In a large Kenyan production unit the urogenital organs and mammary glands of 771 sows, culled due to recurring swine urogenital disease (SUGD) were subjected to necropsy Necropsy findings were analysed separately according to parity group of the sows [parities 2 (n = 252); 3-5 (n = 250); and 5 (n = 269)]. Sows of higher parities had more pathological changes in their ovaries, uteri, vaginas, cervices, urinary bladders, kidneys and mammary glands compared to parity 2 sows (P 0.05 and P 0.01, respectively). Parity 2 sows had more ovarian degeneration, mucosal hyperaemia, congestion in the bladder, and acute purulent exudative mastitis than parity 5 sows (P 0.05 and P 0.01, respectively).

Catfish, Clarias gariepinus, from the Rietvlei Dam near Pretoria, South Africa were examined for nem atode parasites. Two species, Procamallanus laeviconchus in the stomach and Contracaecum spp. larvae in the abdominal cavity, were found. The morphology of these species, based on light and scanning electron microscopy, and how they compare with previously described specimens are discussed. Infection rates were mild compared to previous surveys although Contracaecum spp. had a high prevalence of 86 %.

Reproductive performance of 12 Kenyan pig breeding units (56-299 sows per unit) of similar feeding, genetics and health status were evaluated from October 2003 to October 2004 during hot and cooler periods. Sows during cooler months of the year (April to October, average temperature between 08:00 and 17:00: 25.2 + 2.2 C) had shorter (P 0.01) weaning to service intervals (7.9 + 2.2 days vs 12.7 + 2.7 days, respectively), less (P 0.01) regular returns to service (5.7 + 1.9 % vs 9.9 + 1.9 %, respectively), higher (P 0.01) farrowing rates (80.1 + 4.4 % vs 70.8 + 3.8 %, respectively), and larger born (10.0 + 1.1 vs 9.1 + 1.7, P 0.05) and weaned litter sizes (9.2 + 1.2 vs 8.0 + 1.3, P 0.05) compared with the time periods of high ambient temperature (November to March, between 08:00 and 17:00: 37.2 + 3.3 C). It was concluded that a high ambient temperature is a risk factor for reproductive performance in pig breeding units.

Experimental transmissions of cloned Theileria parva in cattle with Rhipicephalus appendiculatus ticks were compared to transmissions with uncloned T. parva during studies on the potential for genetic recombination during syngamy of Theileria to produce antigenic diversity for evasion of bovine immunity. Prevalence and abundance of T. parva infection in adult ticks, which resulted from the feeding of nymphs on the calves, were significantly higher in the uncloned compared to the cloned T. parva. Development of sporoblasts of T. parva in the ticks to produce infective sporozoites was similar. There was no statistically significant difference in the clinical course of infection in cattle between cloned and uncloned T. parva. It was concluded that cloned T. parva has characteristics that reduce its viability during the tick stages of its life cycle.

Sharptooth catfish, Clarias gariepinus, from the Rietvlei Dam near Pretoria, South Africa were examined for internal platyhelminth parasites. Two adult cestodes, Polyonchobothrium clarias (stomach) (prev alence 71 %, mean intensity = 5, n = 7) and Proteocephalus glanduliger (anterior intestine) (prevalence 14 %, mean intensity = 2, n = 7), were found in the gut while metacercariae of one larval digenean, Ornithodiplostomum sp. (prevalence 14 %, mean intensity = 140, n = 7), were found encysted in the muscles. The morphology of these species, based on light and scanning electron microscopy as well as histological analysis, and how they differ from previously described specimens, are discussed. Ornithodiplostomum is a new record in southern Africa. Infection levels of the host fish were mild compared to records from previous surveys.

The objective of this study was to assess the host status of African buffaloes, Syncerus caffer, for the one-host tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) decoloratus. To this end the R. (B.) decoloratus burdens of ten buffaloes examined in three north-eastern KwaZulu-Natal Province (KZN) nature reserves were compared with those of medium-sized to large antelope species in these reserves and in the southern Kruger National Park (KNP), Mpumalanga Province. The R. (B.) decoloratus burdens of the buffaloes were considerably smaller than those of the antelopes in the KNP, but not those in the KZN reserves. The life-stage structure of the R. (B.) decoloratus populations on the buffaloes, in which larvae predominated, was closer to that of this tick on blue wildebeest, Connochaetes taurinus, a tick-resistant animal, than to that on other antelopes. A single buffalo examined in the KNP was not infested with R. (B.) decoloratus, whereas a giraffe, Giraffa camelopardalis, examined at the same locality and time, harboured a small number of ticks. In a nature reserve in Mpumalanga Province adjacent to the KNP, two immobilized buffaloes, from which only adult ticks were collected, were not infested with R. (B.) decoloratus, whereas greater kudus, Tragelaphus strepsiceros, examined during the same time of year in the KNP harboured large numbers of adult ticks of this species. African buffaloes would thus appear to be resistant to infestation with R. (B.) decoloratus, and this resistance is expressed as the prevention of the majority of tick larvae from developing to nymphs.

