Ehrlichia ruminantium infects Rhipicephalus microplus in West Africa.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The invasion of West Africa by Rhipicephalus microplus during the past decade has changed the ecological situation of the agent of heartwater Ehrlichia ruminantium in this area. Before, its local vector, Amblyomma variegatum, was the most abundant tick species found on livestock. Today, the abundance of the R. microplus is one magnitude higher than that of A. variegatum in many west-African localities. We investigated the potential of this new ecological situation to impact the circulation of E. ruminantium in West Africa.

Methods

Ehrlichia ruminantium infections were assessed with the specific PCR-diagnosis targeting the PCS20 region. This screening was applied on field samples of 24 R. microplus adults, on four females from a laboratory strain that had been bloo

SUBMITTER: Biguezoton A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4918008 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature