Short Communication

Tick-borne pathogens of potential zoonotic importance in the southern African Region

Simbarashe Chitanga, Holly Gaff, Samson Mukaratirwa
Journal of the South African Veterinary Association | Vol 85, No 1 | a1084 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/jsava.v85i1.1084 | © 2014 Simbarashe Chitanga, Holly Gaff, Samson Mukaratirwa | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 11 July 2013 | Published: 02 September 2014

About the author(s)

Simbarashe Chitanga, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa; School of Medicine, University of Zambia, Zambia
Holly Gaff, Department of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University, United States
Samson Mukaratirwa, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Abstract

The aim of this communication is to provide preliminary information on the tick-borne pathogens of potential zoonotic importance present in southern Africa, mainly focusing on their geographical distribution and host range, and to identify research gaps. The following tick-borne zoonoses have been reported to occur in southern Africa based mainly on case reports: Crimean–Congo haemorrhagic fever caused by Crimean–Congo haemorrhagic fever virus; ehrlichiosis caused by Ehrlichia ruminantium, Ehrlichia canis and Anaplasma phagocytophilum; babesiosis caused by Babesia microti; relapsing fever caused by Borrelia duttonii and rickettsioses caused by Rickettsia africae, Rickettsia aeschlimannii and Rickettsia conorii. The epidemiological factors influencing their occurrence are briefly reviewed.

Keywords

Eastern and Southern Africa, geographical distribution, Tick-borne zoonoses, review, risk factors.

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