External Parasites Research Articles

Nerocila orbignyi, Cymothoid isopoda infestation in European sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax. Trials for treatment with evaluation of immune and antioxidative responses.

Cymothoid isopods cause serious infestations in fish that may adversely affect the aquaculture. Current study targeted investigating the enormous infestation of European sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax with cymothoid isopod, Nerocila species in a marine fish farm at Kafr El Sheikh Governorate, Egypt; accompanied with trials for treatment with malathion 57% at 0.15 and 0.30 mg/L concentrations and evaluation of the immune and antioxidants responses. For this purpose, 450 D. labrax were randomly collected alive during April 2020 and thoroughly examined for detection of external parasites. Malathion 57% treatment trial was carried out. Blood and tissue samples were collected from infested fish at zero-day (before malathion treatment) and at 24hrs, 48hrs, 3rd day, 4th day and 5th day (after malathion treatment). Isopods collected from infested fish were identified as N. orbigny and fish's external body surface and gills were the predilection sites. Both malathion concentrations were effective in eradicating N. orbigny and decreasing the isopod prevalence from 100 to 0% at the 5th day sampling point. Infested fish revealed improved hematological parameters (Erythrocyte counts, hemoglobin, and hematocrit readings), however leucocyte and differential cells counts showed significant decrease in infested fish. Immunological parameters (Lysozyme and IgM activities) decreased, but nitric oxide increased by time after malathion application. Nerocila is considered serious parasite in aquaculture that negatively affects fish's immune and antioxidative responses; and malathion denoted as a promising treatment to control N. orbigny in infested D. labrax.

Immunological status and histopathological appraisal of farmed Oreochromis niloticus exposed to parasitic infections and heavy metal toxicity

The aim of this study is to assess the toxicity of some heavy metals and parasitic infection in fishes as well as the immunological status of these fishes infected with different parasites. Between January 2018 and January 2019, 360 Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) near four farms and in the Nile River in Giza were examined for external and internal parasites. In addition, samples were expressed for two genes using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Samples were also taken from muscles and water for toxicological analysis of different heavy metals. In the skin, the mean TNF-α levels in the monogenea and mixed protozoan parasites (Trichodina and Myxobolus spp.) were 18.00 ± 0.67 and 13.65 ± 0.54, respectively. In the gills, the mean TNF-α of monogenea, Centrocestus formosanus, and encysted metacercaria (EMC) with monogenea group means was 20.45 ± 0.74, 23.00 ± 0.74, and 25.78 ± 0.74, respectively. In muscles with EMC, the mean TNF-α level was 14.67 ± 0.70. In livers with EMC, the mean TNF-α level was 26.78 ± 0.70. In the skin, the mean IL-1β level in monogenea and protozoan parasites (Trichodina and Myxobolus spp.) was significantly different (25.00 ± 0.69 and 15.00 ± 0.43, respectively). In the gills, the mean IL-1β level of the monogenean group was 21.00 ± 0.79, whereas C. formosanus showed the significantly highest value (27.00 ± 0.74). The mean IL-1β level of EMC with the monogenea group was 24.00 ± 1.54. Results showed that the level of Zn, Pb, Cu, and Cd was the highest in tissues of fish than permissible limits (PLs). Histopathological examination of different examined tissues exhibited serious pathological alterations. Monogenetic trematodes were detected in the examined fish, and their presence was accompanied by hyperplasia and fusion of the secondary gill lamellae. EMC of digenetic trematodes was frequently observed in the gills and in the cartilage rod. In conclusion, the parasite infection can upregulate the immunological cytokines with different levels with different infections.

Altered blood oxidative stress markers in association with antioxidant supplemented therapy for mange, tick, and flea allergic dermatitis of dogs

Skin diseases are among the most common health problems in dogs. The study aimed to evaluate the oxidative stress biomarker profile in mange-, tick-, and flea-infested dogs and to assess the value of antioxidant supplementation as complementary therapy to standard treatment. Thirty-seven dogs were enrolled in the study, and they were divided into three groups: apparently healthy group (11 dogs), mange group (8 dogs), and tick- and flea-infested group (18 dogs). Four dogs out of mange group and eleven dogs out of tick- and flea-infested group were treated with specific therapy supplemented with vitamin E and selenium (tocopherol 50 mg + Se 1.5 mg/ml) 0.5 ml/20 kg IM weekly in mange group and vitamin E capsule at dose of 40 IU/Ib in ticks and fleas group for 3 weeks as antioxidant therapy. Oxidative stress biomarkers were measured including SOD, GPX, catalase, and MDA. In mange group, there were significant increase in SOD, MDA, and significant decrease in GPX, catalase enzymes in diseased groups, while after treatment SOD was significantly decreased in antioxidant supplemented group only. Catalase was significantly increased, MDA was significantly decreased in specific and antioxidant supplemented groups but no significance differences between two types of treatment were noticed. In tick- and flea-infested group, there were significant decrease in GPX and increase in MDA in diseased groups; after treatment there were significant increase in GPX and catalase only in antioxidant supplemented group and significant variances between two protocols of therapy in catalase level only. Vitamin E and selenium can be used with standard therapy to accelerate the clinical recovery of external parasitism in dogs.

دراسة تشخيصية وبيئية للطفيليات الخارجية لبعض اسماك نهر الزاب الاسفل واسماك برك التنمية في محافظة كركوك

دراسة تشخيصية وبيئية للطفيليات الخارجية لبعض اسماك نهر الزاب الاسفل واسماك برك التنمية في محافظة كركوك

ПОРОДНА СПРИЙНЯТЛИВІСТЬ ДОМАШНІХ СОБАК ДО ЕКТОПАРАЗИТІВ РОДУ CTENOCEPHALIDES (SIPHONAPTERA, PULICIDAE)

У домашніх м’ясоїдних тварин реєструють хвороби, збудники яких можуть заражати не тільки собак і котів, але й інших тварин, а також людину. Найбільш відомими і поширеними ектопаразитами домашніх собак є блохи роду Ctenocephalides, небезпека яких пов’язана і з тим, що вони мо-жуть бути переносниками збудників багатьох інфекційних та інвазійних хвороб. Дослідження вико-нували на базі лабораторії кафедри паразитології та ветеринарно-санітарної експертизи Полтав-ської державної аграрної академії та в умовах ветеринарного сервісу «VetExpert» (м. Полтава). Ме-тою досліджень було вивчити особливості сприйнятливості собак різних порід до збудників ктено-цефальозу. За результатами проведених досліджень встановлено, що показники екстенсивності ін-вазії собак коливалися в межах від 35,58 до 84,12 % за коливань інтенсивності інвазії від 14,57 до 27,54 екземплярів бліх на тварину. Найбільш сприйнятливими до Ctenocephalides spp. виявилися без-породні собаки та метиси, екстенсивність інвазії сягала відповідно 81,45 та 84,12 %, а середня ін-тенсивність інвазії – 27,54 та 21,37 екз./гол. Менш ураженими були собаки службових та мисливсь-ких порід, ЕІ – 51,66 та 41,41 % за ІІ – 18,40 та 16,23 екз./гол. Рідше діагностували ктеноцефальоз у собак декоративних порід, ЕІ – 35,58 % за ІІ – 14,57 екз./гол. Водночас собаки порід німецька вівчар-ка, середньоазіатська вівчарка, кавказька вівчарка, алабай, бурбуль, сибірський хаскі, коне-корсо, курцхаар, англійський бульдог, той-тер’єр, пудель та фокстер’єр виявилися найбільш ураженими Ctenocephalides spp., екстенсивність інвазії коливалася в межах від 57,73 до 83,19 %. Найменш ура-женими виявилися собаки порід ягтерєр та французький бульдог, ЕІ – 10,61 та 13,92 % відповідно. З’ясовано, що більш сприйнятливими до ктеноцефальозної інвазії є довгошерсті породи собак, де екстенсивність та інтенсивність інвазії сягає відповідно 70,60% та 20,24 екз./гол. Водночас корот-кошерсті собаки виявилися менш інвазованими збудниками ктеноцефальозу – 35,65 % та 13,00 екз./гол. Отримані дані щодо породної сприйнятливості собак до збудників ктеноцефальозу дають змогу більш ефективно планувати та проводити профілактичні заходи, зважаючи на особли-вості породи тварин.

Ectoparasites of feral horses [Equus ferus caballus (Linnaeus., 1758)] on Karadağ Mountain, Karaman, Turkey.

Approximately 250 feral horses [Equus ferus caballus (Linnaeus, 1758)] living on Karadağ Mountain near Karaman City were caught by Kazakh horse herdsmen with permission of the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and brought to a farm in Karkın village in Konya Province, 70km from Karadağ, in November, 2017. This study was carried out to determine the presence of ectoparasites infesting a subsample of 36 feral horses. The horses were visually inspected, and then their bodies were checked by hand for ectoparasites. Thirty-five (97.2%) were infested with at least one of five species of ectoparasites: Bovicola equi (Linnaeus, 1758), Hippobosca equina (Linnaeus, 1758), Haemaphysalis parva (Neuman, 1897), Hyalomma excavatum (Koch, 18449), Dermacentor marginatus (Sulzer, 1776). Most of the horses were coinfested with two ectoparasite species. Prevalence of infestation with H. equina was 80.6% and with B. equi 72.2%. In addition, prevalence of Ha. parva was 25.0%, Hy. excavatum 13.9%, and D. marginatus was 5.6%. This is the first systematic examination for external parasites of feral horses in Turkey. Further studies are needed to determine ectoparasites of greater numbers of feral horses in different localities.

Environmental and Diagnostic Study of External Parasites of Some Fish of Lower Zab River and Development Ponds Fishes in Kirkuk Governorate

The study was conducted in the laboratories of College of Education for women/University of Tikrit and Environmental Laboratory in Science College/University of Kirkuk, for the period from July 2018 until end of December 2018, during which 773 fish were collected, including 358 fish from fishes of education ponds (Cyprinus carpio and Barbus lutens) and 415 from Lower Zab River fish (Barbus sharpeyi, Barbus xanthopterus, Silurus glanis). The results recorded the infection of fish with three types of external primary parasites: Trichodina elegini in B. xanthopterus and breeding pond fish (C. carpio and donkeys), Chilodonella cyprinid by 7.9% in C. carpio fish from ponds and B. xanthopterus fish by 7.5% and 5.4% in B. sharpeyi fish, and there was no infection in S. glanis and B. lutens fish , Einaria sinensis, 14.8% in S. glanis fish, 9.589% in C. carpio fish from ponds, 8.17% in B. xanthopterus and 6.081% in B. sharpeyi fish. Changes were recorded in some of physical and chemical properties of water samples, as fluctuations in the average temperature of water were recorded between 26.7-11.5 ° C in river stations and 28-19 ° C in ponds stations, and the discretion values ​​showed site rates ranging from 28.9-21.6 NTU to water in river stations and 24. 6-20 NTU in ponds stations, a rate of electrical conductivity was recorded565-369micemens /cm for water in river stations and 690-408 micrometers / cm in ponds stations, pH values ​​ranged between 8.3-7.2 in river sites and 8.4-7 in ponds, and scored Variations in oxygen biomarker values ​​between 4.4-0.6 mg / l in river stations and 5.2-1.9 in ponds .

Analytical Model to Study Hard Turn-off Switching Dynamics of SiC mosfet and Schottky Diode Pair

Fast switching transient of SiC mosfet may lead to prolonged oscillations, spurious turn on, large device stress, and high amount of electromagnetic interference generation. For an optimal layout and gate driver design, study of switching dynamics is important. This article presents an analytical model that captures the turn-off switching dynamics of SiC mosfet and SiC Schottky barrier diode (SBD) pair using parameters obtained from device and gate driver datasheets and the values of external circuit parasitics. Unlike linear approximation, a detailed model of channel current is considered that captures the gradual transition from ohmic to saturation region and the transverse electric field effect. A comprehensive model of the transfer capacitance is used and the effect of external gate-drain capacitance is considered. This results in a better estimation of switching transition time, actual loss incurred, (dv/dt), (di/dt), and transient overvoltage. The behavioral simulation and experimental results confirm the accuracy of the presented analytical model over a range of operating conditions for two 1.2-kV discrete SiC mosfet and SBD pairs of different current ratings.

Demonstration of Maize-Nougcake Concentrate Based Sheep Fattening in Horro District, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia

This activity was conducted in Horro district of western Oromia, Ethiopia with the objective of popularizing proven sheep fattening technology. The study sites were Leku and Gitilo kebeles where community based sheep breeding project is underway. The rams to be fattened were weighed; body condition was recorded, de-wormed and sprayed against internal and external parasites. Initial price of the rams was estimated by a panel of three price informed estimators. The rams were supplemented with 400 g/h/day concentrate composed of 49.5% Noug cake, 49.5% ground maize, 1% salt for 90 days fattening period. The mean initial weight, final weight, initial price and selling prices of the rams were 21.05 kg, 28.51 kg, 517 birr and 1577.5 birr, respectively. Total body weight gain (TWG) of the rams on average was 7.5 kg over the fattening period with a range of 4.5-13.5 kg. The average daily gain (ADG) for the fattening period was 83.3 g/h/ day. The difference between initial and final body weight (7.5 kg) and initial and final body condition (1.7 kg) were statistically significant (p=0.00) and (p=.04), respectively. On average, a net return of birr 456.7 was accrued to the farmers from sale of the fattened rams. An increase in input price by 10%, keeping the price of fattened rams constant would result in marginal return of 1.6 and a net return of 396 birr. The technology is still profitable on the face of the expected escalation in input prices. The escalation is counteracted by the current attractive sale price of fattened rams. It is thus important to go for further scaling up in areas where there is access to these inputs.

Strategies for the Improvement of Pet Health and Welfare in Portugal Based on a Pilot Survey on Husbandry, Opinion, and Information Needs.

Simple SummaryThis study examined husbandry practices in companion animals being conducted in Portugal in order to understand the health and welfare issues which can be improved. One of the more important findings is that, despite adopting most pets, pet owners do not adopt from animal shelters, possibly due to the large bureaucratic process. Veterinary practice is viewed as expensive and identification of animals with microchip is frequently disregarded. These issues may result in important threats to animal welfare and health and should be addressed at societal level. Several strategies based on results are proposed to improve pet health and welfare in Portugal, focusing on showcasing the importance of veterinary care, reducing the number of lost or abandoned animals, and improving awareness and education.Pets are present in half of the homes across Portugal. However, little is known about the husbandry, opinion, and information needs of Portuguese pet owners. Thus, the objective of this work was to clarify this information providing the basis for suggesting potential improvements. Responses were collected through an online survey, including inhabitants from different regions of Portugal (n = 111). Cats and dogs are the most popular pets and the majority are adopted, fed commercial diets, live indoors, are vaccinated, dewormed, and treated for external parasites, and occasionally visit the veterinary practice. Portuguese owners are interested in improving their pet’s health, and would like to learn more about welfare, health assessment, and diet from veterinarians. However, microchip and municipal registration are often overlooked. Lack of adoption from animal shelters as well as expectations over the cost of veterinary practice were other difficulties identified in this study. Strategies for the improvement of pet health and welfare in Portugal were proposed as improving the perception of the value and importance of veterinary care, reducing the number of lost and abandoned pets, and improving awareness and education. Thus, Portuguese stakeholders and authorities must take the required measures to improve these issues.

