About Us
The African Consortium for Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases (AfriCoTT) was founded by researchers, farmers and students during a workshop on ticks and tick-borne diseases (T&TBDs) that was held on June 25 and 26, 2019, at the Tropical Pesticides Research Institute, Arusha, Tanzania. is a broad-based consortium that is constituted by researchers, students, farmers, policymakers, extension workers, and community members who are interested in the advancement of T&TBD control. The consortium engages in research activities that focus on comprehensive surveillance of T&TBDs, developing tick acaricide resistance, alternative tick control programs, and policy development and education. These areas were identified as top priorities to be developed to improve T&TBD control on the continent. The activities of AfriCoTT is premised on an inclusive approach that involves students, researchers, government agencies, and communities to enhance surveillance for T&TBDs, encourage multidisciplinary participatory research, and promote a means to share limited resources and knowledge.
The overarching goal of AfriCoTT is to improve the surveillance and management of T&TBDs in Africa through rigorous and high-impact research.
Thematic Research Areas
The following thematic areas were developed, focused on the need to:
i. Establish national T&TBD survey programs initially in at least ten African countries;
ii. Develop national acaricide susceptibility profiles;
iii. Conduct ecological investigations on T&TBDs both regionally and nationally;
iv. Conduct research on innovative and culturally acceptable tick control options;
v. Implement social-based thematic areas that will have an impact on T&TBD management, including attitudes, practice, and cultures; and
vi. Influence policy development at both national and regional levels.