Intensity Of Infestation Research Articles

Parasitic interactions between bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) and flies (Insecta: Diptera) in the intersection area of temperate and tropical climates in Brazil

ABSTRACT Bats and ectoparasites, Streblidae and Nycteribiidae, are good models to study ecological interactions due to their specificity. Knowledge about the interactions between these groups is heterogeneous and fragmented throughout Brazilian territory, mainly in the southern region – influenced by the temperate climate with bat fauna presenting elements from both tropical and temperate areas. We evaluated the interaction of parasites and bats in an Atlantic Forest area, southern Brazil. We captured bats and their ectoparasites monthly in 10 campaigns using mist nets. To describe the interactions, we used prevalence and average intensity of infestation, the same indexes we used to compare host sexes. We captured 494 bats, from which 151 had ectoparasites. Artibeus lituratus and Sturnira lilium were the most abundant bat species. We captured 303 ectoparasites, from which Metelasmus wenzeli is a new record to the state of Santa Catarina. Paratrichobius longicrus and Megistopoda proxima were the most abundant ectoparasite species, probably due to the greatest abundances of the host species of bats A. lituratus and S. lilium in this study. Most of the interactions we found are primary associations, which reinforces the specific parasite–host relationship. The data we obtained here are the first for the state of Santa Catarina.

Degree of Nematodes Worm Infection in Pelagic Fish Populations from the Romanian Black Sea waters

"Pelagic fish species can be affected by a series of infectious and parasitic diseases. The data used for this study are represented by the biological material collected between 2018 and 2019, from trap nets along the Romanian Black Sea waters. To establish the degree of parasitism, the following species of pelagic fish were studied: Sprattus spratus -sprat, Engraulis encrasicholus - anchovy and Trachurus mediterraneus- horse mackerel. Four species of endoparasites were identified, belonging to nematodes, as follows: Hysterothylacium aduncum, Contracaecum sp., Porrocaecumsp. and Anisakis sp. The parasites, especially found as larvae, more in free state and less trapped in the internal organs, infested the abdominal cavity, leading to degenerations, atrophies and reduction of the fish functions. The intensity of the parasitism infestation could be lethal, the size of the stocks being severely damaged. At the analysed fish species, the infestation degree was under 20 parasites per host, a low number of species recording the maximum value of 40 parasites per host. The parasites tend to accumulate with the increase of the fish's size, young stages being less affected. Key-Words: parasites, fish, nematodes, intensity, infestation degree "

Sympatric Two-species Infestation by Rhizocephalan Barnacle Parasites in the Spider Crab Pugettia aff. ferox Ohtsuchi & Kawamura, 2019 from Peter the Great Bay (Northwestern Sea of Japan).

Sympatric two-species infestation by rhizocephalan parasites in the spider crab Pugettia aff. ferox Ohtsuchi & Kawamura, 2019 (Brachyura: Epialtidae) was investigated in the Vostok Bay (Peter the Great Bay, northwestern Sea of Japan). Morphological and molecular analyses showed that this crab was infested simultaneously by Sacculina pugettiae Shiino, 1943 and Parasacculina pilosella (Van Kampen et Boschma, 1925) (Cirripedia: Rhizocephala). Sacculina pugettiae was found in the northwestern Sea of Japan for the first time. The two rhizocephalan species are clearly distinguishable by the morphology of their external cuticles, the shape and position of their receptacles, and the structure of their colleteric glands. Retinacula are present in the mature externae of both species. Molecular analysis showed that these rhizocephalans are unrelated, although both species parasitize Pugettia aff. ferox and are sympatric. Sacculina pilosella should be placed in the genus Parasacculina Høeg & Glenner, 2019, belonging to the family Polyascidae Høeg & Glenner, 2019. The intensity of infestation reached two externae in P. pilosella and three externa in S. pugettiae per host. A simultaneous settlement of two rhizocephalans on the same crab specimen was shown for the first time. The intensity of the two-species multiple infestations reached four externae per host. Externae with developing embryos occurred from June to September in P. pilosella and July to September in S. pugettiae, at water temperatures of 15-24°C, indicating that the reproductive periods of these species are confined to the summer months in the investigated locality.

