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A Study on Cattle Tick and Tick Borne Pathogens

of Midwestern Nepal

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Tapendra Prasad Bohara Swoyam Prakash Shrestha

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Nepalese Vet. J. 33:23-27

A study on cattle tick and tick borne pathogens of Mid Western

Nepal
T. P. Bohara1 and S. P. Shrestha2
1. Central Veterinary Laboratory, Kathmandu
2. Animal Health Research Division, NARC, Lalitpur

ABSTRACT
Tick and tick-borne diseases are responsible for severe economic losses in dairy cattle enterprise
due to incurring cost for parasite control along with compromised fertility, body weight and milk
production. There are very limited importances on tick types and tick borne diseases in western
Nepal. This study was designed to determine the tick types and tick borne pathogens in dairy
cattle of Banke and Surkhet districts, western Nepal. A total of 155 tick samples and blood
smears of dairy cattle were collected from May, 2013 to February 2014. Rhipicephalus
(Boophilus) microplus (96.8%) was the most abundant tick followed by Haemophysalis
spp.(1.9%), Ixodes spp.(0.6%) and Amblyomma spp.(0.6%. Higher abundance of R. microplus
was noted in Surkhet as compared to Banke (Fishers exact test, P<0.05). Exploration for tick
borne pathogens revealed overall positivity of 6.4% (10/155). However, Anaplasma marginale
(5.8%) was more in comparison to Babesia bovis (0.6%). Likewise, frequency of tick borne
infections were significantly higher during summer season (Fishers exact test p<0.05). Highest
tick infestation site in cattle were dewlap (38.7%) followed by perineum and udder (23.87%),
ears base (14.19 %), tail base (9.03%), abdomen (7.09%) and withers (4.51%). Higher
prevalence of R. microplus indicates the possibility of blood protozoan diseases like
Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis and Theilariasis. Moreover, currently prevalent economically
important disease like Anaplasmosis needs to be controlled using appropriate measures in Banke
and Surkhet districts of western Nepal.

Key Words: Tick, Cattle, Tick borne infections, Nepal.

INTRODUCTION
Ticks are recognized as important vectors of blood protozon diseases in livestocks. Out of 867
tick species recognized globally, 10 percent of them act as the vectors of pathogens of
domesticated animals and human beings (Jongejan and Uilenberg, 2004). They possess attributes
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like attaching firmly, sucking blood slowly and remaining unnoticed for long period of time in
their host accounting for their vector potential. Climatic factors, particularly temperature, are
considered to be important determinant for tick propagation. Cattle ticks are responsible for
severe economic losses in both dairy and beef cattle enterprises in the tropics (Jonsson, 2006).
The major economic impacts of ticks infestation in cattle enterprise are the costs involved in
parasite control along with losses in fertility, body weight and milk production. Moreover, tick-
borne diseases are the problems of cattle and other livestock in Africa, Asia and Latin America
(Jongejan and Uilenberg, 2004). Dairy cattle are recognized as a means of livelihood of framers
in Nepal and ticks and tick borne diseases are to be explored in mid western Nepal. The objective
of the present study was to study the tick types and tick borne diseases in native, crossbred and
exotic cattle of Banke and Surkhet districts. Assessment of tick composition and identification of
more frequent tick borne infections will assist the animal health workers and policy makers to
implement relevant control strategies and programs in the study area.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 155 (N=155) indigenous, exotic and crossbred dairy cattle of the peri-urban milk
production pocket area of Nepalgunj (Banke) and Birendranagar (Surkhet) of mid western Nepal
were included in the study. Thin blood smears were prepared from blood collected from the ear
tips, were air-dried, fixed with methanol, stained with Giemsa stain and examined under oil
immersion objective of microscope. Ticks were collected manually and stored in container
containing 70% ethanol with 5% glycerine and identified following the guidelines of Walker et
al., (2003) and MAFF (1986). Distribution of ticks and tick borne diseases by district, season and
breed of animal was compared using Fishers exact test. Fishers exact test was calculated using
IBM SPSS Statistics Version 20.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The prevalence of ticks in Banke and Surkhet districts of mid Western Developmet Region is
presented in Table-1 and the prevalence of Blood Protozon diseases in Banke and Surkhet is
presented in Table-2.

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Table-1: Identified ticks in cattle of Banke and Surkhet districts of mid western region.

