Prevalence of cattle ticks in various agro-ecological zones of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and evaluation of botanical extracts against Hyalomma detritum

Abstract

BackgroundThe occurrence of infestation by ticks on livestock is a significant challenge in several semi-tropical and tropical countries including Pakistan. Polluted environment and adapted tolerance by ticks against acaricide are the limiting factors that restrict the management of ticks globally. MethodsIn this study, we evaluatedthe infestation by ticks on cattle from numerous livestock farmspresent in different districts andagroecological areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a province inPakistan. Furthermore, wecompared the anti-tick efficacy of different botanicals using ethanolic and aqueous extracts tocontrolHyalomma detritum. ResultsThe prevalence rate was 1.78, 35.37, 36.23, 8.15, 15.50, 0.29 and 2.67 percent for Amblyoma varigatum (A. varigatum), Hyalomma anatolicum (H. anatolicum), H. detritum, Hylomma rufipes (H. rufipes), Hyalomma truncatem (H. truncatum), Rhipicephalus microplus (R. microplus), and Hyalomma kashmirensis (H. kashmirensis), respectively. In terms of high mortality rate of ticks, extracts derived from Calotropis procera flower (93.33%), Citrullus colocynthis fruit (95.0%) and Calotropis procera flower (89.4%) showed significantly high efficancy (P < 0.05) than the extracts derived from other plants. In terms of their efficacy in causing mortality of H. detritum tick, Calotropis procera flower, Citrullus colocynthis fruit and Calotropis procera leaves extracts displayed non-significant variation. ConclusionThis work revealed that the cattle tick H. detritum can be successfully controlled by employing bothethanolic and aqueous plant extracts. The intensive use of insecticides and chemical drugs are costly and may affect human health negatively due to residual effects in milk and animal meat.