1. Ticks and tick-borne pathogens infecting livestock and dogs in Tchicala-Tcholoanga, Huambo Province, Angola.
- Author
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Sili G, Byaruhanga C, Horak I, Steyn H, Chaisi M, Oosthuizen MC, and Neves L
- Subjects
- Anaplasma genetics, Anaplasma isolation & purification, Angola epidemiology, Animals, Babesia genetics, Babesia isolation & purification, Cattle, Cattle Diseases parasitology, Cross-Sectional Studies, Dog Diseases parasitology, Dogs, Female, Goat Diseases parasitology, Goats, Ixodidae classification, Ixodidae physiology, Livestock, Male, Sheep, Sheep Diseases parasitology, Theileria genetics, Theileria isolation & purification, Tick Infestations epidemiology, Tick Infestations parasitology, Tick-Borne Diseases epidemiology, Ticks classification, Ticks physiology, Cattle Diseases epidemiology, Dog Diseases epidemiology, Goat Diseases epidemiology, Sheep Diseases epidemiology, Tick Infestations veterinary, Tick-Borne Diseases veterinary
- Abstract
The diversity of ticks and tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) infesting domestic animals in Tchicala-Tcholoanga, Angola, in 2016 was investigated. Seventeen tick species were recorded, Amblyomma pomposum being the most abundant on cattle (40%), goats (38%) and sheep (35%); Rhipicephalus turanicus was the most abundant on dogs (46%). This study presents new records of Haemaphysalis paraleachi, R. compositus, R. kochi and R. sulcatus in Angola, the first georeferenced population of Ha. leachi in southern Africa and the second record of R. microplus in Angola. Using the reverse line blot (RLB) hybridisation assay, fifteen TBP species were detected in blood samples from cattle (n = 88), goats (n = 82), sheep (n = 85) and dogs (n = 85). F The most frequently detected species were Theileria velifera in cattle (78%), Theileria ovis in sheep (80%) and Babesia vogeli in dogs (35%). Species-specific quantitative PCR assays detected Babesia bigemina in 43% (35/80) of blood samples of cattle, while E. ruminantium was detected in 4% (3/70) of blood samples and in 7% of A. pomposum ticks. Anaplasma platys was detected from cattle (18%) and sheep (6%) during RLB analysis. These findings constitute pioneering research in Angola.
- Published
- 2021
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