Risk factors contributing to tick-acaricide control failure in communal areas of the Oliver Tambo district eastern cape province, South Africa

Application of chemical acaricides in the control of ticks has led to the problem of tick-acaricide control failure. To obtain an understanding of the possible risk factors involved in this tick-acaricide control failure, this study investigated tick control practices on communal farms in the north-eastern part of the Eastern Cape Province (ECP) of South Africa. A semi-structured questionnaire designed to document specific farm attributes and acaricide usage practices was administered at 94 communal farms from the Oliver Tambo District municipality of the ECP. Data collected indicated that the main acaricide chemicals used at plunge dips of inland and coastal areas were synthetic pyrethroid formulations. Most (75