Species distribution, prevalence, and risk factors associated with tick infestations of equines in Nigeria

Abstract

ABSTRACT Ticks are haematophagous acarines that infest a wide variety of animals. Horses and donkeys were checked for ticks to determine the species diversity, prevalence, and risk factors associated with tick infestation of equids from four states of North-Western Nigeria. Altogether, we collected 538 ticks comprising 385 males (71.6%) and 153 females (28.4%) grouped into two genera, Hyalomma and Rhipicephalus. Overall infestation was 22.6% (106/468), with horses accounting separately for a prevalence of 37.4% (105/281) and 0.5% (1/187) in donkeys. Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi was the most prevalent species accounting for 484 (78.4%) of the total ticks collected, while R. sanguineus (1; 0.2%) was the least encountered. Other ticks included H. dromedarii (38; 7.1%), R. (Boophilus) decoloratus (7; 1.3%), H. rufipes (6; 1.1%), and H. truncatum (2; 0.4%). The largest number of ticks was collected from Kano (246; 45.7%) followed by Katsina (142; 26.4%). Both Jigawa (75; 13.9%) and Kaduna (75; 13.9%) states had the least number of collections. Rhipicephalus e. evertsi was the most distributed tick species, reported in all locations, while H. rufipes was found only in Jigawa state. Age was the most significant risk factor for tick infestation in horses. The findings confirm the infestation of equids with ticks in Nigeria.