EPIDEMIOLOGY AND HEMATOLOGICAL IMPACT OF TICK INFESTATION IN BALI CATTLE: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY IN BONE REGENCY, INDONESIA

Prevalence and associated risk factors for bovine tick infestation in two districts of lower Punjab, Pakistan

BackgroundSmall ruminant playing significant economic development and cultural roles for smallholders and reared in different agroecological systems in Ethiopia. However, ticks and tick‐borne haemopathogens are major threats to the health of small ruminants leading to loss of production and productivity in Ethiopia especially in north‐western Ethiopia, due to climate and agroecological system favourable to the tick survival in the area.ObjectivesThe objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of Ixodid tick infestation and tick‐borne haemopathogens, to identify the existing Ixodid tick species and to investigate major risk factors associated with tick infestation and tick‐borne haemopathogens.MethodsA cross sectional study was conducted on 396 small ruminants (sheep =198 and goats = 198). Ticks were identified to the species level according to their morphological key structures. Thin blood smear were prepared and laboratoricaly examined to investigate tick‐borne haemopathogens. Logistic regression was employed to assess the association between potential risk factors with tick infestation and tick‐borne haemopathogens.ResultsThe overall prevalence of tick infestation and tick‐borne haemopathogens were 47.22% and 4.29%, respectively. Age, species, body condition, agroecological system and season were found significantly (p < 0.05) associated with tick infestation. Season was found to be significantly (p < 0.05) associated with occurrence of tick‐borne haemopathogen. Amblyomma variegatum (18.2%) and Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi (13.4%) were the predominant tick species encountered. Anaplasma ovis, Anaplasma marginale and Babesia ovis were prevalent tick‐borne haemopathogens.ConclusionsThe present study reported that there was higher tick infestation and tick‐borne haemopathogens infections on small ruminants in the study area. Therefore, based on tick epidemiology, a strategic tick control programs were needed in this region. Further detailed studies on the role of Ixodid tick species in causing tick‐borne diseases in small ruminants and their economic impact on livelihoods should be conducted.

In Ethiopia, ticks are the major threat to cattle productivity and production, leading to considerable economic losses. The current study was designed to estimate the prevalence of ixodid tick infestation, identify species, assess major risk factors associated with tick infestation and assess public awareness. A cross-sectional and questionnaire-based study was conducted from January 2022 to June 2022 in the Aleltu district. The study animals were selected using a simple random sampling method. Of the 400 cattle examined, 303 (75.8%) were found to be infested by one or more tick species. Six species of ticks were identified that belonged to three genera: Amblyomma, Hyalomma and Rhipicephalus, and the subgenus Rhipicephalus (Boophilus). The most common tick species identified in terms of their prevalence and dominance were Rh. (Bo) decoloratus, Rh. evertsi, Am. variegatum, Hy. rufipes, Rh. bergeoni and Rh. praetextatus. In the present study, Rh. (Bo) decoloratus was the most prevalent (56.8%) in the study area. Among the risk factors considered, the prevalence of tick species had a statistically significant (p<0.05) association with the age, production systems and body condition of animals. Out of 110 people interviewed, 107 (97.3%) believed there was a tick infestation in their village, and almost all farmers 103(93.6%) in the study area were unaware that ticks serve as vectors. The present study provides preliminary information on the prevalence of tick infestation and the composition of ticks in the Aleltu district. Ticks are a major problem for the cattle in the study area. Therefore, the problem observed in the study area alarms the district and calls for a comprehensive control strategy.

The experiment was conducted in and around Guwahati, Assam, India for a period of one calendar year from March, 2021 to February, 2022 to determine the prevalence and molecular identification of tick infestation in dogs in and around Guwahati, Assam, India. A total of 582 dogs of different breeds, age groups (below 1 year and above 1 year age group), sex and different categories (stray dogs, pet dogs and working dogs) were examined. Study revealed that overall prevalence of tick was found to be 58.76%. Breed-wise, highest prevalence of tick infestation was observed in mongrels (75%) followed by Germam shepherd (66.66%). Sex-wise, tick infestation was more in male dogs (70.10%) than females (47.42%). According to the age, tick infestation was found more in dogs of below 1 year of age (89.38%) than in dogs of above 1 year of age (39.32%). Category wise, stray dogs (92.77%) showed higher prevalence of tick infestation than working (64.36%) and pet dogs (40.12%). Ticks were observed throughout the year of which highest prevalence was recorded in monsoon season (70.79%) followed by post monsoon (62.22%), pre monsoon (57.35%) and winter (36.92%). Morphological as well as molecular identification based on amplification and sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA gene showed that the isolated ticks belonged to Rhipicephalus sanguineus (ON428306.1, ON428307.1 and ON428308.1). Phylogenetic analysis based on a portion of 16S rRNA gene showed divergence at nucleotide level among the tick isolates.

