Which disease could NOT be eradicated by controlling its tick vector(s)? Assume that all vector(s), including those on wildlife or feral hosts, can be completely eradicated.

• A. East Coast fever
• B. African swine fever
• C. Equine babesiosis
• D. Bovine babesiosis

Answer: (B)

The key idea is whether the pathogen can persist without its tick vector. If a disease can maintain transmission through non-vector hosts or routes, removing the ticks won’t eradicate it. African swine fever fits this because wild boar populations act as a reservoir and the virus can spread directly between pigs or via contaminated meat, independent of ticks. Even with complete elimination of all tick vectors, infection could continue in wild boar and be reintroduced to domestic pigs, so eradication by vector control alone is not achievable. The other diseases rely mainly on tick transmission, so removing the vector would disrupt transmission and could eradicate them.