First record of Babesia and Theileria parasites in ticks from Kassena-Nankana, Ghana.
Med Vet Entomol
; 37(4): 878-882, 2023 12.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-37589253
ABSTRACT
Ticks are efficient vectors for transmitting pathogens that negatively affect livestock production and pose a risk to public health. In this study, Babesia and Theileria species were identified in ticks collected from cattle, sheep and goats from the Kassena-Nankana Districts of Ghana between February and December 2020. A total of 1550 ticks were collected, morphologically identified, pooled and screened for pathogens using primers that amplify a 560 bp fragment of the ssrRNA gene and Sanger sequencing. Amblyomma variegatum (62.98%) was the predominant tick species. From the 491 tick pools screened, 12/15 (2.44%) positive pools were successfully sequenced. The pathogen DNA identified were Theileria ovis in eight (15.38%) pools of Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi, Theileria velifera in two (0.78%) pools of A. variegatum and Babesia occultans and Babesia sp. Xinjiang in one (1.72%) pool each of Hyalomma truncatum. It was further observed that T. ovis occurred in ticks collected from only sheep (p < 0.001) which were females (p = 0.023) and < =1 year old (p = 0.040). This study reports the first identification of these pathogens in ticks within Kassena-Nankana. With the constant trade of livestock, there is a need for effective tick control measures to prevent infection spread.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Parasites
/
Babesia
/
Cattle Diseases
/
Theileria
/
Rhipicephalus
Limits:
Animals
Country/Region as subject:
Africa
Language:
En
Journal:
Med Vet Entomol
Journal subject:
BIOLOGIA
/
MEDICINA VETERINARIA
Year:
2023
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country: