Abstract
Aim:The present study was carried out to identify the Ixodidae ticks fauna of livestock and their seasonal activity in the cities of Boyer-Ahmad and Dena of Kohgiluyeh Province, south-west of Iran.Materials and Methods:Hard ticks from sheep, goats, and cattle were collected manually, stored in 70% ethanol, and identified using morphological characters.Results:During the study, a total of 1273 hard ticks from four genera, including Rhipicephalus, Hyalomma, Dermacentor, and Haemaphysalis, were collected. Rhipicephalus sanguineus (s.l.) had the highest frequencies in both cities with 62.08 and 62.88% of collected specimens, followed by Hyalomma scupense with 14.36 and 13.54% in Boyer-Ahmad and Dena, respectively. Furthermore, Hyalomma marginatum with only one sample or 0.12% of collected ticks showed the lowest frequencies in the studied areas. Dermacentor marginatus with three samples or 0.37% was recorded only in Boyer-Ahmad, and Haemaphysalis sulcata with two samples or 0.43% was recorded only in Dena. In both cities, sheep were the most infested ruminant, and the ears in sheep and goats were the most affected areas. The highest activity was observed in spring, and the lowest activity was observed in winter and autumn.Conclusion:The results of the present study showed that Hyalomma and Rhipicephalus genera were the most widespread genera in the study areas. Regarding the importance of genera, such as Rhipicephalus, Hyalomma, and Haemaphysalis, in transmitting disease agents and the location of Kohgiloyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province in the routes of migrant birds, further studies are required to elucidate their exact roles in human and livestock health in these areas.
Highlights
Ticks are blood-feeding obligatory ectoparasites, on wild animals [1]
About 10% of the approximately 900 known species of ticks are responsible for the transmission of numerous microorganisms among domestic animals and human [2]
These ectoparasites can transmit a variety of diseases such as CrimeanCongo hemorrhagic fever [3], tularemia, endemic relapsing fever, Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, and rickettsiosis [4]
Summary
Ticks are blood-feeding obligatory ectoparasites, on wild animals [1]. They are important vectors of diseases agent affecting livestock, human, and other vertebrates. About 10% of the approximately 900 known species of ticks are responsible for the transmission of numerous microorganisms among domestic animals and human [2]. These ectoparasites can transmit a variety of diseases such as CrimeanCongo hemorrhagic fever [3], tularemia, endemic relapsing fever, Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, and rickettsiosis [4].
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