In order to investigate the extent of genetic diversity among Ehrlichia ruminantium strains in Cameroon, a partial fragment (800 bp) of the E. ruminantium map1 gene was amplified by nested polymerase chain reaction in 121 of 156 E. ruminantium pCS20-positive DNA samples extracted from ticks and cattle collected from two ranches. Deoxyribonucleic acid sequencing of the map1 gene products indicated the presence of at least 21 genotypes at the nucleotide level and 16 genotypes at the amino acid level circulating within the study sites. Some of the genotypes were identical to Antigua (U50830), Blaaukrans (AF368000) or UmBanein (U50835), whilst the others were new genotypes. Twenty-four representative sequences were deposited in GenBank and given accession numbers JX477663 – JX477674 (for sequences of tick origin) and JX486788 – JX486799 (for sequences of cattle origin). Knowledge of E. ruminantium strain diversity could be important in understanding the epidemiology of heartwater

Several studies on ticks infesting small mammals, including elephant shrews, have been conducted in South Africa; however, these studies have included only a single four-toed elephant shrew and no hedgehogs. This study thus aimed to identify and quantify the ixodid ticks infesting four-toed elephant shrews and Southern African hedgehogs. Four-toed elephant shrews (Petrodromus tetradactylus) were trapped in dense shrub undergrowth in a nature reserve in north-eastern KwaZulu-Natal. They were separately housed, first in cages and later in glass terraria fitted with wire-mesh bases to allow detached ticks to fall through for collection. Southern African hedgehogs (Atelerix frontalis) were hand caught on a farm in the eastern region of the Northern Cape Province and all visible ticks were collected by means of tweezers while the animals were anaesthetised. The ticks from each animal were preserved separately in 70% ethanol for later identification and counting. The immature stages of five ixodid tick species were collected from the elephant shrews, of which Rhipicephalus muehlensi was the most common. It has not been recorded previously on any species of elephant shrew. Three ixodid tick species were collected from the hedgehogs. Large numbers of adult Haemaphysalis colesbergensis, which has not been encountered previously on hedgehogs, were collected from these animals. Four-toed elephant shrews are good hosts of the larvae and nymphs of R. muehlensi, and Southern African hedgehogs are good hosts of adult H. colesbergensis.

This study investigated the prevalence, risk factors and species composition of ticks, fleas and lice infesting dogs and cats in and around Hawassa in southern Ethiopia. In total, 200 dogs and 100 cats were examined from November 2008 to April 2009. Of the dogs and cats examined, 99.5% and 91.5%, respectively, were infested with one or more species of ticks, fleas or lice. The overall prevalence was higher in dogs than in cats. A total of six different species of ectoparasites were collected and identified from dogs, but only three species from cats. Ctenocephalides felis was the predominant species amongst the animals, with a prevalence of 82.9% on dogs and 67% on cats. Other prevalent species on dogs included Ctenocephalides canis (73.8%), Heterodoxus spiniger (4%), nymphs of Amblyomma spp. (3.5%), Pulex irritans (2.5%) and Haemaphysalis leachi (0.5%). C. canis (18%) and P. irritans (6%) were also found on cats. More female than male fleas and lice were observed. The study revealed that the prevalence of fleas, ticks and lice on dogs was not significantly different between male and female animals or between young and adult dogs. However, the prevalence of these ectoparasites was significantly higher in female than in male and in adult than in young cats. The study showed that the prevalence of ectoparasites on both dogs and cats was significantly higher on animals with flea allergy dermatitis (FAD) than those without FAD, and on animals with lesions on their skin compared with those without lesions.

Evaluation of amitraz against ticks and mites infestation in cattle and sheep in comparison with diazinon and deltamethrin was performed. Amitraz showed over 95 % inhibition of oviposition and hatching of laid eggs at dilution of 1:500 while diazinon and deltamethrin produced around 90 % inhibition of oviposition at the same dilution. Fed ticks were more susceptible for all tested acaricides than the unfed ticks, where amitraz reached its full effectiveness (100 % kill of fed and unfed) 2 weeks after application while diazinon and deltamethrin produced over 90 % at the same dilution. Spraying application of amitraz 12.5 % resulted in 100 % tick control by day 5 and the effect was maintained for further 28 days whereas diazinon and deltamethrin were fully effective by days 9 and 13, respectively and their efficacy were maintained for 16 and 20 days, respectively. Spraying application of amitraz 12.5 % produced 100 % efficacy as no live mites were found on day 17 and maintained in full effectiveness till day 33 where respraying was needed. In conclusion, amitraz produced rapid detachment of ticks from animals; its residual effect was long and protected animals from re-infestation for 29 days and was able to eradicate psoroptes mite infestation in sheep.

