Title : Assessment of tick diversity and potential pathogen transmission in two ecological niches: Implications for zoonotic disease surveillance
Abstract:
Ticks play a significant role in disease transmission, rivaling mosquitoes in importance, yet knowledge gaps persist regarding ticks of public health importance. Their remarkable diversity stems from complex life cycles and interactions with hosts, leading to their ubiquity across diverse animal species. This study aimed to assess tick diversity in the Ghanaian Shai Hills Resource Reserve and surrounding communities. Tick specimens were collected from various hosts, including wild animals like Struthio camelus, Python regius, and Equus quagga, and domestic animals like Bos taurus, Canis lupus familiaris, Felis catus, and Ovis aries. Amblyomma variegatum emerged as the predominant tick species on domestic hosts outside the reserve, while Rhipicephalus evertsi prevailed among ticks from captive wild animals within the reserve. Amblyomma variegatum, particularly prevalent on Bos taurus, which freely moves and forages in the reserve’s buffer zones, was observed across both study sites. Given its association with zoonotic diseases like Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever and African tick-bite fever, the presence of Amblyomma variegatum underscores the risk of pathogen transmission. Molecular analysis targeting the cox-1 gene confirmed tick species identification. The findings emphasize the importance of surveillance and management strategies to mitigate the public health risks posed by ticks and the pathogens they carry, urging further investigation into the specific pathogens transmitted by these vectors.