ABSTRACTThis study investigated the prevalence, diversity, and risk factors of tick infestation and Theileria annulata infection in cattle from District Peshawar, Pakistan. A total of 322 cattle of different breeds, ages, and sexes were examined between January and March 2024. The overall prevalence of tick infestation was 35.4%, with females more frequently infested than males. Exotic and crossbred cattle, particularly Holstein Friesian and Jersey, along with calves, showed higher susceptibility compared to indigenous breeds and older cattle. Morphological identification revealed Rhipicephalus microplus as the most prevalent species, followed by Hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum, while other species occurred at lower frequencies. Species distribution varied significantly across breeds, with R. microplus predominating in Sahiwal cattle and H. anatolicum strongly associated with Holstein Friesian. Molecular screening confirmed T. annulata infection, with the highest prevalence detected in female H. anatolicum, whereas R. microplus showed relatively low infection rates. Ecological analysis indicated moderate species diversity overall, with Holstein Friesian cattle exhibiting the greatest richness and dissimilarity in tick fauna compared to indigenous breeds. Tick burden severity was mostly moderate, and co‐infestation patterns were dominated by combinations of H. anatolicum and R. microplus. This study is the first to integrate molecular detection of T. annulata with ecological indices of tick diversity in cattle of Peshawar, providing a comprehensive picture of vector–host–pathogen interactions. The identification of breed‐ and age‐specific vulnerabilities highlights the need for targeted tick control strategies. These findings have direct implications for designing sustainable management programs aimed at reducing the economic and health burden of tropical theileriosis in endemic regions.

Ticks are harmful blood-sucking ectoparasites that are widespread across the world but are more economically significant in tropical and subtropical regions. To determine the prevalence of tick infestation in cattle, a cross-sectional study was carried out in the Wayu Tuka district from October 2022 to July 2023. Three study villages were purposefully chosen, and from this chosen kebele, the study populations were chosen using simple random selection techniques. Ticks were identified by their features under a stereomicroscope. In the current study, adult ticks were collected from 384 local and cross breed cattle and examined, of which 108 (28.1%) were infested with different genera of ticks. Ticks were recorded across the study sites, with the highest and lowest prevalences of 29.9%, 27.0%, and 26.7% in Gida Abalo, Gute Badiya, and Bonaya Molo, respectively. No significant difference in prevalence was observed between the three PAs. The major tick genera identified by this study were Amblyomma variegatum, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) decoloratus, Amblyomma coherence, and Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi, with prevalence’s of 17 (15.74%), 20 (18.51%), 11 (10.18%), and 5 (4.63%), respectively. There was statistical significance (p&lt;0.05) between the body conditions of cattle and tick infestations in the study area. The highest prevalence of tick infestations, 53 (41.1%), was found in animals with poor body conditions, while a low prevalence of 24 (20.7%) was recorded in animals with good body conditions. On the other hand, a statistically significant difference was not observed between the age and sex of animals in the current study area (p&gt;0.05). In general, the results of the present study reveal that there was a high tick infestation in the study area. Therefore, appropriate control measures should be implemented.

