Molecular Detection and Phylogenetic Analysis of Tick-Borne Pathogens in Cattle from Southern Malawi

Tick-borne diseases (TBDs) pose a major hindrance to livestock production in countries with limited resources. Effective prevention and management of TBDs require a thorough understanding of disease vectors and pathogens. However, there is limited information on studies of bovine tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) using molecular methods in Malawi. This study aimed to detect TBPs of cattle populations in southern Malawi, which has the largest cattle population in the country. A total of 220 blood samples from apparently healthy cattle were collected in six districts, and were screened for selected TBPs using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The overall detection rate of TBPs was 72.3