Production of Honeydew by Scale Insects Associated with Bracatinga (Mimosa scabrella Benth) in Serra Catarinense, Southern Brazil

Scale insects Stigmacoccus paranaensis (Foldi, 2006) associated with bracatinga trees (Mimosa scabrella) in Santa Catarina, Brazil, can play an important economic role and guarantee the production of “bracatinga honeydew honey”. This scale insect has the ability to excrete large amounts of honeydew, of economic importance for beekeepers, especially due to the natural occurrence of host plants at high density, known as “bracatingais”. In this sense, the objective of this study was to evaluate the honeydew produced by scale insects associated with M. scabrella in the Bom Retiro, Santa Catarina, Brazil. We determined the density of the host plant in the studied area, the intensity of infestation by scale insects, and the volume and sugar concentration of excreted honeydew. The average density of bracatinga was 437.5 individuals ha-1, and the average density of scale insects per plant was 8,287. During 10 minutes, the average rate of honeydew excretion by scale insects was 0.45 µl and 0.34 µl, respectively, in 2002 and 2004. The estimated volume of honeydew production was 0.54 L in 2002 and 0.41 L in 2004 tree-1 day-1. The highest sugar concentration was observed in 2004 (28.13%). The excretion rate was affected by climatological factors and the size of the insects. This is the first study presenting a systematic evaluation of honeydew production by scale insects in Southern Brazil. The results of the present study support production of honeydew honey in the Serra Catarinense region as an important sustainable economic and traditional activity.

Helminthofauna of ruminants and solipeds in the Center for Breeding Steppe Animals “Orenburg Tarpaniya”

During the autumn-winter-spring season of 2016-2017, the Center for Breeding Steppe Animals (Orenburg region) conducted coprological surveys of herbivores. Identified contamination strongylata have yaks and camels at a low infestation intensity. These animals were not dehelmintizated in the autumn period. By spring, the strongylate infestation intensity in camels increased. The kiangs and Przewalski’s horses kept here were subjected to autumn dehelmintization. In these animals, helminths were not detected during the entire study period. It is recommended to carry out planned dehelmintization of animals kept in small protected areas.

Prevalence and Intensity of Hookworm Infestation Among Primary School Children in Three Selected Schools in Moriba Town, Bo City, Southern Sierra Leone

In developing tropical and subtropical nations, hookworm is the main cause of maternal and childhood illness. In vulnerable children, it causes cognitive and growth retardation, intrauterine growth delay, prematurity and low birth weight among new-borns born to infected mothers. The research aimed to determine the prevalence and intensity of hookworm infestations, among primary school children in three selected schools in the study area. This study utilized a cross-sectional research approach. Stool specimens were collected and analyzed for intestinal parasites from children in classes 1-6. In this study, a total of sixty (60) school going children aged 5-15 years were recruited from three (3) primary schools randomly selected within Moriba town section, Bo city, southern Sierra Leone. The research findings revealed that, the prevalence of hookworm infestation was 38.6% in the study area, the results also showed that there was no significant relationship between sex of the children and hookworm infection, it was found that females were at higher risk of infection than males. There was a significant relationship between household availability of toilet and hookworm infestation among the children. A significant association with the hookworm infection was shown in the defecation facility type. Hookworm infections are extremely frequent in Sierra Leone among school children and are a major cause of disease. Poor personal and environmental hygiene, poverty and favourable climate are important variables for the sustainability of transmission, but no policy-driven effort to prevent it has been made.

The age of tomato plants affects the development of Macrosiphum euphorbiae (Thomas, 1878) (Hemiptera) colonies

We tested the hypothesis that the intensity and duration of Macrosiphum euphorbiae infestations in tomato depend on both the age (phenological stage) of the host plant and the initial number of aphids present in the colony. We compared the effects of three initial levels of infestation and two phenological stages of the plant (pre-flowering and flowering stages) on infestation curves. The position of the infestation peak over time was significantly affected by the plant phenological phase. Populations of M. euphorbiae reached the highest peak of abundance on plants infested at the pre-flowering stage compared to those subsequently infested. Within a phenological phase, the maximum abundance also varied according to the initial aphid density on the plant. The implications concerning the management of the pest in the field are briefly discussed

Infestation of wild boar meat from the Eastern Lublin province with Alaria mesocercariae