The range and infestation intensities of gastrointestinal parasitic nematode species depend on the type of swine production system. The present study focused mainly on nematodes of veterinary importance in scavenging pigs in Burkina Faso, and aimed at determining the prevalence of gastro-intestinal nematode parasites by means of faecal egg per gram (EPG) counts. Between November 2001 and October 2002, faecal samples from 383 pigs of different sexes and ages ( 5 months, 5-12 months and 12 months) were collected from the rectum and examined for gastrointestinal nematodes parasites using the Mc Master method. Of the 383 pigs examined, 91 % were infected by one or more para sites. Ascaris suum (40 %; 100-1 400 EPG) was the most prevalent parasite followed by Strongyloides ransomi (21 %; 100-4 200 EPG), Oesophagostomum spp. (18 %; 100-1 000 EPG), Hyostrongylus rubidus (11 %; 100-1 800 EPG), Globocephalus spp. 10 %; 100-400 EPG) and Trichuris suis (1 %; 100-200 EPG). The prevalence was significantly higher in female pigs (n = 239) than in males. In addition, females excreted significantly (P 0.05) more eggs in their faeces than males, except in the case of Globocephalus spp. The age of the animal had no effect on the prevalence of A. suum whereas there were significant differences in age categories concerning S. ransomi, H. rubidus, Oesophagostumum spp. and Globocephalus spp. Unexpectedly, the high prevalence of these common parasites was not accompanied by elevated EPG values, which suggests the existence of moderate infestations. The present work indicates that the common nematode infestations in pigs do not necessarily need a systematic herd anthelmintic treatment, as only a small number of worms is required to induce immunity. A further study is needed to formulate appropriate and cost-effective strategies for the control of gastro-intestinal nematode parasites in pigs in Burkina Faso.

During surveys on the tick burdens of various wildlife species in South Africa, nine small antelopes became available for study. Six of these were steenbok, Raphicerus campestris and three sunis, Neotragus moschatus, and their tick burdens are recorded here. The steenbok were examined in three nature reserves and harboured nine tick species. The sunis were examined in a fourth reserve and were infested with eight species. The steenbok and sunis were generally infested with the immature stages of the same tick species that infest larger animals in the same geographic regions. In addition the sunis harboured Haemaphysalis parmata, which in South Africa is present only in the eastern and north-eastern coastal and adjacent areas of KwaZulu-Natal Province. They were also infested with Rhipicephalus kochi, which in South Africa occurs only in the far north-east of the KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo Provinces.

The ascaridoid nematodes Dujardinascaris madagascariensis Chabaud Caballero, 1966, Dujardinascaris dujardini (Travassos, 1920), Gedoelstascaris vandenbrandeni (Baylis, 1929) Sprent, 1978 and Multicaecum agile (Wedl, 1861) Baylis, 1923 were recovered from the stomach contents of Crocodylus niloticus Laurenti, 1768 from the Okavango River, Botswana, together with Eustrongylides sp., a dioctophymatoid nematode usually parasitizing piscivorous birds. Dujardinascaris madagascariensis was present in most of the infected hosts, while the remaining species were mostly represented in single collections in one to three hosts. All four ascaridoid nematodes represent new geographic records.

Breeding records of 40 white rhinoceros and 155 Cape buffalo were analysed. Three rhinoceros cows bred in captivity, themselves conceived for the first time at 84, 87 and 95 months of age, respectively. Rhinoceros cows breed throughout the year. There is no evidence of a relationship between calving interval and month of birth. Calving intervals were normally distributed about the mean of 34 months and there were no significant differences between bulls, cows or sex of calf. There was no difference in the sex ratio of calves born to young cows nor older cows. The male:female ratio of the calves was Younger cows did not have shorter birth intervals. Although captive Cape buffaloes breed throughout the year, there is a preponderance of births in midsummer. There was some evidence that larger cows produce heavier calves and that season of birth may influence birth weight. Male calves weighed 41.20 + 0.68 kg vs 39.00 + 0.73 kg (range 24-60 kg) for female calves but this difference was not significant. Calving intervals were normally distributed about the mean of 395 days and the male:female ratio of the calves was 1:1.2.