Spatial variation of tick abundance and seroconversion rates of indigenous cattle to Anaplasma marginale, Babesia bigemina and Theileria parva infections in Uganda

Tick abundance and seroconversion rates of 640 indigenous cattle in a mixed crop-livestock system in Uganda were investigated in a 14 months longitudinal study. Up to 100% of the cattle in Buyimini, Kubo, Nanjeho, Ojilai and Sitengo villages (high tick challenge zone) were consistently infested with Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, whereas on average 50% of the cattle in Bunghaji, Hitunga and Magoje villages (low tick challenge zone) were inconsistently infested. Likewise, up to 50% of the cattle in Buyimini, Kubo, Nanjeho, Ojilai and Sitengo villages were consistently infested with R. (Boophilus) decoloratus ticks, while on average 30% of the cattle in Bunghaji, Hitunga and Magoje were inconsistently infested. Seroconversion rates of cattle to Anaplasma marginale infection under low tick challenge were higher than those under high tick challenge, but the reverse was true for Babesia bigemina infection. For Theileria parva infection, seroconversion rates of cattle older than 6 months under low tick challenge were significantly higher than those under high tick challenge (P < 0.05). However, the likelihood of occurrence of theileriosis cases among calves (0-6 m) under high tick challenge was 6 times (Odds ratio = 5.82 [1.30-36.37]) higher than under low tick challenge. The high density of anti-tick plants Lantana camara and Ocimum suave that were widespread in villages with low tick challenge, among other factors, was probably the cause for unfavourable tick survival.