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Naturally Acquired Host Resistance in Tick Control in Africa

  • Natural Resistance to Ticks
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International Journal of Tropical Insect Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In many countries in eastern, centrai and southern Africa, twice-weekly to two-weekly acaricide applications are practised to prevent mortality of exotic cattle from tick-borne diseases. This practice has been extended to areas where only local cattle are present. These measures are very costly, inefficient in controlling diseases and ecologically undesirable.

In view of the many difficulties with the present method of tick control, exploitation of tick-resistant cattle breeds in enzootically stable situations would appear to be a pragmatic, alternative approach to the intensive use of acaricides. This paper reviews studies on host-tick relationships in Africa with a view to understand the role of naturally acquired resistance in limiting tick populations and hence its use in integrated pest management strategies. The levels of information required are outlined such as identification and quantification of resistance, effect of cattle breeds and productivity and economics in relation to host-resistance.

Résumé

Dans beaucoup de pays d’Afrique de l’est, centrale et australe, des applications d’acaricides bi-hebdomadaires à bi-mensuelles ont été pratiquées à l’origine pour protéger les bovins exotiques des maladies à tiques. Par la suite, ces mesures ont été étendues à des zones ou seuls les bovins indigènes étaient présents. Ces pratiques se sont alors révélées très coûteuses, insuffisantes pour contrôler ces pathologies et écologiquement pénalisantes.

En regard des nombreuses difficultés rencontrées dans la mise en application de ces méthodes de contrôle, l’utilisation de races bovines résistantes dans un environnement enzootiquement stable apparait comme la meilleure alternative à l’utilisation intensive des acaricides. Cet article passe en revue les relations hôtes-parasites en Afrique et plus particulièrement, le rôle de l’immunité naturelle acquise de l’hôte dans la limitation des populations de tiques et son utilisation dans les programmes de lutte intégrés. Les points suivants ont été particulièrement développés: identification et quantification de la résistance de l’hôte, relation entre la race, la productivité, les performances économiques et le niveau de résistance.

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  1. Veterinary Research Laboratory, P.O. Box 8101, Causeway, Harare, Zimbabwe

    A. A. Latif & R. G. Pegram

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  1. A. A. Latif
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Latif, A.A., Pegram, R.G. Naturally Acquired Host Resistance in Tick Control in Africa. Int J Trop Insect Sci 13, 505–513 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742758400016088

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