Distribution ofBoophilus species ticks in Swaziland

Abstract

Recent outbreaks of bovine babesiosis caused by Babesia bovis in Swaziland had indicated the presence of the vector tick Boophilus microplus in the country although it had never before been directly identified. Engorged female Boophilus ticks were collected from cattle at diptanks in the course of a tick resistance survey and used to map the distribution of the two different species of Boophilus. B. decoloratus was found to be widespread throughout the country. B. microplus was identified for the first time in Swaziland and was found to have a patchy distribution. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Shifts in the distributional ranges of Boophilus ticks in Tanzania: evidence that a parapatric boundary between Boophilus microplus and B. decoloratus follows climate gradients

“…It has also spread westwards to the African interior reaching the Northern Provinces of South Africa, southern and northern Zimbabwe, Malawi, and North-East Zambia (Walker et al 2003). Continued expansion of the distribution of B. microplus accompanied by the displacement of B. decoloratus has recently been reported in several African countries, including Zambia (Macleod and Mwanaumo 1978;Berkvens et al 1998), Zimbabwe (Mason and Norval 1980;Katsande et al 1996;Smeenk et al 2000), Swaziland (Weddernburn et al 1991), and South Africa (Tønnesen et al 2004).…”

“…However, during and immediately after the "El Niño" rains in 1997-1998 several redwater outbreaks in indigenous herds were reported from the Lakezone regions (VICM 1998), as well as Arusha region (VICA 1998), which signalled the emergence of babesiosis in a cattle population previously thought to be free of this disease or expected to have enzootic stability. Furthermore, the steady encroachment of B. microplus and displacement of B. decoloratus experienced in some other African countries (Macleod and Mwanaumo 1978;Mason and Norval 1980;Norval et al 1983;Weddernburn et al 1991;Berkvens et al 1998;Tønnesen et al 2004;Madder et al 2007) cast doubts upon the relevance of the historical records.…”

First record of the pantropical blue tick Rhipicephalus microplus in Namibia

“…It is currently unclear as to how and why R. microplus displaces R. decoloratus at some localities, as reported in Zambia (Berkvens et al 1998), Swaziland (Wedderburn et al 1999), southern Mozambique (Horak et al 2009) as well as at certain localities in South Africa (T¢nnesen et al 2004;Nyangiwe and Horak 2007), while this is not the case at other localities, even within the same country. For instance, although R. microplus was the dominant species, both ticks remained present on cattle and the vegetation during a 5 year study on an experimental farm in the Stutterheim district in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa (Nyangiwe et al 2011).…”

“…The recorded distribution of R. microplus in southern Africa includes South Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe and southern Mozambique (Mason and Norval 1980;Howell et al 1978;Wedderburn et al 1999;Horak et al 2009). It is also present in Zambia and Madagascar (Berkvens et al 1998;Estrada-Pen˜a et al 2006).…”

“…On the African continent R. microplus is common along the eastern coastal belt and also in the summer rainfall northern regions of South Africa (Howell et al 1978;T¢nnesen et al 2004;Horak et al 2009;Spickett et al 2011). It is also present in Swaziland, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Zambia (Mason and Norval 1980;Berkvens et al 1998;Wedderburn et al 1999;Horak et al 2009). Furthermore, it has recently been reported in the Ivory Coast and Benin in West Africa (Madder et al 2007(Madder et al , 2012.…”