Brazilian spotted fever is a serious and lethal illness for humans and is caused by the Rickettsia rickettsii bacteria. In the state of São Paulo/SP (Brazil), the etiological agent of this disease is transmitted by the Amblyomma sculptum tick. It was already shown that horses infected with this bacteria produce a strong immune response and could be important sentinels for the detection of the disease in a proper region. The present investigation performed a serological survey in horses from five farms of Vale do Paraíba, São Paulo state, Brazil, searching for antibodies against, Rickettsia rickettsii, Rickettsia parkeri, Rickettsia amblyommatis, Rickettsia rhipicephali, and Rickettsia bellii. In each farm, ticks were also collected that were taxonomically identified and examined by real-time PCR for Rickettsia spp DNA. Blood samples were collected from 206 horses, and 334 ticks were picked up from these animals from January to December 2017. Eighty ticks wereA. sculptum and 254 Dermacentor nitens. Of the blood samples, 7.3% seroconverted to Rickettsia spp. Of these, 0.97% had a positive serological response to R. bellii. None of the 80 A. sculptum ticks were positive through real-time PCR for Rickettsia spp. Although there was no detection of ticks infected by Rickettsia spp in five farms of Paraíba Valley, the horses presented serological positive reactions against this agent. Thus, further large studies should be conducted in the area targeting hosts and vectors to generate data for control measures of the transmission of Brazilian spotted fever.

This study reports the factors which led a gated community located in Bragança Paulista (SP, Brazil), a non-endemic area for Brazilian Spotted Fever (BSF), to be classified as a Risk Area for transmission of this disease, showing that an increasing resident population of capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) in the area was likely responsible for a proliferation of Amblyomma sculptum ticks and acted as an amplifying host for Rickettsia rickettsii, the main etiologic agent of BSF. We report management actions proposed to control the local tick burden and reduce BSF risk, including measures to control parasitic and free-living tick populations and exclusion of the resident capybara population. Analyses of tick population data and R. rickettsii serology tests indicate that these measures were effective, greatly reducing the environmental burden of Amblyomma sculptum ticks and reducing the BSF transmission risk at the area.

A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence and risk factors for ectoparasites infestation in sheep in three agro-ecological zones in central Oromia, Ethiopia, from October 2009 to April 2010. The study revealed that 637 (48.1%) of the 1325 sheep examined were infested with one or more ectoparasites. The ectoparasites identified were <em>Bovicola ovis</em> (27.2%), <em>Melophagus ovinus</em> (16.4%), <em>Ctenocephalides</em> sp. (2.3%), <em>Linognathus africanus</em> (1.2%), <em>Linognathus ovillus </em> (0.3%),<em> Sarcoptes</em> sp. (1.2%), <em>Amblyomma variegatum</em> (4.4%), <em>Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi</em> (1.9%), <em>Rhipicephalus pravus</em> (1.9%), <em>Rhipicephalus</em> (<em>Boophilus</em>) <em>decoloratus</em> (1.1%), <em>Rhipicephalus sanguineus</em> (0.9%), <em>Rhipicephalus praetextatus</em> (1.1%) and <em>Hyalomma truncatum</em> (1.6%). Statistically significant difference was observed in prevalence of <em>B. ovis</em> amongst study agroecological zones: highland 36.6%, midland 20.9% and lowland 14.0%. Significantly higher prevalence was recorded in highland agroecological zone. A significantly (OR = 0.041, <em>p</em> < 0.001) higher prevalence of <em>M. ovinus</em> in the highland (31.7%) than in both the lowland (0%) and midland (1.9%) was observed. The risk of tick infestation in the lowland and midland was 9.883 times and 13.988 times higher than the risk in the highland, respectively. A significantly higher prevalence of <em>Ctenocephalides</em> species was encountered in both the lowland (OR = 4.738, <em>p</em> = 0.011) and midland (OR = 8.078, <em>p</em> = 0.000) than in the highland agro-ecological zone. However, a significant difference (<em>p</em> = 0.191) amongst agro-ecological zones was not found for the prevalence of <em>Linognathus</em> and <em>Sarcoptes </em>species. Statistically significant variation (<em>p</em> > 0.05) was never recorded in the prevalence of all the identified species of ectoparasites between male and female sheep hosts. However, a significantly (<em>p</em> = 0.006) higher prevalence of<em> B. ovis</em> was recorded between young and adult sheep. The risk of <em>B. ovis</em> infestation was 1.45 times higher in young than the adult sheep. Furthermore, a significantly (<em>p</em> < 0.001) higher prevalence of <em>M. ovinus</em>, <em>B. ovis</em> and <em>Sarcoptes</em> sp. was found between sheep with poor and a good body condition. The ever increasing threat of ectoparasites on overall sheep productivity and tanning industry in Ethiopia warrants urgent control intervention. Further studies on the role of ectoparasites in transmission of diseases to sheep, zoonotic importance, comparative prevalence and load, and the importance of sheep as alternative hosts in different agroecological zones, breeds and management systems in Ethiopia are recommended so as to design applicable control programme in the country.