Eco-epidemiological factors' of Head Lice in 10-12 year-old girls in Birjand City in 2017

Introduction: Lice are external parasites found in all socioeconomic classes around the world, which infect millions of people, especially children aged 5-14 years. Considering the growing and epidemiological trend of head lice in recent years, despite careful health care, more prognosis is needed. Therefore, this study aimed to study eco-epidemiological factors of head lice in 10-12 year-old girls in Birjand City in 2017.
 Methods: This cross-sectional study with descriptive-analytic approach was conducted in Birjand City in the 2017. The participants were selected using cluster sampling method from girl primary schools in Birjand City and its suburb areas. Data were entered into SPSS version 22 and analyzed by logistic regression test at significant level of 0.0.5
 Results: Head lice was evaluated in 2417 elementary school girls. The prevalence of head lice infection was 13.6% (n=329) in the population. The prevalence of contamination in urban areas was two times higher than the suburb areas. Significant correlations were observed between head lice infestation and father's education, mother's education, parent's job, family income, nationality, presence of foreigners in a class, habitat, history of previous student infections, presence of an infected person in the family, use of common Chador (piece of cloth worn by Muslim women to cover their body and hair) for praying at school. (p<0.05)
 Conclusion: The prevalence of head lice infection in the present study was higher than other studies. The prevalence of head lice infection was also higher in the suburbs. So, preventive measures, especially in the suburbs are required with regard to factors associated with infection by the health system.

Influence of bifentrin, a pyrethriod pesticide, on human colorectal HCT-116 cells attributed to alterations in oxidative stress involving mitochondrial apoptotic processes

ABSTRACT The widespread use of pesticides is beneficial for food production; however, there are numerous adverse consequences reported in the ecosystem and humans associated with exposure to these contaminants. The pyrethriod bifenthrin (BIF) is utilized for (1) maintenance, growth, and storage of agricultural products; (2) control of internal and external parasites of farm animals; and (3) eradication of insects threatening public health. Numerous data are available regarding environmental and ecological impact of pyrethriods on the central and peripheral nervous systems; however few studies focused on non-target tissues especially in humans. Therefore, the aim of this investigation was to determine the potential cytotoxic effects of BIF on a non-target tissue using human colorectal HCT-116 cells as a model. Data demonstrated that BIF reduced cell viability and disrupted mitochondrial functions which were accompanied by increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels indicating the presence of oxidative stress. BIF produced a significant elevation in levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) supporting the role of oxidative stress in pesticide-mediated toxicity. Concomitantly, a fall of mitochondrial transmembrane potential (Δψ), consequently producing perturbation of fluidity as well as excitability of cellular membranes was noted. Our results also indicated that BIF induced a rise in DNA damage as evidenced by the comet assay. An increase in mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), JNK (N-terminal Kinase), p38, and ERK (extracellular-signal-regulated kinase) suggested an apoptotic effect. Data thus indicated that BIF-induced cytotoxicity in human colorectal HCT-116 cells was associated with oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and apoptosis.

Traveling with an invader: ectoparasitic mites of Hemidactylus frenatus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) in Colombia

Information about natural history of invasive species (such as parasitism) is a relevant issue in order to consider potential threats to native fauna. In this work we report two pterygosomatid mites for the first time in Colombia, Geckobia bataviensis and G. keegani, parasites of the invasive house gecko Hemidactylus frenatus. Although it has not been demonstrated that these mites may infest native gecko lizards, our study highlights the need to explore the prevalence of internal and external parasites in native and invasive geckos, to better evaluate the potential impact of invasive Hemidactylus lizards in Colombia.

