Prevalence and Occurrence of Various Canine Tick Species in Roma Valley, Lesotho

Abstract

Ticks are ectoparasites that act as vectors for transmission of various pathogens to wild and domesticated animals and pose a serious threat to human health.  The study aimed to determine the common tick species infesting canines in six villages within the Roma Valley. A cross-sectional study was conducted, during which dogs were randomly selected for tick collection. Approximately 15 dogs from each village were chosen as experimental units, resulting in a total of 90 dogs included in the experiment. The animals were classified by age into three categories: young (below one year of age), middle (puberty stage, between 7 and 10 months), and adults (one year and older). To comprehend the epidemiology of tick-borne diseases, it is essential to identify ticks on dogs of various age groups. This is due to the complex life cycle of ticks, which consists of four stages, each displaying distinct behaviors related to host attachment and feeding duration. Ticks were collected using the hand-picking technique and subsequently transferred to separate bottles containing 70% ethanol. These samples were then transported to the laboratory at the National University of Lesotho for species identification, which was performed using a light microscope. The species exhibited significant differences (p≤0.05) between different villages. The identified species include Hyalomma rufipes, Boophilus decoloratus Koch, Boophilus microplus, Rhipicephalus microplus, Rhipicephalus evertsi, Hyalomma dromedarii, Hyalomma truncatum, Rhipicephalus e. evertsi, Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Ixodes ricinus, Ixodes rubicundus, Hyalomma marginatum, and Octobius megnini. Among these, Boophilus microplus was the most prevalent species in Mafefooane at a rate of 57.8%, followed by Boophilus decoloratus at 48.0%. In contrast, Ixodes ricinus was scarce in Tloutle Ha Mpiti (1.3%), while Octobius megnini was the least common at just 0.3%. Furthermore, there were no significant differences in sex ratios, coat color, or predilection sites among the villages (p≥0.05). The presence of these tick species poses a detrimental effect by transmitting pathogens and hindering the growth of dogs. The study concludes that most of the canines found in Roma Valley are affected by the ectoparasites hence its recommend that famers should control the external parasites on canines.