Canine rangeliosis is an extravascular hemolytic disease caused by the protozoan Rangelia vitalii, which is transmitted by ticks of the species Amblyomma aureolatum. Te most common clinical signs are apathy, hyperthermia and spontaneous bleeding. Anemia and thrombocytopenia are the most common hematological fndings. Tis work reports a clinical case of canine Rangeliosis treated at a private veterinary hospital, in São Paulo city in 2017. A dog was treated at a veterinary hospital in the north of São Paulo, with progressive weight loss, apathy and tail injury. Anemia and thrombocytopenia were observed on the hemogram. Rangelia vitalii DNA was detected in animal blood by real-time PCR (qPCR). In addition to the supportive treatment, doxycycline and subcutaneous imidocarb applications were used. Te sample collected afer treatment with the antibiotic continued to present protozoal DNA. Te disease should be considered as a diferential diagnosis and there is a great need for further studies about the therapy used.

Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) are obligatory hematophagous ectoparasites of a variety of vertebrate hosts and play an important role in the transmission and ecology of infectious pathogens causing diseases in humans and animals worldwide. Sixty-eight species of ticks exist in Brazil, and at least 23 are found parasitizing wild birds. This number is increasing with the advent of new studies highlighting the underestimated role of birds in the life cycle of these arthropods. In South America, many of these ticks are involved in epidemiology of the life-threatening spotted fever diseases caused by bacteria from the genus Rickettsia (Rickettsiales: Rickettsiaceae). The aim of this paper is to present up-to-date knowledge about the bird-tick fauna of Brazil and their association with rickettsioses. The available literature concerning ticks on birds and tick-borne diseases related to these ticks in Brazil has been revised. It could be concluded that birds play a primary role in life cycles of various tick species, especially during immature stages (larvae and nymphs). The best known is a bird-tick fauna from the Atlantic Forest and from Brazilian savannah called Cerrado in southern and central Brazil, respectively. On the other hand, the knowledge about bird tick parasitism from other Brazilian biomes such as the Amazon, Caatinga, Pantanal and Pampas regions is very scarce and requires further study. Moreover, no studies about the role of birds as mobile hosts for spreading ticks to new areas exist, nor has their role in the natural life cycle of Rickettsia been thoroughly examined.

In this review, we collate information about ticks identified in different parts of the Sudan and South Sudan since 1956 in order to identify gaps in tick prevalence and create a map of tick distribution. This will avail basic data for further research on ticks and policies for the control of tick-borne diseases. In this review, we discuss the situation in the Republic of South Sudan as well as Sudan. For this purpose we have divided Sudan into four regions, namely northern Sudan (Northern and River Nile states), central Sudan (Khartoum, Gazera, White Nile, Blue Nile and Sennar states), western Sudan (North and South Kordofan and North, South and West Darfour states) and eastern Sudan (Red Sea, Kassala and Gadarif states).