Mbati, P. A.De Waal, D. T.Mogaswane, Kagiso H. R.2022-08-162022-08-162001http://hdl.handle.net/11660/11837A sero-epidemiological survey was conducted in the north-eastern Free State region of South Africa to determine the parasites of veterinary importance infecting sheep and goats. Blood smears from sheep (n=37 I) and goats (n= l88) were negative for Anaplasma and Thei/eria or any other blood parasites. All the sheep and goats were seropositive for Theileria species by IF AT while 85% of sheep and 100% of goats tested seropositive for Anaplasma species by competition inhibition ELISA. The observation of the negative blood smears but high incidence of positive serological results for Anaplasma and Theileria species for the two animal groups indicates that this area is endemic but with a stable disease condition. Because the animals did not show any clinical. signs of infection the sheep and goats in the north eastern Free State are probably healthy carriers of Anaplasma and Theileria. Two tick species found to infect sheep and goats in the three study sites of Harrismith, Kestell and Qwa-Qwa were Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi and Boophilus decoloratus. These two are known vectors of Anaplasma species and Thei/eria species, the two diseases found to infest sheep and goats in this region. Rhipicepha!us evertsi evertsi was the dominant tick species across the study sites. A seasonal pattern in tick infestation was observed, whereby there is a high peak during the wanner months and a very low peak during the colder months of the season. Results from this study will form an integral component in the development of disease control programs in the region.enDissertation (M.Sc. (Zoology and Entomology))--University of the Free State (Qwaqwa Campus), 2001Sero-epidemiological surveyAnaplasma and TheileriaBoophilus decoloratusRhipicephalus evertsi evertsiAnaplasma speciesDissertationUniversity of the Free State