The study was aimed at assessment of the usefulness of a digestion method, a standard procedure for routine examination of wild boar meat for Trichinella, in detecting the presence of Distomum musculorum suis (DMS) in the population of wild boars from the Eastern Lublin province. The study material included 500 samples collected from the diaphragm pillars of 250 young boars (6-12 months) and 250 boars above one year of age. First, the meat was tested with the digestion method that is a referential procedure for trichinosis detection. Then, the samples in which over ten mesocercariae were found were assessed with an Alaria-Migration Technique (AMT). The digestion method confirmed the presence of Alaria mesocercariae in 42 carcasses of young boars (16.8 %) and 117 samples of animals older than one year (46.8 %). The study showed a diversified intensity of the parasite presence in the carcasses of individual animals. The invasion intensity ranged from 1 to 18 parasites in 50 g of meat in the young animals, and from 1 to 22 larvae in the older individuals. The carcasses of eight young and thirty two older animals contained over 10 parasites per 50 g of the meat, which accounted for 3.2 % and 12.8 % animals per respective age group. AMT analysis also indicated variable intensity of the parasite infestation, amounting to 32-57 mesocercariae in young animals and 31-71 larvae in the older ones. The study demonstrated an almost three times higher efficiency of the AMT method than the digestion method, which made us conclude that the former should be recommended for Alaria detection. The digestion method used for routine detection of Trichinella, despite its lower accuracy in diagnosing Alaria mesocercariae, can be also employed for the detection of DMS in the case of intensive parasite infection. Our study confirmed high prevalence of the parasite among wild boars from the Eastern Lublin Province. We also found that the invasion intensity depended on the animal age and was higher in older individuals. Considering the zoonotic nature of alariosis and its frequency, it poses an increasingly common problem for official veterinarians during the sanitary and veterinary evaluation of wild boar meat.

Leaf antioxidant machinery stimulation by Meloidogyne javanica infestation: A case study on Cucumis melo seedlings

Following nematode infestation, leaf-localized responses are vital not only as early infection signs but also as an indication of actions required to preserve crop productivity. In this context, the leaf-level physiological responses of cantaloupe seedlings were evaluated after 40 consecutive days of cultivation under different Meloidogyne javanica juveniles (J2s) inoculation regimes (0, 100, and 850 J2s plant−1). Leaf growth parameters and photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll, carotenoids) content were not affected by J2s infestation, while foliar Potassium concentration significantly declined. The RuBIsCo activase gene expression was negatively associated with the J2s inoculation level. Total flavonoids, total phenolics, lipid peroxidation indexes, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity, as well as, ascorbate peroxidase gene transcription, were higher in the inoculated plants (regardless of the J2s inoculant level). Taken together, present data indicate that J2s infestation impacts primarily the Potassium levels in leaves. Additionally, a substantial stimulation of the plant antioxidant machinery (independent of the nematode infestation intensity) is triggered. Finally, it was established that the transcriptional regulation of the RuBIsCo activase 1 gene under biotic stress has the capacity to be employed as a potential stress indicator marker.

Phenology and phylogeny of Hyalomma spp. ticks infesting one-humped camels (Camelus dromedarius) in the Tunisian Saharan bioclimatic zone

In this study, we report the results of a survey of Hyalomma ticks infesting one-humped camels in southern Tunisia. Examinations were conducted every second or third month on 406 camels in Tataouine district from April 2018 to October 2019. A total of 1902 ticks belonging to the genus Hyalomma were collected. The ticks were identified as adult H. impeltatum (41.1%; n = 782), H. dromedarii (32.9%; n = 626), H. excavatum (25.9%; n = 493), and H. marginatum for a single specimen. Although the camels were infested by ticks throughout the year, the highest overall infestation prevalence was observed in April 2018 (p < 0.01). The overall infestation intensity varied between 2.7 and 7.4 ticks/animal. There were no statistically significant differences in tick infestation prevalence based on age categories of the camels, and the overall infestation prevalence was between 82.7% and 97.4%. Female camels were significantly more infested with ticks (88.3%) than males (65.5%) (p < 0.01). The infestation prevalence of camels varied significantly according to the region where sampling took place (p < 0.01), but no correlations were found with abiotic factors. The preferred attachment sites for adult Hyalomma ticks were the sternum (38.3%; n = 729/1902), around the anus (36.2%; n = 689/1902), udder (18.4%; n = 350/1902), and inner thigh (6.9%; n = 132/1902). Morphological classification of ticks was corroborated by sequencing the cytochrome c oxidase I (Cox1) and 16S rDNA genes, and these sequences were also used to infer phylogenetic relationships. A single H. dromedarii seemed to be a natural hybrid with H. rufipes. More attention should be devoted by the veterinary services to the infestation of camels by ticks.

