Kendon Tamar A, Pereira Carlos L, Pereira Hugo, Brown Kelsey, Gaynor David, Briers-Louw Willem D
Zambeze Delta Conservation, Marromeu.
Onderstepoort J Vet Res. 2025 Apr 23;92(1):e1-e5. doi: 10.4102/ojvr.v92i1.2206.
Ectoparasites can severely impact wildlife species, both through their feeding behaviour and by facilitating secondary infestations or bacterial infections. Here, we report on two cases of periorbital damage caused by ixodid tick infestations in cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus), including a rare record of traumatic myiasis in wildlife. Both cheetahs were recently reintroduced to the Marromeu-Coutada Complex in Central Mozambique and had sustained relatively severe injuries. This ostensibly yielded them immunocompromised and thus more vulnerable to tick infestations, particularly when exposed to novel species. These incidents occurred during the peak hot-wet season in which adult tick abundance is likely highest. These cases provide novel insights into the risks of tick infestations for reintroduced cheetahs and the importance of intensive post-release monitoring to allow for timeous veterinary intervention.Contribution: This study falls within the scope of the journal. Ixodid ticks are of veterinary importance for wildlife and domestic animals across Africa because of the associated direct damage and potential spread of tick-borne pathogens. This study investigates two cases of tick infestations in cheetahs recently reintroduced into a tropical environment. The identified risk factors appear to be exposure to novel ectoparasites, injuries, and the hot-wet season. This highlights the need to consider ectoparasite risk when planning wildlife translocations.
体表寄生虫可通过其取食行为以及引发继发性感染或细菌感染，对野生动物物种造成严重影响。在此，我们报告两例猎豹（Acinonyx jubatus）因硬蜱寄生导致眶周损伤的病例，其中包括野生动物创伤性蝇蛆病的罕见记录。这两只猎豹最近被重新引入莫桑比克中部的马罗梅乌 - 库塔达复合体，均受到了相对严重的伤害。这显然使它们免疫功能受损，因此更容易受到蜱虫寄生的影响，尤其是在接触新物种时。这些事件发生在炎热潮湿的季节高峰期，此时成年蜱虫数量可能最多。这些病例为重新引入的猎豹面临的蜱虫寄生风险以及加强放归后监测以便及时进行兽医干预的重要性提供了新的见解。贡献：本研究属于该期刊的范畴。由于相关的直接损害以及蜱传病原体的潜在传播，硬蜱对非洲的野生动物和家畜具有重要的兽医意义。本研究调查了两例最近被重新引入热带环境的猎豹蜱虫寄生病例。确定的风险因素似乎是接触新的体表寄生虫、受伤以及炎热潮湿的季节。这凸显了在规划野生动物迁移时考虑体表寄生虫风险的必要性。
