| Issue |
Vet. Res.
Volume 34, Number 1, January-February 2003
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|
|---|---|---|
| Page(s) | 27 - 45 | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/vetres:2002056 | |
| How to cite this article | Vet. Res. (2003) 27-45 | |
DOI: 10.1051/vetres:2002056
The current status of major tick borne diseases in Zambia
Levi Hakwale Makalaa, b, Peter Manganic, Kozo Fujisakia and Hideyuki Nagasawaaa National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-Cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan
b Central Veterinary Research Institute, Balmoral, Lusaka, Zambia
c Department of Research and Specialist Services, Animal Production and Health Sub-programme, Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Lusaka, Zambia
(Received 4 February 2002; accepted 6 August 2002)
Abstract
Tick-borne diseases occurring in Zambia are assuming more importance as they continue
to be a major economic problem not only in Zambia, but in many parts of Eastern,
Southern and Central Africa. The current control methods, which include the use
of toxic acaricides to kill ticks, and the virulent sporozoite infection and treatment
method have limitations. Recombinant vaccines, currently in their experimental stages,
offer hope for the future. The use of acaricides is hampered by the development
of acaricide resistance and live vaccines are dependent on cold chain facilities,
which are a formidable obstacle in the poorly developed infrastructure in parts
of Zambia where the vaccine is most needed. Amidst these drawbacks are the results
of the recent research on parasites and vector recombinant vaccines which promise
to circumvent these problems. The history, current status and attitudes regarding
the control of these diseases, taking into account their complexity, are reviewed.
The establishment of the well-designed Central Veterinary Research Institute (CVRI)
and Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) sponsored veterinary school,
both have a potential for high quality research, with access to a wealth of specimens
a veritable goldmine of research material. It is thus hoped that this review will
stimulate the desire to maximize the value of the tick and tick-borne disease research
in both Zambia and the international research community.
Key words: Anaplasma / Babesia / Cowdria / Theileria
Correspondence and reprints: Hideyuki Nagasawa tel. (81) 155 49 5644; fax: (81) 155 49 5643;
e-mail: nrcpmi@obihiro.ac.jp
© INRA, EDP Sciences 2003