Test of the sheep ked Melophagus ovinus (L) as a vector of Anaplasma ovis Lestoquard
Zaugg, J.L.; Coan, M.E.
American Journal of Veterinary Research 47(5): 1060-1062
1986
ISSN/ISBN: 0002-9645 PMID: 3717726 Document Number: 286146
The sheep ked Melophagus ovinus was evaluated as a possible vector of Anaplasma ovis. In 4 tests, 45 to 293 keds were transferred from sheep with acute anaplasmosis, low level parasitemia, or carrier state of anaplasmosis to individual splenectomized ewes. Keds were confined in stockinette cages attached to the dorsal midline of the recipient hosts for 10 days. Throughout the 90-day observation periods after the keds were transferred, no clinical, serologic, or hematologic evidence of anaplasmosis was detected in any of the ked-recipient ewes. Results indicate that sheep keds probably are not mechanical or biological vectors of the ovine anaplasmosis organism.