South Africa

 

 

---

ABSTRACT

The species composition and geographic distribution of ixodid ticks infesting domestic dogs owned by people in rural communities and villages in Maputo Province was established by collecting ticks from dogs at each of 27 localities spread throughout the province. Ticks were collected from a total of 132 dogs, and nine species belonging to four genera were identified. One dog was infested with six species, three with five and 13 with four species. Haemaphysalis elliptica followed by Rhipicephalus simus were present on dogs at most localities, and their geographic distribution in Maputo Province has been mapped for the first time.

Keywords: Dogs, geographic distribution, Haemaphysalis elliptica, ixodid ticks, Maputo Province, Mozambique, Rhipicephalus simus

---

 

 

“Full text available only in PDF format”

 

 

REFERENCES

APANASKEVICH, D.A., HORAK, I.G. & CAMICAS, J.-L. 2007. Redescription of Haemaphysalis (Rhipistoma) elliptica (Koch, 1844), an old taxon of the Haemaphysalis (Rhipistoma) leachi group from East and southern Africa, and of Haemaphysalis (Rhipistoma) leachi (Audouin, 1826) (Ixodida, Ixodidae). Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research, 74:181-208.         [ Links ]

BRAACK, L.E.O., HORAK, I.G., JORDAAN, LEONORA C., SEGERMAN, JOYCE & LOUW, J.P. 1996. The comparative host status of red veld rats (Aethomys chrysophilus) and bushveld gerbils (Tatera leucogaster) for epifaunal arthropods in the southern Kruger National Park, South Africa. Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research, 63:149-158.         [ Links ]

BRYSON, N.R., HORAK, I.G., HÖHN, E.W. & LOUW, J.P. 2000. Ectoparasites of dogs belonging to people in resource-poor communities in North West Province, South Africa. Journal of the South African Veterinary Association, 71:175-179.         [ Links ]

DIAS, J.A. TRAVASSOS SANTOS. 1991 (1993). Some data concerning the ticks (Acarina, Ixodoidea) presently known in Mozambique. Garcia de Orta, Séries Zoologica, Lisboa, 18: 27-48.         [ Links ]

FOURIE, L.J., HORAK, I.G. & VAN DEN HEEVER, J.J. 1992. The relative host status of rock elephant shrews Elephantulus myurus and Namaqua rock mice Aethomys namaquensis for economically important ticks. South African Journal of Zoology, 27:108-114.         [ Links ]

FOURIE, L.J., HORAK, I.G. & WOODALL, P.F. 2005. Elephant shrews as hosts of immature ixodid ticks. Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research, 72:293-301.         [ Links ]

GOLDSMID, J.M. 1963. Ticks infesting dogs in the Salisbury area of Southern Rhodesia. Journal of the South African Veterinary Medical Association, 34:609-610.         [ Links ]

HORAK, I.G. 1982. Parasites of domestic and wild animals in South Africa. XIV. The seasonal prevalence of Rhipicephalus sanguineus and Ctenocephalides spp. on kennelled dogs in Pretoria North. Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research, 49:63-68.         [ Links ]

HORAK, I.G., MACIVOR, K.M. DE F., PETNEY, T.N. & DE VOS, V. 1987a. Some avian and mammalian hosts of Amblyomma hebraeum and Amblyomma marmoreum (Acari: Ixodidae). Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research, 54:397-403.         [ Links ]

HORAK, I.G., JACOT GUILLARMOD, AMY, MOOLMAN, L.C. & DE VOS, V. 1987b. Parasites of domestic and wild animals in South Africa. XXII. Ixodid ticks on domestic dogs and on wild carnivores. Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research, 54:573-580.         [ Links ]

HORAK, I.G. & FOURIE, L.J. 1991. Parasites of domestic and wild animals in South Africa. XXIX. Ixodid ticks on hares in the Cape Province and on hares and red rock rabbits in the Orange Free State. Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research, 58:261-270.         [ Links ]

HORAK, I.G. 1995. Ixodid ticks collected at the Faculty of Veterinary Science, Onderstepoort, from dogs diagnosed with Babesia canis infection. Journal of the South African Veterinary Association, 66:170-171.         [ Links ]

HORAK, I.G., SPICKETT, A.M., BRAACK, L.E.O., PENZHORN, B.L., BAGNALL, R.J. & UYS, A.C. 1995. Parasites of domestic and wild animals in South Africa. XXXIII. Ixodid ticks on scrub hares in the north-eastern regions of Northern and Eastern Transvaal and of KwaZulu-Natal. Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research, 62:123-131.         [ Links ]

HORAK, I.G., BRAACK, L.E.O., FOURIE, L.J. & WALKER, JANE B. 2000. Parasites of domestic and wild animals in South Africa. XXXVIII. Ixodid ticks collected from 23 wild carnivore species. Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research, 67: 239-250.         [ Links ]

