Distribution and Abundance of Tick Species and Their Preferred Attachment Sites on Cattle in Ghana

Abstract

Ticks are important vectors and reservoirs for many zoonotic pathogens worldwide. Some African countries including Ghana have reported tick-borne infections like Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever, however, there is scarce data on the tick vector in Ghana. This study was aimed at determining the distribution, abundance of tick species and preferred sites of attachments in six selected study sites. Ticks were collected from cattle in two ecological zones in Ghana (Guinea Savannah and Coastal Grasslands). The tick samples were grouped by species and sites of attachment and morphologically identified. The data obtained was collated and analyzed. A total of 1,625 sampled ticks were collected and morphologically identified. The combined results showed that Amblyomma (73.66%), Rhipicephalus (15.51%) and Hyalomma (10.83%) genera were predominant in the study sites. A total of 883 ticks were collected in the Guinea savannah sites and the species distribution was Amblyomma (84.7%) and Hyalomma (15.3%). A total of 742 ticks were collected in the Coastal Savannah sites and the species distribution was Amblyomma (60.5%), Rhipicephalus (34.0%) and Hyalomma (5.5%). The Amblyomma variegatum (73.66%) species was the most common in both ecological zones while the Rhipicephalus genus was absent in the three Guinea savannah sites. A total of 1416 ticks were assessed for the preferential sites of attachment. The results showed that overall, the most preferred site of attachment was the udder/scrotum area where 49.72% of ticks were collected from. This preference of attachment was consistent for all the tick species found except for the Hyaloma rufipes where 70% were found in the anal region. All the tick species found in the sites are all implicated vectors of immense public health importance. The knowledge of the distribution, abundance and prefered sites of attachment is useful in the application of effective tick control measures. The study highlights the need for continuous tick surveillance for the formulation of future strategies.