Ixodid ticks from domestic livestock in Ibadan, Nigeria as carriers of viral agents.

Abstract

Between 31 August 1964 and 15 June 1965, 84,683 ticks (Ixodidae) were collected from cattle, sheep and goats in Ibadan, Nigeria, as these animals arrived on foot or by train or truck from the northern grasslands. The ticks, sorted by species, were inoculated intracerebrally into baby mice as 2533 pools for attempted isolation of virus. Of 850 pools of Amblyomma variegatum, 116 or 13.6% were positive for virus: 106 pools for Dugbe virus, 7 for Bhanja, 1 for Thogoto and 2 for unidentified agents. Of 864 pools of Boophilus decoloratus, 114 or 13.2% were positive for virus: 48 pools for Dugbe, 36 for Bhanja, 19 or Thogoto, 1 for Congo virus and 10 for unidentified agents. Of 663 pools of Hyalomma truncatum, 75 or 11.3% were positive for virus: 67 for Dugbe, 4 for Bhanja, 1 for Congo and 3 for unidentified agents. Three of 106 pools of Hyalomma rufipes were positive for virus: 2 for Dugbe and I for Congo. Virus was not isolated from 13 pools of Rhipicephalus spp., 23 pools of Boophilus annulatus and 14 mixed pools of Boophilus and Hyalomma.