A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence and risk factors for ectoparasites infestation in 979 goats in three agroecologies in central Oromia, Ethiopia from October 2009 through April 2010. The results of the study showed that of the total goats examined 487 (49.7 %) of them were infested with one or more ectoparasites. The ectoparasites identified were (16.5 %) Linognathus spp., 8.8 % Sarcoptes, 5 % Ctenocephalides spp. 11.8 % Amblyomma variegatum, 5.9 % Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi, 4.3 % Rhipicephalus pravus, 1.6 % Boophilus decoloratus, 1.8 % Rhipicephalus sanguineus, 1.3 % Rhipicephalus praetextatus, and 0.4 % Hyalomma truncatum. Statistically significant (OR = 0.477, p = 0.000) difference was observed in prevalence of Linognathus stenopsis among highland, lowland and midland. Significantly higher prevalence of tick infestation in the lowland than both the midland and highland agroecology was recorded. The risk of tick infestations in lowland and midland was 2.841 and 5.635 times, respectively, higher than in highlands. Age-related variation was not observed in the prevalence of both Linognathus and tick infestations in examined goats. Significantly (OR = 7.864, p = 0.000) higher prevalence of sarcoptic mange in the lowland than the midland was observed. Goats in lowland were 7.864 times at higher risk for sarcoptic mange than those in the midlands. Sex-related variation in the prevalence of ectoparasites was never recorded in goats. Significantly higher prevalence of sarcoptic mange (OR = 0.266, p = 0.000) and Ctenocephalides spp. (OR = 2.430, p = 0.005) on young than adult goats was recorded. The logistic regression results showed statistically significant difference in prevalence of tick infestations (OR = 0.565, p = 0.000) and sarcoptic mange (OR = 0.582, p = 0.003) between goats with poor and good body condition. Further studies on role of ectoparasites in transmission of diseases to goats, comparative prevalence and load, and the importance of goats as alternative hosts in different agroecology and management systems in Ethiopia are recommended so as to design applicable control program in the country. Furthermore, the threat of ectoparasites on overall productivity of goats and the tanning industry warrants detail studies and urgent control intervention.

Prevalence, seasonal dynamics and associated variables of ixodid tick cattle infestation in Gondar, northwestern Ethiopia

Ixodid ticks are one of the major health constraints on small ruminant productivity and contribute to significant economic losses in Somalia. An across-sectional study was conducted from November 2019 through December 2020 to identify hard tick species and determine the prevalence of tick infestation in small ruminants in the Benadir region, Somalia. Ticks were identified at the genera and species level by using morphological identification keys under a stereomicroscope. During the study period, a total of 384 small ruminants were examined for the presence of ticks through purposive sampling. All visible individual adult ticks were collected from the bodies of 230 goats and 154 sheep. A total of 651 Ixodid adult ticks were collected, of which 393 were male and 258 were female. The overall prevalence of tick infestation in the study area was 66.15% (254/384). The prevalence of tick infestation in goats and sheep was found to be 76.1% (175/230) and 51.3% (79/154), respectively. In the present study, nine species of hard ticks, which were grouped into three genera, were identified. The most abundant species found in this study were Rhipichephalus pulchellus (64.97%), Rhipichephalus everstieversti (8.45%), Rhipichephalus pravus (5.53%), Rhipichephalus lunulatus (5.38%), Amblyomma lepidum (5.22%), Amblyomma gemma (3.38%), and Hyalomma truncatum (2.62%) according to predominance. Rhipichephalus bursa (2.46%) and Rhipichephalus turanicus (1.99%) were the minor species observed in both species in the study area. The difference in the prevalence of tick infestation was found to be a statistically significant variation (p < 0.05) between species groups but not sex groups. In all cases, male ticks dominated female ticks. In conclusion, the findings of this study suggest that ticks were the most prevalent ectoparasites of small ruminants in the study areas. Therefore, the increasing threat of ticks and tick-borne pathogens of small ruminants warrants the urgent strategic application of acaricides and the creation of awareness among livestock owners to prevent and control tick infestations of sheep and goats in the study area.

Across-sectional study was designed and conducted in Damot Gale district of Wolaita zone, south Ethiopia. The major objectives of the research were: to determine the prevalence of major ixodid ticks; to identify the collected ticks into their respective species; and to assess the risk factor influencing the prevalence of tick infestation in the study area. For this purpose, 384 heads of cattle maintained under traditional management system were selected using simple random sampling statistical technique. All visible ticks were collected from half body part of selected cattle, preserved in70% alcohol and transported to WSU-SVM for subsequent identification into species, based on key standards. Questionnaire survey was conducted to collect baseline information regarding farmers’ perceptions of the effects of ticks on livestock production. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS software (Version20.1) for descriptive and inference purposed. A total of 264 ixodid ticks were collected, which belonged to of Boophilus (59.85%), Rhippicephalus (25.38%) and Amblyomma (14.77%) genera, with the overall prevalence of tick infestation to be about 6%. At species level, Boophilus decoloratus (59.85), Rhippicephalusevertsievertsi (25.38%), Amblyomma variegatum (10.61%) and Amblyommagemma (4.16%) were the hard tick species identified during the survey period. Regarding spatial distribution, these ticks had the highest prevalence at Gacheno and Chocha and the lowest prevalence at Fate district. Regression analysis indicated that the prevalence of tick infestation did not reveal significant statistical difference between male and female sex groups (p>0.05). Nevertheless, adult cattle over the age of three years were more significantly challenged by tick infestation than young cattle (P<0.05). Similarly, the prevalence of tick infestation was significantly higher (p<0.01) in cattle with poor body condition than those with medium and good body condition score. In conclusion, the present research disclosed that tick infestation due to hard tick s is responsible for considerable pathogenic impacts and economic losses due to their deleterious effects on leather industry. Based on the present findings, it is recommended that integrate tick control efforts should be implemented, and the efficacy acaricides should be detected to control the risk of drug resistance in Damot Gale district.

