Molecular Characterization of Ixodid Ticks Infesting Cattle

Abstract

There is great diversity of ticks with only three genera; Amblyomma, Hyalomma, and Rhipicephalus known to have highest impact on livestock health. Ticks suck blood and release toxic secretions from saliva through their mouth appendage into cattle resulting in anaemia, skin damage, inflammation, paralysis, reduced weight gain, and reduction in milk production. Proper tick identification is imperative to understand tick-borne pathogens as well as determine control measures. Molecular approach has made the identification of tick species easy. This study therefore used molecular tools to determine the identity of ticks collected from cattle in Iwo Osun state, Southwest Nigeria. Cross-sectional study of ticks was done in August 2022. Different species of ticks (n = 268) were collected from cows. The samples were collected in sterile tubes and stored in 70% ethanol before DNA extraction, amplification and sequencing. Ticks were morphologically identified using available keys. Amblyomma, n=170 (63.4%), Hyalomma, n=61 (22.8%) and Rhipicephalus, n=37 (13.8%) were identified. Molecular and phylogenetic analysis of the two morphotypes whose cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene amplified revealed that they were Amblyomma variegatum and Rhipicephalus microplus. This study characterized Amblyomma variegatum and Rhipicephalus microplus ticks by sequencing the COI gene and it expands the knowledge of tick parasitofauna on cows in Iwo Osun state, Southwest Nigeria.