First detection of African Swine Fever Virus in Ornithodoros porcinus in Madagascar and new insights into tick distribution and taxonomy.

ABSTRACT:

Background

African Swine Fever Virus has devastated more than the half of the domestic pig population in Madagascar since its introduction, probably in 1997-1998. One of the hypotheses to explain its persistence on the island is its establishment in local Ornithodoros soft ticks, whose presence has been reported in the past from the north-western coast to the Central Highlands. The aim of the present study was to verify such hypothesis by conducting tick examinations in three distinct zones of pig production in Madagascar where African Swine Fever outbreaks have been regularly reported over the past decade and then to improve our knowledge on the tick distribution and taxonomy.

Results

Ornithodoros ticks were only found in one pig farm in the village of Mahitsy, north-west o

SUBMITTER: Ravaomanana J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3012664 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature