ORIGINAL RESEARCH

 

The comparative prevalence of five ixodid tick species infesting cattle and goats in Maputo Province, Mozambique

 

 

C. De Matos^I; C. Sitoe^II; L. Neves^III; J.O. Nöthling^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 Ciências Animais, Instituto de Investigação Agraria de Mozambique, C.P. 1922, Maputo, Mozambique
^IIIFaculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Eduardo Mondlane, C.P. 257, Maputo, Mozambique
^IVDepartment of Production Animal Studies, 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 Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of the Free State, P.O. Box 339, Bloem fontein, 9300 South Africa

 

 

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ABSTRACT

This study compares the prevalence of ixodid tick species on cattle and goats in Maputo Province. Adult ticks as well as the nymphs of three species, and only the adults of two species were collected from sets of five cattle at 21 localities throughout the province and compared with those collected from similar sets of goats at the same places. Amblyomma hebraeum adults and/or nymphs were present on cattle and on goats at all 21 localities, and 90 cattle and 22 goats were infested with adult ticks. Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus adults and/or nymphs were collected from cattle at 20 and from goats at 15 localities, and 92 cattle and 34 goats were infested [Chi-square test (¾²), P < 0.001]. The total length of several maturing female R. (Boophilus) microplus collected from cattle and goats exceeded 5 mm, indicating that they successfully engorge on both host species. Rhipicephalus appendiculatus adults and/or nymphs were present on cattle at 15 and on goats at 13 localities, but 28 cattle and only one goat were infested with adult ticks (x², P < 0.001). Adult Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi were recovered from cattle at 20 and from goats at 17 localities, and 74 cattle and 69 goats were infested. Adult Rhipicephalus simus were collected from cattle at 18 and from goats at 11 localities (Fisher's exact test, P = 0.04), and 60 cattle and 14 goats were infested (¾², P < 0.001). These findings underscore the advisability of including goats in acaricide application programmes designed for the control of tick-borne diseases in cattle at the same locality.

Keywords: Amblyomma hebraeum, cattle, goats, ixodid ticks, Maputo Province, Mozambique, Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi, Rhipicephalus simus

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Accepted for publication 25 September 2008-Editor

 

 

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