356
Diseases Transmitted by the Indian Species of Ticks
A benign type of theileriosis, due to T. mutans (Theiler) is widely distribut-
ed in the warmer countries of the world. According to Cooper [ 1926 ], it is
almost universally present in India. It is harmless, but under certain conditions
especially when it infects cattle from regions considered to be free from theilerio-
sis it has proved fatal. Infection due to this in adult cattle proves fatal
only in 5 to 10 per cent cases. Both Hyalomma (Hyalomma) aegyptium and
Boophilus auslralis are incriminated in India to be transmitters of this disease.
According to Sen and Srinivasan [1937], the causal agents of the acute or fatal
theileriosis in India are two forms. One is closely allied to T. annulata (Dschun¬
kowsky and Luhs) and other to T. dispar Sergent, Donatien, Parrot, Lesto¬
quard, Plantureux and Rougebief. The first form according to them is exotic
in origin, and the second one is indigenous and was responsible for a morta-
lity rate of nearly 76 per cent in bulls under experimental conditions. A
dangerous parasite T. hirci Dschunkowsky and Urodschevich is found in
sheep and goats of India [ Sarwar, 1935 and Bhatia, 1936 ]. According
to Rastegaieff [ 1935, 1936, 1 and 1936, 2 ] Ornithodoros lahorensis Neumann
can transmit T. ovis (=recondita) in sheep of Azerbaijan.
Anaplasmosis.—The disease known as anaplasmosis or genuine gall-
sickness which is due to Anaplasma marginale Theiler is very dangerous and
has a fairly wide distribution. The death rate in cattle is 95 per cent in adults,
and 50 per cent in young ones. This disease is transmitted by B. australis
in the Philippines [De Jesus, 1935 ] and Queensland [ Mulhearn, 1936 ]. Rees
[ 1930] succeeded in transmitting this disease through the agency of R. san-
guineus, and he [ 1934] also mentions I. ricinus as its vector. In the North
Caucasus, B. annulatus subsp. calcaratus transmits Anaplasma rossicum
[ Yakimoff, Belawine, Rastegaieff and schlüpikoff, 1929 ] 0. lahorensis
has been suspected by Rastégaieff [1935, 1936,1,2], as the vector of
Anaplasma ovis in sheep of Azerbaijan. Anaplasmosis is known to occur in
India *.
.Rickettsiosis.—-Among the Rickettsial diseases the Tick typhus fever in
man has been reported for the first time from India by Megaw [ 1921 ]
Sporadic cases of this disease have often been recorded after that from hilly
regions adjoining forests. It has been recorded from Kumaun Hills, Central
India Plateau and Orissa forests. R. sanguineus was often mentioned as the
vector of the disease. Rao [ 1929 ] suspected Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides
Supino and Haemaphysails bispinosa . Neumann. In Sumatra, Kouwe¬
naar and Wolff [1934] were able to produce rickettsiosis experimentally
in. guinea-pigs by inoculating suspensions of crushed examples of Dermacentor
auratus Supino and R. haemaphysaloides collected from wild pigs.
The
present author has identified on numerous occasions for Dr. C. Strickland
of the School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Calcutta, nymphs of D. auratus
collected from man. These resemble R. sanguineus to a great extent in out-
ward appearance and can easily be mistaken for R. sanguineus by any person
* Vide Annual Report of the Imperial Institute of Veterinary Research, Muktesar for the
year ending 31st March 1933, pp. 30, 31.