HORAK, I.G., EMSLIE, F.R. & SPICKETT, A.M. 2001. Parasites of domestic and wild animals in South Africa. XL. Ticks on dogs belonging to people in rural communities and carnivore ticks on the vegetation. Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research, 68:135-141.         [ Links ]

HORAK, I.G. & MATTHEE, SONJA 2003. Parasites of domestic and wild animals in South Africa. XLIII. Ixodid ticks of domestic dogs and cats in the Western Cape Province. Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research, 70:187-195.         [ Links ]

HORAK, I.G., FOURIE, L.J. & BRAACK, L.E.O. 2005. Small mammal hosts of immature ixodid ticks. Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research, 72:255-261.         [ Links ]

HORAK, I.G., GOLEZARDY, H. & UYS, A.C. 2007. Ticks associated with the three largest wild ruminant species in southern Africa. Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research, 74: 231-242.         [ Links ]

HOWELL, C.J., WALKER, JANE B. & NEVILL, E.M. 1978. Ticks, mites and insects infesting domestic animals in South Africa. Part 1. Descriptions and biology. Pretoria, Republic of South Africa: Department of Agricultural Technical Services (Science Bulletin, no. 393).         [ Links ]

JACOBS, P.A.H., FOURIE, L.J., KOK, D.J. & HORAK, I.G. 2001. Diversity, seasonality and sites of attachment of adult ixodid ticks on dogs in the central region of the Free State Province, South Africa. Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research, 68:281-290.         [ Links ]

LAWRENCE, J.A., PERRY, B.D. & WILLIAMSON, S.M. 2004. Corridor disease, in Infectious diseases of livestock, 2^nd ed., edited by J.A.W. Coetzer & R.C. Tustin, Cape Town: Oxford University Press Southern Africa.         [ Links ]

LEWIS, B.D., PENZHORN, B.L., LOPEZ-REBOLLAR, L.M. & DE WAAL, D.T. 1996. Isolation of a South African vector-specific strain of Babesia canis. Veterinary Parasitology, 63:9-16.         [ Links ]

MATTHEE, S., HORAK, I.G., BEAUCOURNU, J.-C., DURDEN, L.A., UECKERMANN, E.A. & MCGEOCH, M.A. 2007. Epi-faunistic arthropod parasites of the four-striped mouse, Rhabdomys pumilio, in the Western Cape Province, South Africa. Journal of Parasitology, 93:147-159.         [ Links ]

NEVES, L., AFONSO, SONIA & HORAK, I.G. 2004. Ixodid ticks on dogs in and around Maputo and elsewhere in Mozambique. Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research, 71:279-283.         [ Links ]

NORVAL, R.A.I. & MASON, C.A. 1981. The ticks of Zimbabwe. II. The life cycle, distribution and hosts of Rhipicephalus simus Koch, 1844. Zimbabwe Veterinary Journal, 12:2-9.         [ Links ]

NORVAL, R.A.I. 1983. The ticks of Zimbabwe. VII. The genus Amblyomma. Zimbabwe Veterinary Journal, 14:292-305.         [ Links ]

NORVAL, R.A.I. 1984. The ticks of Zimbabwe. IX. Haemaphysalis leachi and Haemaphysalis spinulosa. Zimbabwe Veterinary Journal, 15:9-17.         [ Links ]

NYANGIWE, N., HORAK, I.G. & BRYSON, N.R. 2006. Ixodid ticks on dogs in the eastern region of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research, 73:305-309.         [ Links ]

NYANGIWE, N. & HORAK, I.G. 2007. Goats as alternative hosts of cattle ticks. Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research, 74:1-7.         [ Links ]

PETNEY, T.N., HORAK, I.G., HOWELL, D.J. & MEYER, S. 2004. Striped mice, Rhabdomys pumilio, and other murid rodents as hosts for immature ixodid ticks. Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research, 71:313-318.         [ Links ]

STAMPA, S. 1959. Tick paralysis in the Karoo areas of South Africa. Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research, 28: 169-227 + map.         [ Links ]

THEILER, GERTRUD 1962. The Ixodoidea parasites of vertebrates in Africa south of the Sahara (Ethiopian region). Project S 9958. Report to the Director of Veterinary Services, Onderstepoort. Mimeographed.         [ Links ]

WALKER, JANE B. 1991. A review of the ixodid ticks (Acari, Ixodidae) occurring in southern Africa. Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research, 58:81-105.         [ Links ]

WALKER, JANE B., KEIRANS, J.E. & HORAK, I.G. 2000. The genus Rhipicephalus (Acari, Ixodidae): a guide to the brown ticks of the World. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.         [ Links ]

 

 

Accepted for publication 14 January 2008-Editor

 

 

* Author to whom correspondence is to be directed: E-mail: ivan.horak@up.ac.za