Length and density of filiform tongue papillae: differences between tick-susceptible and resistant cattle may affect tick loads

• Published in: Parasites & vectors 2015-11, Vol.8 (594), p.594-594, Article 594
• Main Authors: Veríssimo, Cecília José, D'Agostino, Selma Marques, Pessoa, Fernanda Ferreira, de Toledo, Luciandra Macedo, Santos, Isabel Kinney Ferreira de Miranda
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Biometry; Biopsy; Cattle; Cattle Diseases - parasitology; Disease susceptibility; Diseases; Distribution; Grooming; Grooming behavior; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Parasite Load; Physiological aspects; Resistance; Rhipicephalus - growth & development; Short Report; Taurine; Tick Infestations - parasitology; Tick Infestations - veterinary; Tick-borne diseases; Ticks; Tongue; Tongue - anatomy & histology; Zebu
• ISSN: 1756-3305; 1756-3305
• DOI: 10.1186/s13071-015-1196-4

Indicine breeds of bovines are highly resistant and taurine breeds are susceptible to the cattle tick, Rhipicephalus microplus, a species which causes great damage to livestock. Animals use their tongues for self-grooming, an important behavior for ridding themselves of ectoparasites. However, the role of tongue morphology, notably the filiform papillae, in this process is not known. This study compared features of the filiform papillae of tongues in eight Nelores (indicine breed) and eight Holsteins and two Brown Swiss (taurine breeds) and verified how they associate with tick loads. Biopsies were taken from identical positions of tongues and measured by scanning electron microscopy. One-way analysis of variance detected significant differences between morphological features of tongues from indicine and taurine breeds: Nelores had longer papillae (mean of 2.3 mm ± 0.029 SD; P