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Title
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Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) infesting transhumant cattle stalled in Kisangani (DR Congo) : a neglected veterinary health issue
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Author
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Abstract
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| We provide a first survey of hard ticks (Ixodidae) infesting transhumant cattle imported in Kisangani, Tshopo Province, Democratic Republic of Congo and discuss their potential implication in veterinarian health. Indeed, herds of cattle are being brought from the Central African Republic and Eastern regions to Kisangani after at least 550km journey across woodland savanna, lowland rainforest and urban centers. During this transhumance, cattle (Bos taurus) sleep outside potentially spreading imported tick species and are exposed to indigenous species. Between October and December 2018, we mostly collected Ixodidae on Mbororo cattle at the Mangobo slaughterhouse (Kisangani) prior to slaughtering. In total, 1,272 ticks were collected out of 83 infested bovines examined (96). The most abundant tick species were Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus (432; 33.9%), Amblyomma cohaerens (394; 30.9%) and A. variegatum (365; 28.7%). Rh. (B.) decoloratus, Amblyomma sp., Rh. appendiculatus and Rh. (Boophilus) sp. represented less than 100 specimens. Tick infestation prevalence was not statistically different between bulls (89.7%) and cows (78.6%), nor between age groups; with infestation ranging between 86.2% in young cattle (<3yrs) and 87.1% in older cattle (>3yrs). Knowing that the etiology of mass cattle die-offs in the region remain mostly undetermined, the inventory of imported Ixodidae on transhumant cattle is a critical step prior to tick-borne agent molecular detection. These results call for the reinforcement of veterinary epidemio-surveillance in the country and the improvement of sanitary control policies in particular at ports of entry. |
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Language
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English
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Source (journal)
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Belgian journal of entomology. - Brussel = Bruxelles : Royal Belgian Entomological Society, 1999
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Publication
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Brussel = Bruxelles : Royal Belgian Entomological Society
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2021
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ISSN
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1374-5514
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Volume/pages
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109
(2021)
, p. 1-15
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Full text (publisher's version - intranet only)
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