Epidemiology and effect of gastrointestinal nematodes on beef cattle from tropical Argentina.

The aim of this work was to study the epidemiology and the harmful effect of gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs) on beef cattle in the piedmont forest and grassland region of northwestern Argentina, between March 2015 and March 2016. Sixty weaned female calves were divided into three groups: STG-calves treated systematically with 200 mcg/kg moxidectin every 40-50 days; LTG-calves treated as usually locally implemented, with 200 mcg/kg ivermectin on May 4 and August 5; and UTG-calves not receiving treatment. Moreover, a group of 20 untreated first-calving cows was monitored. Eggs per gram of faeces (epg) and faeces cultures were performed. Live weight gain (LWG) was recorded. Differences among groups were compared using analysis of variance and Tukey test. At the start of the experiment, mean epg was from moderate to high (595 ± 480); therefore, this group was treated in May. Mean UTG epg peaked (907 ± 754) in mid-winter, decreasing toward spring. LTG epg only decreased partially after treatment, showing 54.2% of ivermectin efficacy. Epg values of STG were always negligible values (95.8% of moxidectin efficacy). The dominant nematode genus was Cooperia (81.9%), followed by Haemonchus (15.5%). The effect of treatments was evident from middle autumn, with STG showing a significantly (p < 0.002) higher LWG than the other groups. Toward the end of the trial, LWG of STG and LTG increased by 27.2 and 8.2%, respectively, to those of UTG. This preliminary study showed a winter epg peak and a negative effect of GINs on LWG, even in moderately infected calves.

Susceptibility to two pyrethroids in Boophilus microplus (Acari: Ixodidae) populations of northwest Argentina. Preliminary results.

Cattle are treated 6-12 times yearly to control Boophilus microplus ticks in the east zone of the Argentinean infested region, while 1-4 treatments are applied for tick control in the west zone. In the 1970s resistance to organo-phosphate acaricides was found in the east zone, but not in the west zone. However, a shift to synthetic pyrethroids (SP) was made through all infested regions. Currently, indications of resistance to SP in the east zone, but not in the west zone, are provoking to a switch to formamidine acaricides. During 1998 a total of 147 B. microplus engorged females were collected from 20 beef cattle ranches from the west zone of the Argentinean infested region. Individual progenies of these ticks were tested ('larval packet test') with cypermethrin and deltamethrin, and their LC 50 and LC 90 were compared to those estimated for the Milagro susceptible strain. No evidence of resistance to these SP was found. Due to sampling restraints the results are presented as preliminary. Nevertheless, a shift away from use of SP for control of B. microplus in the west zone appears to be unjustified and should be independent of the resistance circumstances observed in the east zone of the Argentinean tick infested region.

Amblyomma tigrinum (Acari: Ixodidae) in relation to phytogeography of central-northern Argentina with notes on hosts and seasonal distribution.

The findings of Amblyomma tigrinum in continental Argentina north of 40 degrees S are presented according to phytogeographic domains (Andean-Patagonic, Amazonian and Chaco) and the seasonal distribution is depicted on a monthly basis. A total of 718 adult ticks and four nymphs were found. A. tigrinum ticks were present in all domains. Adult ticks were found all year round but they were more abundant during the summer. Most ticks were found on domestic dogs but the survey has a bias to domestic hosts. It is speculated that the cycle of immature is bound to shelters that mitigate extreme climatic conditions, thus explaining the finding of this tick species in contrasting ecological areas.

The life cycle of Amblyomma neumanni Ribaga, 1902 (Acari: Ixodidae) in the laboratory.

A colony of Amblyomma neumanni was started with engorged females collected from cattle in the province of Salta (24 degrees 51'S, 65 degrees 33'W), Argentina. The larvae and nymphs were fed on rabbits and the adults on calves. The non-parasitic stages were maintained in darkness at 27 +/- 1 degrees C and 83-86% RH. The life cycle (pre-feeding period not tested) had a mean duration of 205.7 days. The mean time (days) for the different phases of the cycle were as follows: feeding of females 8.8, pre-oviposition 23.8, oviposition 41.4, minimum egg incubation 76.1, feeding of larvae 8.5, pre-moult to nymphs 16.4, feeding of nymphs 7.9 and pre-moult to adults 22.8. The mean recovery rates of larvae, nymphs and females were 83.8, 85.6 and 89.3%, respectively. The nymphs moulting to females were heavier (8.1 +/- 2.34 mg) than those moulting to males (6.0 +/- 2.34 mg; p < 0.01), but their range of engorgement weight showed overlap (2.3-16.2 versus 2.2-12.8 mg, respectively). Two gynandromorphs were detected between the nymphs. A comparison of biological parameters of A. neumanni with other American Amblyomma species from mammals is presented.

Transmission of Anaplasma marginale with adult Boophilus microplus ticks fed as nymphs on calves with different levels of rickettsaemia.

Nine splenectomised calves were infested with dissimilar numbers of adult Boophilus microplus ticks 72 h after collection as engorged nymphs from three non splenectomised calves with different levels of Anaplasma marginale rickettsaemia. Successful transmission of A. marginale appeared to be more dependent on the level of rickettsaemia of the donor calves than on the number of ticks attaching to the splenectomised calves, since infection was transmitted only when the rickettsaemia was 0.3% or greater. Field transmission would thus depend on the rate of tick migration amongst susceptible hosts and the rickettsaemia level of cattle on which the ticks fed previously.

Ticks (Ixodidae) parasitizing humans in four provinces of north-western Argentina.

In four provinces of north-western Argentina (Catamarca, Jujuy, Salta and Tucumán), between March 1976 and March 1990, 514 ticks were found on humans. They were identified as Rhipicephalus sanguineus group (1 male), Boophilus microplus (6 male, 1 female), Amblyomma parvum (9 male, 13 female), A. cajannense (35 male, 30 female, 81 nymphs), A. neumanni (33 male, 41 female, 144 nymphs) and Amblyomma spp. (10 nymphs, 110 larvae). Most of the ticks were from the phytogeographical region of Chaco, one (B. microplus) was from an ecotone between the Chaco and the Andean Patagonia region, and the remainder of the ticks were from the Amazon region.