Aim: To study the prevalence of tick infestation in dogs in and around Bhubaneswar. Materials and Methods: A total of 610 dogs (360 stray dogs & 250 pet dogs) in and around Bhubaneswar belonging to either sex were examined for tick infestation during a period of one year (Aug 2011- July 2012). Standard parasitological procedures were followed for collection, processing and identification of ticks. Result: 283 dogs (46.39%) were found positive for tick infestation with three different ixodid tick spp., viz. Rhipicephalus spp (39.51%), Boophilus spp.(4.92%) and Haemaphysalis spp. (1.97%) with many dogs having mixed infestations. Higher rate of incidence was recorded among stray dogs (58.33%) as compared to pet dogs (29.20%). Prevalence among dogs less than 1 year of age was higher (53.41%) than dogs above one year (45.21%). The overall percentage of incidence was higher (53.97%) among males than females (38.31%) in both stray and pet dogs. Influence of age and the variation due to sex on prevalence of tick infestations was found to be statistically significant (p<0.05). Highest percentage of prevalence (48.86%) was recorded during rainy season followed by summer season (40.39%) and lowest (32.24%) in winter. Influence of season on the prevalence of tick infestation was highly significant (p<0.01). Conclusion: Our study revealed the occurrence of three types of ixodid ticks in dogs with a prevalence of mixed infestation. Influence of age, sex and season on the prevalence of tick infestation was found to be significant.

This study was carried out to determine the prevalence, intensity and management systems associated with tick infestation in sheep and goats from Bui and Donga-Mantung Divisions. A total of 704 animals consisting of 342 males and 362 females (463 adults and 241 young (kids/lambs) were physically examined for tick infestation, of which 383 were goats and 321 sheep aged 5 months to 7 years. Of the 704 animals examined, 651 were found positive with one or more ticks giving an overall prevalence of 92.5%. The highest prevalence was recorded in sheep (99.4%) while 86.7% was recorded in goats. There was a significant difference (p&lt;0.05) in the prevalence and intensity of tick infestation of these ruminants in the study area. The overall intensity of infestation or tick burden was 1302 with the highest intensity observed in Boophilus geygei (416). Six species of ticks were identified which were Boophilus geygei, Boophilus annulatus, Boophilus decoloratus, Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Hyalomma truncatum and Haemophysalis laechi with a high prevalence recorded for Boophilus geygei (29.5%) and the least recorded for Haemophysalis laechi (8.4%). Adults and females were the most infested compared to young stock and male animals. Concerning the various management techniques, the prevalence of tick infestation was higher in tethered animals (97.8%), followed by free-range grazing animals (89.8%). Animals confined in paddocks had the least prevalence (71.6%). This study provides an important step to reduce animal infestation and minimize economic losses in sheep and goats by providing information that will help farmers of these areas to use strategic treatment methods and medicinal plants to reduce parasite infestations on the animals and also to practice the right traditional management techniques

The distribution and abundance of cattle tick species in Humbo woreda, Wolaita zone, was studied over a period of 6 months from November, 2011 to April, 2012. Adult ticks were collected from seven main body regions of 384 cattle which were under extensive management system. Out of the total of 384 cattle examined, 238 (61%) were found to be infested by one or more tick species. About 2,439 adult ticks were collected from the animal body parts and identified to genera and species level. Five tick species of three genera (Amblyomma, Boophilus and Rhipicephalus) were identified. The relative prevalence of each species was Boophilus decolaratus (30%), Rhipicephalus evertsi-evertsi (25%), Amblyomma varigatum (25%), A. cohaerence (11%), and A. lepidium(6%). The risk factors like sex and age of cattle did not show significant association with the infestation rate but there was association with both breeds and body conditions. The prevalence of tick infestation in medium body condition (78%), poor body condition (67%), and good body condition (57%) was found to be statistically significant (p < 0.05) among the three groups of body conditions. The prevalence of tick infestation was found to be statistically significant (p < 0.05) among the three breeds, with highest prevalence in exotic breeds (100%) than both cross (80%) and local breeds (58%). The result indicated that the favorable predilection sites of Amblyommaspecies are ventral body and perineum. B. decolaratus preferred dewlap, udder/scrotum, belly, leg/tail, head, and perineum. R. eversti-evertsi had a strong predilection sites for perineum, dewlap, udder/scrotum, and ears. The sex ratio of all tick species identified during this study periods was skewed towards male except forB. decolaratus. Considering the economic importance of tick and tick borne diseases (TBDs) in the Humbo district, also in the country, there should be country wide control strategy, taking into account acaricide residues in products. Key words: Attachment site, cattle, Humbo woreda, ixodidae, prevalence, tick burden.

