Kenya						                            
                            
						
 Research Article
												Phenotypic and Genotypic Identification of Ticks Sampled from Wildlife Species in Selected Conservation Sites of Kenya 						
Author(s): Carolyn Wanjira  Muruthi, Olivia Wesula  Lwande, Joseph Njuguna  Makumi, Steven  Runo, Moses  Otiende and Wycliffe Arika  MakoriCarolyn Wanjira  Muruthi, Olivia Wesula  Lwande, Joseph Njuguna  Makumi, Steven  Runo, Moses  Otiende and Wycliffe Arika  Makori             
						
												
				 Hard ticks are blood feeding ectoparasites that infest humans and animals and are vectors of pathogenic microorganism that cause severe infectious diseases. Morphological identification has been the main approach of identifying ticks but the technique is considered inaccurate and difficult. Molecular techniques have recently been considered to be appropriate approaches for accurate and rapid identification and Internal Transcribed Spacer 2 (ITS 2) has been shown to differentiate genus of hard ticks. Currently, genetic identification of ticks using ITS 2 has not been carried out in Kenya. In this study, 80 tick samples were collected from Lake Nakuru and Tsavo National Parks and were identified morphologically using appropriate identification keys. DNA was extracted from the appendages using DNA extraction kit followed by partial amplification of ITS 2 gene. The PCR products were then .. Read More»
				  
												DOI:
												 10.4172/2157-7579.1000293 
																	  
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