Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41995167›Full record

ArticleParasite (Paris, France)2026

Unveiling the tick-borne pathogens from domestic ruminant ticks in Malawi and the emergence of the brown ear tick in the southern region: implications for East Coast fever control.

Boniface Chikufenji, Uday Kumar Mohanta, Elisha Chatanga, Dallion Stopher, Onur Ceylan, Rika Umemiya-Shirafuji, Oriel Thekisoe, Madalitso Nkhata, Tatsuki Sugi, Junya Yamagishi and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Parasite (Paris, France), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Boniface ChikufenjiDivision of Collaboration and Education, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Kita-20, Nishi-10, Sapporo, Hokkaido 001-0020, Japan - Ministry of Agriculture, Department of Animal Health and Livestock Development, P. O. Box 2096, Lilongwe, Malawi.ORCID 0000-0003-3982-5221
Uday Kumar MohantaDepartment of Microbiology and Parasitology, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka-1207, Bangladesh.ORCID 0000-0001-6463-4609
Elisha ChatangaDepartment of Veterinary Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, P. O. Box 219, Lilongwe, Malawi.ORCID 0000-0001-5448-2605
Dallion StopherMinistry of Agriculture, Department of Animal Health and Livestock Development, P. O. Box 2096, Lilongwe, Malawi.
Onur CeylanDepartment of Veterinary Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Selcuk University, Konya-42130, Türkiye.ORCID 0000-0002-3514-5221
Rika Umemiya-ShirafujiNational Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan.ORCID 0000-0001-7641-5526
Oriel ThekisoeUnit of Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2531, South Africa.ORCID 0000-0003-0700-4787
Madalitso NkhataVets of Purpose Organization, P.O. Box 2355, Lilongwe, Malawi.ORCID 0009-0008-8315-9602
Tatsuki SugiDivision of Collaboration and Education, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Kita-20, Nishi-10, Sapporo, Hokkaido 001-0020, Japan.ORCID 0000-0003-3665-0796
Junya YamagishiDivision of Collaboration and Education, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Kita-20, Nishi-10, Sapporo, Hokkaido 001-0020, Japan.ORCID 0000-0002-8385-5359
Xuenan XuanResearch Centre for Asian Infectious Diseases, Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 108-8639, Japan.ORCID 0000-0003-2780-110X
Kyoko HayashidaDivision of Collaboration and Education, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Kita-20, Nishi-10, Sapporo, Hokkaido 001-0020, Japan.ORCID 0000-0001-9266-5162

Funding

Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development JP20wm0125008Japan Society for the Promotion of Science 18KK0188Japan Society for the Promotion of Science JPJSBP120259906Japan Society for the Promotion of Science JPJSCCB20250010
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Ticks transmit a wide range of protozoan, bacterial, and viral pathogens to humans and animals globally. However, data on ticks infesting domestic ruminants and the pathogens they carry are scarce in Malawi. In this study, we examined ticks collected from domestic ruminants and screened them for selected veterinary and medically important protozoan and bacterial pathogens. A total of 964 ticks were collected from 202 cattle, 63 goats, and 16 sheep across eleven districts in Malawi. Ticks were morphologically identified to species level using taxonomical keys, with molecular confirmation by PCR amplification and sequencing of the 12S ribosomal RNA (12S rDNA) and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) genes. Tick DNA was further screened for tick-borne pathogens using species-specific PCR assays. Identified tick species included Rhipicephalus microplus (30.5%), Rhipicephalus appendiculatus (23.3%), Rhipicephalus decoloratus (13.2%), Rhipicephalus evertsi (9.8%), Hyalomma rufipes (7.5%), Amblyomma variegatum (6.3%), Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (tropical lineage) (3.6%), Hyalomma truncatum (2.8%), Rhipicephalus simus (2.0%), Rhipicephalus pravus (0.6%), and Rhipicephalus annulatus (0.4%). Overall, 37.0% of ticks carried at least one tick-borne pathogen, with Theileria parva being the most prevalent (34.7%), followed by Anaplasma marginale (17.4%), Babesia bigemina (14.9%), Anaplasma ovis (11.2%), Ehrlichia ruminantium (9.2%), Theileria mutans (8.4%), Babesia bovis (2.2%), and Anaplasma bovis (2.0%). This study provides the first molecular identification of ticks infesting domestic ruminants in Malawi and documents associated tick-borne pathogens. Notably, Rhipicephalus appendiculatus was identified for the first time in southern Malawi, refining current understanding of East Coast fever epidemiology and highlighting the need for updated surveillance approaches.

Indexed as

Goat DiseasesIxodidaeSheep DiseasesTick-Borne DiseasesTick InfestationsAnaplasmaAnaplasmosisAnimalsBabesiaCattleCattle DiseasesEhrlichiaEhrlichiosisFemaleGoatsMalawiRNA, RibosomalEast Coast feverMalawiMolecular detectionRhipicephalus appendiculatusTheileria parvatick species diversity

Identifiers

PMID41995167
PMCPMC13088809

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.