No. of Cattle No. of

No. of Cattle No. of Cattle
affected with Cattle
affected with affected with
Rhipicephalus affected
Factor Variable Haemophysali Amblyomma
(Boophilus) with
s sp. (%) sp. (%)
microplus (%) Ixodes sp.
N=155 N=155
N=155 (%) N=155
Banke 57 (36.77%) 3 (1.9%) 1 (0.64%) 1 (0.64%)
District
Surkhet 93 (60%) 0 0 0
Summer 86 (55.48%) 3 (1.9%) 1 (0.64%) 1 (0.64%)
Season
Winter 64 (41.29%) 0 0 0
Perineum
37 (23.87%) 0 0 0
and Udder
Abdomen 11 (7.09%) 1 (0.64%) 0 0
Body part Withers 7 (4.51%) 0 0 0
Dewlap 60 (38.70%) 2 (1.29%) 1 (0.64%) 1 (0.64%)
Tail base 14 (9.03%) 0 0 0
Ear 22 (14.19%) 1 (0.64%) 0 0
Total 150 (96.77%) 3 (1.9%) 1 (0.64%) 1 (0.64%)

Table-2: Prevalence of Blood Protozon diseasesin Banke and Sukhet districts of mid western
region.

No. of Cattle affected

No. of Cattle affected
with Anaplasma
Factor Variable with Babesia bovis Significance level
marginale (%)
(%) N=155
N=155
Banke 3 (1.9%) 1 (0.64%) Fishers exact
District
Surkhet 6 (3.8%) 0 test, p=0.69
Summer 9 (5.8%) 1 (0.64%) Fishers exact
Season
Winter 0 0 test, p=0.011
Total 9 (5.8%) 1 (0.64%)

Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (96.8%) was the most abundant tick in the study area
(Table 1). It is also the most important one host tick becoming most numerous on cattle
originated from South-East Asia and spread throughout the tropics (Jongejan and Uilenberg,
2004, Ghosh et al., 2007). Highest proportion of R. microplus (60%) was recorded among cattle
in Surkhet (700 m from sea level) compared to that in Banke (165 m from sea level) (Fishers
exact test, P<0.05) This might be due to the global warming, as reported in spread and

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colonization of new territories by R. microplus in Africa and increase in altitude of this tick in
the mountainous regions of America (Estrada-Pena and Salman, 2013).
However, no significant difference in prevalence of tick infestation in different season was
noted. Examination of various body parts to rank the predilection sites of tick cattle revealed that
dewlap (38.7%) followed by perineum and udder (23.87%), ears base (14.19 %), tail base
(9.03%), abdomen (7.09%) and withers (4.51%) were the major sites for ticks (Table 1). The
findings are in the agreement with Atif et al,. (2012) who observed perineum, udder and external
genitalia (98%) as the most tick infested sites in cattle followed by dewlap, inner thighs, neck &
back, tail, ears, around eyes, flanks and legs in Pakistan. Out of 155 blood samples in dairy
cattles an overall rate of positivity of 5.8% (9) for A. marginale and 0.6% (1) for Babesia bovis
was recorded in the present study (Table 2). The findings of Atif et al., (2012) in Pakistan are
also closer to the present finding in western Nepal. Global warming may influence the movement
of the tick vectors and accordingly the distribution of Anaplasmosis (Jonsson and Reid, 2000).
The frequency of tick borne infections were significantly higher during summer season as
compared to winter (Fishers exact test, p<0.05). This finding of western Nepal is in line with
highest prevalence of cattle tick borne diseases in summer season in Pakistan (Atif et al., 2012).
CONCLUSION
Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus is the most abundant tick with higher abundance in Surkhet
as compared to Banke. Tick borne pathogens revealed overall positivity of 6.4%. However,
Anaplasma marginale was more in comparison to Babesia bovis. Likewise, frequency of tick
borne infections was significantly higher during summer season. Highest tick infestation site in
cattle were dewlap followed by perineum and udder, ears base, tail base, abdomen and withers.
High proportion of vector tick R. microplus indicates the possibility of increase in the prevalence
of economically important tick borne diseases like Babesiosis and Anaplasmosis escalating
challenges to dairy enterprise of Western Nepal. Moreover, currently prevalent economically
important disease like Anaplasmosis needs to be controlled using appropriate measures in Banke
and Surkhet districts of western Nepal.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We are grateful to the farmer groups and dairy cooperatives of Banke and Surkhet for
cooperation throughout the study. Finally, the funding provided by Feed the Future Innovative

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Lab for Collaborative research on Adapting Livestock System to Climate Change, Colorado
State University, USA is highly appreciated, without which this study could not be possible.

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Estrada-Pena, A. & Salman, M. 2013. Current Limitations in the Control and Spread of Ticks
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