TY - JOUR
T1 - Molecular identification of cattle ticks in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana
T2 - a high occurrence of Rhipicephalus microplus
AU - Tawiah-Mensah, Christopher Nii Laryea
AU - Addo, Seth Offei
AU - Ansah-Owusu, Jane
AU - Abudu, Mufeez
AU - Malm, Richard Odoi Teye
AU - Yartey, Kevin Nii
AU - Oduro, Daniel
AU - Akorli, Jewelna
AU - Dadzie, Samuel K.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2024.
PY - 2024/2
Y1 - 2024/2
N2 - Ticks are competent vectors of a wide range of pathogens. They are of veterinary and public health importance as they affect both animal and human health. Transhumance and the transboundary movements of cattle within the West African Sub-region have facilitated the spread of ticks which threatens the introduction of invasive species. Currently, Rhipicephalus microplus have been identified in the Upper East Region of Ghana which could mean a wider distribution of the species across the country due to livestock trade. This study focused on three sites in the Greater Accra Region, which serves as the gateway to receiving most of the cattle transported from the northern regions of Ghana. Ticks were sampled from August 2022 in the wet season to January 2023 in the dry season. Three tick genera were identified: Amblyomma (19.5%), Hyalomma (1.1%), and Rhipicephalus (79.3%) from the 1,489 feeding ticks collected from cattle. Furthermore, Rhipicephalus microplus, Hyalomma rufipes and Amblyomma variegatum were identified molecularly using primers that target the mitochondrial COI gene. There was a significant association between the tick species and seasons (p < 0.001). Finding R. microplus in this study indicates the extent of the spread of this invasive tick species in Ghana and highlights the need for efficient surveillance systems and control measures within the country.
AB - Ticks are competent vectors of a wide range of pathogens. They are of veterinary and public health importance as they affect both animal and human health. Transhumance and the transboundary movements of cattle within the West African Sub-region have facilitated the spread of ticks which threatens the introduction of invasive species. Currently, Rhipicephalus microplus have been identified in the Upper East Region of Ghana which could mean a wider distribution of the species across the country due to livestock trade. This study focused on three sites in the Greater Accra Region, which serves as the gateway to receiving most of the cattle transported from the northern regions of Ghana. Ticks were sampled from August 2022 in the wet season to January 2023 in the dry season. Three tick genera were identified: Amblyomma (19.5%), Hyalomma (1.1%), and Rhipicephalus (79.3%) from the 1,489 feeding ticks collected from cattle. Furthermore, Rhipicephalus microplus, Hyalomma rufipes and Amblyomma variegatum were identified molecularly using primers that target the mitochondrial COI gene. There was a significant association between the tick species and seasons (p < 0.001). Finding R. microplus in this study indicates the extent of the spread of this invasive tick species in Ghana and highlights the need for efficient surveillance systems and control measures within the country.
KW - Cattle
KW - Ghana
KW - Greater accra
KW - Rhipicephalus microplus
KW - Ticks
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85185146825&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s10493-023-00891-3
DO - 10.1007/s10493-023-00891-3
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85185146825
SN - 0168-8162
VL - 92
SP - 253
EP - 261
JO - Experimental and Applied Acarology
JF - Experimental and Applied Acarology
IS - 2
ER -