Tick (Acari: Ixodidae) infestations in cattle along Geba River basin in Guinea-Bissau.

Tick infestations are a major problem for animal production in tropical areas where prevention and control remain deficient. The present study sought to assess the awareness of traditional cattle producers towards the importance of ticks and aimed at the identification of tick species infesting bovines within the Geba River basin, Guinea-Bissau. Interviews with producers revealed that the majority directly correlates the presence of ticks with the occurrence of diseases in cattle.

No evidence of African swine fever virus replication in hard ticks.

African swine fever (ASF) is caused by African swine fever virus (ASFV), a tick-borne DNA virus. Soft ticks of the genus Ornithodoros are the only biological vectors of ASFV recognized so far. Although other hard ticks have been tested for vector competence, two commonly found tick species in Europe, Ixodes ricinus and Dermacentor reticulatus, have not been assessed for their vector competence for ASFV.