TICK FEVER

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 116, 2 February 1918, Page 14

TICK FEVER

POSITION OF NEW ZEALAND. Some concern has been felt lately by North Auckland i'aimers at the presence Among cattle, horses, dogs, mid occasionally sheep, of a species of tick which is associated with a serious cattle disease in Queensland, the United States, and South Africa, states n correspondent of the "Otago Daily Times." Questioned oil the subject, Dr. 0. J. Iteakes (Director of the Live Stock Division of the Department of Agriculture) said that this disease, which was known in Queensland as "tick fever." and in other countries by local names, was caused by the presence of minute parasitic bodies in the blood of affected animals in countries where it prevailed. The ticks, being blood-sticking parasites, were simply carriers' of infection from animal to animal, in the same way thnt the mosquito was a carrier of malarial fever from man to man. "This disease," said Dr. Iteakes, "does not exist and has never been known to exist in New Zealand, and though a number of cattle, together witili other classes of stock, in the north of the Auckland district have been found to'be harbouring ticks, close observation and careful investigation have failed to detect in these cattle any trace of tick fever or any form of sickness resembling it. Ticks have been found in this part of New Zealand for some years past, but durilig tho lato spring ihev were unusually numerous, this being considered to be due to the considerable duration of wet weather experienced being favourable to their dissemination. These ticks are of a different- variety from those (responsible for oarrying disease in Queensland and America, though they are of an allied species, and can only be differentiated by close examination. They are quite common parasites in most countries. Wiilu there is Jiothinu to fear from them in conncetion with contagious disease so long as we can provent its introduction into New Zealand, they may he mischievous in the direction of rc(lucinr the value of hides if present 011 individual animals in sufficient numbers Their Mcmd-sucking habit will reduce the condition of an animal harbouring large numbers of them. TVir appearance is seasonal. They (irst appear in early spring and disappear nboufc the end of January."