Epidemiological studies on hard ticks and tick bome parasites, in Shalatin City, Red Sea governorate, Egypt

Abstract EN

A total of 551 camels, 225 sheep, and 106 goats were examined for the prevalence of tick infestation and tick borne haemoparasites.

Tick infestation was detected in 154 (27.94%) in camels, 41 (18.22%) in sheep and 25(23.58%) in goats.

Halima dromedaries was found to be the predominant tick species (90.90 %) infesting camels.

Other tick species found in low numbers were {Halima impel Tatum (3.90 %), Halima anatolicum anatolicum (2.93 %) and Amblyomma lepidum (2.26 %).

Nymphs of the genus Halima were collected in significant numbers in camels.

Ticks were found on camels throughout the year and increased in numbers during May, Jun, July and August with a peak in August and a mean monthly total of (4.60-26.57) ticks per animal.

Rhipcephalus sp., and Haemophysalis sp, found to be the predominant tick species (45.14%&38.19%) and (44.23 % & 38.46 %) among sheep and goats respectively followed by Hyalomma dromedarii in sheep (16.66 %) and H anatolicum anatolicum (17.30 %)in goats.

Ticks were found on sheep and goats during May, Jun, July and August with a peak in August and a mean monthly total of (2.25-4.44) ticks per animal.

No sheep and goats were found infested with ticks from December - February.

Tick infestation was more prevalent in male while female animals harbored more ticks infestation than males, higher numbers of ticks per animals were found in older animals as compared younger ones.

Giemsa-stained blood smears prepared monthly from tick infested camels, sheep and goats revealed the presence of Theileria camelensis (48.58 %), and Anaplasma marginale (6.49 %) in camels.

Theileria ovis.

(51.21 %), Babesia sp, (12.20 %o), Anaplasma marginale (14.63 %) and Eperythrozoon sp., (9.76 %) in sheep and Theiler a ovis (52 %) and Ana plasma marginable (24 %) in goats.

Examination of the haemolymph and egg smears of the obtained engorged adult female ticks revealed presence of five forms, the banana forms were the highest, followed by the spindle, club, crescent and rod.

While examination of salivary glands of engorged nymphs and moderate feed and unfed adult H.dromedarii ticks showed the developmental stages oiTheileria.