Centre International de Recherche en Agriculture pour le Développement, CIRAD/INRA, Prise d'Eau 97170, Petit Bourg, Guadeloupe.
Vet Parasitol. 2010 Feb 10;167(2-4):327-35. doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2009.09.035. Epub 2009 Sep 23.
Amblyomma variegatum, the Tropical Bont Tick (TBT), is the principal vector of heartwater and is associated with dermatophilosis, major causes of losses in animal production and mortality in Caribbean livestock. From 1995 to 2007, the Caribbean Amblyomma Programme (CAP) supported treatment and surveillance activities in 11 islands of the Eastern Caribbean with an initial objective of eradicating TBT. In addition to control activities, surveillance data were collected between 1997 and 2006 in a unique regional database. We report the analysis of the surveillance data from four islands (Nevis, St Kitts, St Lucia, and Barbados) where control and surveillance followed the initial protocol and where enough data were collected. We describe the evolution of TBT infestation levels and the efforts carried out throughout the surveillance period. Logistic regression identified factors associated with herds found infested with TBT. Overall, treatment programmes were associated with a decrease in proportion of TBT-infested farms. High surveillance efforts were carried out throughout the 1997-2007 period for all island of interest, but inadequate level of surveillance was observed in several quarters especially for St Kitts. Third quarter of the year, as indication of adult TBT seasonality on livestock, was significantly associated with the risk of detecting TBT in Nevis and St Kitts livestock farms. Also, presence of cattle in Nevis farms was shown associated with an increasing probability of farms being declared TBT-infested. Outcomes of these analyses provide basis for recommendations to improve future national and regional control and surveillance activities. This analysis demonstrates the usefulness of long term and adequate surveillance data for control programmes and identification of factors associated with risk of having infested herds.
变色璃眼蜱，即热带钝缘蜱（TBT），是心水病的主要传播媒介，并且与丹毒和动物生产的主要损失以及加勒比地区牲畜的死亡率相关。1995 年至 2007 年，加勒比变色璃眼蜱防治计划（CAP）支持东加勒比地区 11 个岛屿开展治疗和监测活动，最初目标是根除 TBT。除了控制活动外，1997 年至 2006 年还在一个独特的区域数据库中收集了监测数据。我们报告了对四个岛屿（尼维斯岛、圣基茨岛、圣卢西亚岛和巴巴多斯岛）的监测数据的分析，这些岛屿的控制和监测遵循最初的方案，并且收集了足够的数据。我们描述了 TBT 感染水平的演变以及在整个监测期间开展的工作。逻辑回归确定了与 TBT 感染的牛群相关的因素。总体而言，治疗方案与 TBT 感染农场比例的下降有关。在整个 1997-2007 年期间，所有感兴趣的岛屿都进行了高监测工作，但在某些季度，尤其是在圣基茨岛，监测水平不足。第三季度作为牲畜上成年 TBT 季节性的指标，与在尼维斯岛和圣基茨岛牲畜农场检测到 TBT 的风险显著相关。此外，在尼维斯岛的农场中存在牛群，表明农场被宣布为 TBT 感染的可能性增加。这些分析的结果为改进未来的国家和区域控制和监测活动提供了依据。这项分析表明，长期和充分的监测数据对于控制计划和识别与感染牛群风险相关的因素非常有用。
