The First Investigation of Tick Vectors and Tick-Borne Diseases in Extensively Managed Cattle in Alle District, Southwestern Ethiopia

Abstract

A cross-sectional study was conducted from March 2019 to February 2020 with the objective of identifying ixodid ticks and haemoparasites, in extensively managed livestock, in Alle district, Southwestern Ethiopia. The study area is assumed to be free from ticks, and there had been no diagnostic and treatment options for tick-borne diseases. Among 384 heads of cattle examined for tick infestation and haemoparasites, 139 (36.19%) were infested with one or more tick species and 25 (6.51%) were haemoparasitised. Two genera of ticks, Amblyomma and Rhipicephalus formerly (Boophilus), and four species (Amblyomma variegatum, Amblyomma lepidum, Rhipicephalus microplus, and Rhipicephalus annulatus) were identified. The haemoparasite identified was Babesia bovis. Among the risk factors, body condition score and season of the year were found to be significantly associated with tick infestation with x2 = 9.919, $p>0.05$ and x2 = 6.216, $p>0.05$ , respectively, at 95% CI. Tick infestation was found to be significantly associated with haemoparasitemia with x2 = 22.2 and $p>0.05$ , at 95% CI. The finding of the current study is an alarm ring, as the veterinary service had been not considering any haemoparasitemia in the potential list of differential diagnosis and no treatment inputs have been availed for that purpose. Thus, it is recommended that the veterinary service delivery system in the area should take haemoparasites diagnosis and avail treatment alternatives, particularly tick-borne diseases. Furthermore, there should be a strategical approach in controlling tick-borne diseases in the area before the tick-borne diseases get prevalent and where the control after high prevalence could not be easy in extensive livestock management.