The Prevalence of Parasitic Infection in Domestic Chicken: A Review

The relative contribution of poultry to total animal protein production in the world is increasing, the major increase in developing countries. Many types and species of ectoparasites and Endoparasites are known to infect chickens; one of the actual problems that cause economic bias in animal farms and rural areas that raise chickens annually is parasitic diseases. The common parasitic infections that occur in poultry can divided to External parasites include arthropods Lice ,Mites, Fleas and Ticks which isolated from skin and feathers Internal parasites include protozoa ,cestodes, nematodes, trematodes which isolated from digestive tract, blood and Pooled poultry droppings. The external and internal parasites that infected hosts possess features such as small size, cylindrical body, hook and hard body, enhance their adaptation to the long life and effect on the poultry industry by affecting the growth rate of chickens, leading to little eggs production, and death in severe infections. Prevalence of helminthic infection (cestodes and nematodes infect by digestive tract) was highly in farms and rural areas chickens from the different studies in different sites in the world, followed by protozoa infection by blood, followed by arthropodic infection by skin and feathers and followed by prevalence by trematodes

English

Ectoparasites are a major concern in sheep and goat flocks, wherever sheep and goat are kept. A cross-sectional study was carried out in the districts of Kola Tembien and Tanqua Abergelle from September 2014 to June 2017 with the objectives of identifying external parasites to their species level. Randomly selected sheep and goats were clinically examined for the presence of ectoparasites or lesions and identified in National Animal Health Diagnostic and Investigation Center (NAHDIC) by using taxonomical and entomological examination. A total of 237 sheep and goats were examined randomly for the presence of external parasites. Eight species of external parasites were identified and found on both species of animals. The species of external parasites with their prevalence included Amblyomma variegatum (35.4%), Rhipicephalus parvus (22.8%), Rhipicephalus praetextatus (8.4%), Rhipicephalus pulchellus (7.6%), Ctenocephalides felis felis (5.1%), Linognathus africanus (11.8%), Rhipicephalus evertsi (2.5%), Hyalomma truncatum (6.5%). Both in sheep and goats, there was no significant difference between infestation of external parasites and the associated risk factors except for Amblyomma variegatum which was higher in Tanqua Abergelle (25.7%) than Kola Tembien (9.7%). The odd of infestation by Amblyomma variegatum in goat was 3.5 higher than in sheep. To minimize the prevalence of external parasites urgent and well-coordinated external parasites control measures should be taken. Key words: External parasites, identification, kola tembien, small ruminant, Tanqua Abergelle.

Structural annotation of electro- and photochemically generated transformation products of moxidectin using high-resolution mass spectrometry.

Moxidectin (MOX) is a widely used anthelmintic drug for the treatment of internal and external parasites in food-producing and companion animals. Transformation products (TPs) of MOX, formed through metabolic degradation or acid hydrolysis, may pose a potential environmental risk, but only few were identified so far. In this study, we therefore systematically characterized electro- and photochemically generated MOX TPs using high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). Oxidative electrochemical (EC) TPs were generated in an electrochemical reactor and photochemical (PC) TPs by irradiation with UV-C light. Subsequent HRMS measurements were performed to identify accurate masses and deduce occurring modification reactions of derived TPs in a suspected target analysis. In total, 26 EC TPs and 59 PC TPs were found. The main modification reactions were hydroxylation, (de-)hydration, and derivative formation with methanol for EC experiments and isomeric changes, (de-)hydration, and changes at the methoxime moiety for PC experiments. In addition, several combinations of different modification reactions were identified. For 17 TPs, we could predict chemical structures through interpretation of acquired MS/MS data. Most modifications could be linked to two specific regions of MOX. Some previously described metabolic reactions like hydroxylation or O-demethylation were confirmed in our EC and PC experiments as reaction type, but the corresponding TPs were not identical to known metabolites or degradation products. The obtained knowledge regarding novel TPs and reactions will aid to elucidate the degradation pathway of MOX which is currently unknown. Graphical abstract.

Infestation of Ectoparasites in Dairy Calves Reared by Smallholder Farmers in Central Areas of Ethiopia

Ectoparasites are one of the major health constraints of cattle production and are usually associated with huge economic losses in Ethiopia. A cross-sectional and clinical investigation was carried out in urban and periurban dairy farms in different central areas of Ethiopia to determine the infestation of external parasites and its attributable risk factors in dairy calves. Thus, a total of 157 dairy calves were clinically examined for ectoparasite infestations in central Oromiya. Results from data analysis indicated that from a total examined calves for ectoprasites, 40.76%(64=101) were found to be infested with one or more parasites and the major ectoparasites identified were Ambyloma species (3.8%), Boophilus species (5.7%), Lice species (17.2%) and mixed infestations (8.9%).