Background. Over 700 species of ticks are characterised by moderate to high host specificity, and a handful by very high host specificity, parasitizing upon a single host species. The rest are not host specific. One of them is the castor bean tick, which parasitizes all available terrestrial vertebrates including humans. Poland lacks tick species that are reptile-specific, since, as reported by K. Siuda (1993), these ectoparasites generally prefer endotherms, namely birds and mammals. However, the literature reports that the prevalence of castor bean tick infestation of local sand lizard populations is as high as 13.2 % – 40.4 %. Observations of different authors also indicate that outside the period of regular tick appearance on lizards, individual lizards can have very high tick loads, varying between several to over 100. Materials and Methods. The research was conducted in three separate study areas in western Poland: Żary, Zielona Góra and Nowa Sól. 606 specimens of sand lizards were captured, analysed and photographed. 222 (36.6 %) of them were infested with ticks. With each capture ticks were checked and removed. The lizards were caught by hand. Inter-group two-way and three-way ANOVA and Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated with the use of IBM SPSS Statistics 23 software. Threshold of statistical significance was set to α = 0.05. Results. In total 1339 ticks were obtained from lizards, all of which were castor bean ticks (Ixodes ricinus). 914 (68.2 %) were larvae, 424 (31.7 %) were nymphs and 1 (0.1 %) was an adult female. The highest number of ticks (778) was collected from lizards at Żary site. The most infested male from Żary was parasitized upon by 55 ticks, from Zielona Góra – by 46 and from Nowa Sól – by 15. In regard to females these numbers were 36, 34 and 15, respectively. The average infestation (defined as number of ticks) was higher for lizards from Żary than for those from Zielona Góra (p &lt; 0.001) and Nowa Sól (p &lt; 0.001), which also differed from each other in a statistically significant way (p = 0.001). Main effect of sex/age group turned out to be statistically significant, F(2.796) = 67.75; p &lt; 0.001; η2 = 0.15. Hence post-hoc analysis was carried out and showed that males carried higher number of ticks than females and juveniles (p &lt; 0.001). Females, on the other hand, carried more ticks than juveniles (p &lt; 0.001). Conclusion. The research confirmed a significant role of sand lizards in propagation of Ixodes ricinus. It was shown that lizards were affected mainly by early develop­mental stages of ticks. The prevalence of tick infestation was 36.6 % – 58.1 % for Żary, 28.1 % for Zielona Góra and 13.8 % for Nowa Sól. The average tick load on sand lizards was 2.5 individuals. The highest number of them was collected from 58.5 % of males, 36.4 % of females and 5.1 % of juveniles. High tick infestation of males can be explained by their higher mobility, especially during mating season.

We conducted a survey to determine the prevalence of hard ticks, their predilection sites and relation to breed, sex, and age group of animals. Cattle coming to clinic from different localities found in Haramaya district were selected by systematic random sampling technique and then examined for tick infestation. A total of 560 animals were examined of which 186 (33.21%) were found infested with one or more ticks. Among the total, 1446 ticks collected three genera; Amblyomma, Boophilus, andRhipicephalus, and five species identified. The relative prevalence of each species wasAmblyomma variegatum (38.87%), Amblyomma coherence (8.30%), Boophilus decoloratus (31.54%), Rhipicephalus pulchellus (6.64%) and Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi (14.66%). A. variegatum and A. coherence show higher preference to axial, scrotum/udder, groin and belly. B. decoloratus species were found prominently on the back and neck. R. evertsi evertsi and R. pulchelus showed high preference to the under tail and perianal and vulva regions of the body. The male to female sex ration of the collected ticks was found to 1.96:1, showing higher proportion of male than their counterparts. The prevalence of tick infestation was found significantly higher (P 0.05). Key words: Haramaya, cattle, infestation, Ixodide ticks.