<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica;">Koch (1844) originally described only the male of <em>Haemaphysalis (Rhipistoma) elliptica</em> (Koch, 1844), which he named <em>Rhipistoma ellipticum</em>. For the past century, however, this name has been considered a junior synonym of <em>Haemaphysalis (Rhipistoma) leachi</em> (Audouin, 1826), or a <em>nomen nudum</em>. We redescribe here the male and larva of <em>H. (R.) elliptica</em> and describe the female and nymph for the first time. Our redescription is based on the male holotype, plus numerous specimens from southern and East Africa. The adults of this tick parasitize domestic and wild carnivores, and the immature stages infest rodents in these regions. For comparative purposes redescriptions of all parasitic stages of <em>H. (R.) leachi</em> are provided. It parasitizes the same hosts as <em>H. (R.) elliptica</em> in Egypt, and in northeastern, Central, West and East Africa.</span>

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica;">Intramammary antibiotics are registered and tested for use in dairy cattle. This study investigated withdrawal periods of three intramammary antibiotics (Curaclox LC [Norbrook Pharmacia AH]), Spectrazol Milking Cow (Schering-Plough Animal Health) and Rilexine 200 LC (Logos Agvet [Virbac]) in dairy goats and compared them to withdrawal periods recommended for use in cattle. Three trials were carried out in two different herds. The withdrawal periods for Curaclox LC in eight relatively low producing Saanen goats were 74.3 h (<span style="text-decoration: underline;">+</span> 19.21) measured by Thermo-Resistant Inhibitory Substances (TRIS), 90.0 h (<span style="text-decoration: underline;">+</span> 16.97) measured by colour dye, 99.4 h (<span style="text-decoration: underline;">+</span> 9.07) for cloxacillin measured by Parallux Beta Lactam Assay test (IDEXX distributors), and 92.6 h (<span style="text-decoration: underline;">+</span> 11.41) for ampicillin measured by Parallux. The withdrawal period for Curaclox LC recommended for use in cattle (72 h) was significantly shorter than the withdrawal periods as measured by colour dye (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.001), Parallux testing for cloxacillin (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.001) and ampicillin (<em>P</em> = 0.003). There was a significant difference in withdrawal periods as measured by TRIS (<em>P</em> = 0.009) and colour dye (<em>P</em> = 0.036). The mean withdrawal periods measured on 12 relatively high producing Saanen and Saanen-Toggenburg crossbreed dairy goats measured by TRIS, colour dye and Parallux for ampicillin and cloxacillin were, however, shorter at 42.0 h (<span style="text-decoration: underline;">+</span> 7.077), 64.5 h (<span style="text-decoration: underline;">+</span> 60.26), 77.3 h (<span style="text-decoration: underline;">+</span> 13.56) and 70.7 h (<span style="text-decoration: underline;">+</span> 12.65), respectively. These withdrawal periods for Curaclox LC were significantly longer than the withdrawal periods recommended for cattle as measured by TRIS (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.001) and colour dye (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.001). The combined withdrawal periods for Curaclox LC in the two trials as measured by TRIS, colour dye, Parallux testing for Cloxacillin and Ampicillin were 58.64h (<span style="text-decoration: underline;">+</span> 24.31), 75.8 h (<span style="text-decoration: underline;">+</span> 17.70), 87.0 h (<span style="text-decoration: underline;">+</span> 16.10) and 80.3 h (<span style="text-decoration: underline;">+</span> 16.23), respectively. The withdrawal period, when data of the two trials were combined, measured by TRIS (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.001) was significantly longer than the withdrawal period recommended for use in cattle. The mean withdrawal period as measured by TRIS for Spectrazol Milking Cow for seven relatively low producing Saanen dairy goats was 95.3 h (<span style="text-decoration: underline;">+</span> 17.23). This was significantly (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.001) longer than the withdrawal period recommended for use in cattle (60 h) for Spectrazol Milking Cow.<br />The mean withdrawal period as measured by TRIS for Rilexine 200 LC for 20 relatively high producing Saanen and Saanen-Toggenburg crossbreed dairy goats was 36.9 h (<span style="text-decoration: underline;">+</span> 9.943) and was significantly (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.001) shorter than the withdrawal period as recommended for use in cattle (96 h). <br />There were also significant differences in all the one-sample t-tests between withdrawal periods for goats and recommended withdrawal periods for cattle without the 24 h safety margin.</span>

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica;">The objective of this study was to assess the host status of the three largest southern African wild ruminants, namely giraffes, <em>Giraffa camelopardalis</em>, African buffaloes, <em>Syncerus caffer</em>, and eland, <em>Taurotragus oryx</em> for ixodid ticks. To this end recently acquired unpublished data are added here to already published findings on the tick burdens of these animals, and the total numbers and species of ticks recorded on 12 giraffes, 18 buffaloes and 36 eland are summarized and discussed. Twenty-eight ixodid tick species were recovered. All stages of development of ten species, namely <em>Amblyomma hebraeum, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) decoloratus, Haemaphysalis silacea, Ixodes pilosus group, Margaropus winthemi, Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi, Rhipicephalus glabroscutatum, Rhipicephalus maculates</em> and <em>Rhipicephalus muehlensi</em> were collected. The adults of 13 species, of which the immature stages use small mammals as hosts, namely <em>Haemaphysalis aciculifer, Hyalomma glabrum, Hyalomma marginatum rufipes, Hyalomma truncatum, Ixodes rubicundus, Rhipicephalus capensis, Rhipicephalus exophthalmos, Rhipicephalus follis, Rhipicephalus gertrudae, Rhipicephalus lounsburyi, Rhipicephalus lunulatus, Rhipicephalus pravus</em> group and <em>Rhipicephalus simus</em>, were also collected.</span>

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica;">Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP), caused by <em>Mycoplasma mycoides</em> var. <em>mycoides</em> small colony (<em>Mmm</em>SC), is one of the most important diseases of cattle in Africa. <br />The role of innate or acquired cell mediated and humoral immunity in conferring protection against <em>Mmm</em>SC infection has not yet been elucidated. On the other hand, the pathological lesions caused by the aetiological agent have been considered indicative of an immunopathological process. <br />In this study ten na&iuml;ve cattle were exposed to in-contact infection with animals infected by intubation with a strain of <em>Mmm</em>SC. Clinical signs, antibody response, IFN<span style="font-family: Symbol;" lang="AF"><span>g</span></span> release and pathological changes at necropsy were analysed and compared with the events following in-contact infection of an equal number of animals kept under daily treatment with cyclosporine for the entire observation period of 84 days. Cyclosporine is a suppressor of the immune response related to the T-cell system. <br />Under the conditions of the experiment, cyclosporine appeared to condition the pathogenesis of CBPP by delaying the events that follow infection, bringing further support to the possibility that the immune response may have an impact on the disease outcome.</span>