Management practices and contribution of village chickens to livelihoods of communal farmers: The case of Centane and Mount Frere in Eastern Cape, South Africa

Abstract. Gunya B, Muchenje V, Gxasheka M, Tyasi LT, Masika PJ. 2020. Management practices and contribution of village chickens to livelihoods of communal farmers: The case of Centane and Mount Frere in Eastern Cape, South Africa. Biodiversitas 21: 1345-1351. This study was conducted to determine village chickens production practices and their contribution to the livelihoods of farmers in rural households of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Data were gathered using a questionnaire survey of 150 households, which were identified by the use of snowball sampling. Village chickens were the most livestock species kept by farmers, mostly owned by women (79.61% in Centane and 81.06% in Mount Frere) and were kept for household food needs. Some farmers (21.92% and 25.31%) also occasionally sold their chickens at an average of R80 ($7.22) per bird. Most (93.13% and 76.44%) chickens flocks were provided with supplementary feed. The majority of farmers (80.31% and 88.33%) provided shelter for their chickens. The causes of chicken losses were reported to be diseases, predators, parasites and theft. The most cited disease problem was Newcastle (50.32% and 66.02%) while major predators were eagles (84.91% and 81.82%). The most common internal parasites were roundworms and tapeworm whilst the most reported external parasites were poultry lice and mites. The majority of farmers (94.51% and 92.21%) reported using chicken manure to improve the fertility of soils in their gardens. Chickens had a varied social role in the two areas, i.e., donation (61.63% and 68.82%) to neighbors and relatives. The majority of farmers (84.90%) in Centane didn't use chickens for cultural purposes whilst the majority (55.85%) in Mount Frere used chickens for cultural purposes. The present study showed that village chickens have a contribution to the livelihoods of rural households.

Sunning in extreme heat by the critically endangered hooded vulture: a strategy to fight ectoparasites?

At least 50 families of birds expose themselves to solar radiation, a behaviour known as sunning (Clayton et al. 2010). Yet, the functional significance of this common behaviour is poorly understood. Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain why birds sun themselves, including acquisition/dissipation of heat for thermoregulation, drying of wet plumage, feather maintenance, or parasite removal (Kennedy 1968, 1969; Simmons1986; Blem and Blem 1993). These functions are not mutually exclusive and their relative importance likely depends on ecological context and evolutionary history. Nevertheless, accumulating evidence suggests that sunning plays an important role in the control of external parasites (Bush and Clayton 2018).

A NEW REPORT OF ARGULUS INDICUS (CRUSTACEA: BRANCHIURA) INFESTATION IN RED TILAPIA (OREOCHROMIS NILOTICUS X OREOCHROMIS MOSSAMBICUS) IN THAILAND

Argulus indicus (Crustacea: Branchiura), or the fish louse, is an external parasite in Phylum Arthropoda found on the skin, fin or gills of freshwater fish species. It is very flat with an oval or rounded carapace, two compound eyes, sucking mouthparts with a piercing stylet, and two suction cups it uses to attach to its host. Clinical signs in infected fishes include scratching on aquarium walls, erratic swimming and poor growth. It causes pathological changes due to direct tissue damage and secondary infections. In the present study, red tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus x Oreochromis mossambicus), with symptoms such as abnormal swimming or scratches on their skin, were collected from a cage culture at Klong Rapee-Phat, Nong-Seau District, Pathum-Thani Province in Thailand. The parasites collected from the skin and fins of infected red tilapia were identified as Argulus indicus. This is the first report of infection with A. indicus of red tilapia (O.niloticus x O. mossambicus) in Thailand.