Mites Alight! Sunflower Crop Area and Pollen Supplementation Enhance Honey Bee Resistance to &lt;i&gt;Varroa Destructor&lt;/i&gt;

ABSTRACT Anthropogenic landscape changes can affect parasite epidemiology in wild and agricultural animals. Honey bees are agricultural animals whose services are threatened by loss of floral resources and by parasites, most notably the invasive mite Varroa destructor. Existing mite control strategies rely heavily on chemical treatments that can adversely affect bees. Alternative, pesticide-free control methods are urgently needed to maintain effective pollination services. Many flowering plants provide nectar and pollen that enhance resistance to parasites in animals. Enrichment of landscapes with antiparasitic floral resources could therefore provide a sustainable means of parasite control in pollinators. Floral rewards of Asteraceae plants have been shown to reduce parasitic infection in diverse bee species, including honey and bumble bees. Here, we tested the effects of sunflower (Helianthus annuus) cropland and pollen supplementation on honey bee resistance to macro- and microparasites. Our results show that each doubling of sunflower crop area is associated with a 28% reduction in mite infestation intensity. Late-summer supplementation of colonies with sunflower pollen reduced mite infestation by 2.75-fold relative to an artificial pollen. Our findings suggest the potential for sunflower plantings or pollen supplements to counteract a main driver of honey bee losses worldwide.

Helminths of the mallard Anas platyrhynchos Linnaeus, 1758 from Austria, with emphasis on the morphological variability of Polymorphus minutus Goeze, 1782.

The mallard Anas platyrhynchos is the most abundant water bird species in Austria, but there is no record of its helminth community. Therefore, this work aimed to close that gap by recording and analysing the parasite community of a large number of birds from Austria for the first time. A total of 60 specimens shot by hunters in autumn were examined for intestinal parasites. The following taxa were recovered (prevalence given in parentheses): Cestoda: Diorchis sp. (31.7%) and Fimbriarioides intermedia (1.7%); Acanthocephala: Filicollis anatis (5%), Polymorphus minutus (30%) and one cystacanth unidentified (1.7%); Trematoda: Apatemon gracilis (3.3%), Echinostoma grandis (6.7%), Echinostoma revolutum (6.7%) and Notocotylus attenuatus (23.3%); Nematoda: Porrocaecum crassum (1.7%) and one not identified (1.7%). The frequency distribution of parasites showed a typical pattern in which 39 birds (65%) were either not parasitized or were harbouring up to five worms, whereas more intense infestations occurred in a lesser number of hosts. Compared to other studies from central and eastern Europe, an extremely depauperate helminth community, particularly of the cestodes and nematodes, was found. Polymorphus minutus was observed as having highly variable morphology and, therefore, molecular genetic characterization by DNA barcoding was carried out. Species identification was confirmed by comparing data with the reference cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene sequence from P. minutus available in GenBank.

Host-ectoparasite associations; the role of host traits, season and habitat on parasitism interactions of the rodents of northeastern Iran

• New insights were given on host-ectoparasite associations in northeastern Iran. • Nosopsyllus fasciatus and Polyplax asiatica were dominant flea and louse on rodents. • Nosopsyllus fasciatus exhibits low and Polyplax asiatica moderate host specificity. • Haemaphysalis punctata and Haemolaelaps sp. were the most abundant tick and mite. • Seasonal fluctuations were found in the occurrence of ectoparasite on rodents. Rodents play a significant role as reservoirs of zoonotic diseases. Nevertheless, in general their ectoparasite assemblage and host-ectoparasite associations are poorly known. This study intended to provide new insights into the relationships between ectoparasites and rodents in northeastern Iran. Rodents were captured using live traps during the years 2016–2020, and their ectoparasites were collected. Parasitological indices such as infestation rate, prevalence and mean intensity of infestation were analyzed. A total of 284 rodents, belonging to 17 species, were trapped and found to be infested by 178 ectoparasites from five orders Siphonaptera, Phthiraptera, Ixodida, Mesostigmata and Trombidiformes. The overall infestation rate was 50.3%. The flea Nosopsyllus fasciatus and the louse Polyplax asiatica dominated among all fleas and lice, respectively. Haemaphysalis punctata and Haemolaelaps sp. were recorded as the most abundant tick and mite, respectively. Nosopsyllus fasciatus exhibited low and Polyplax asiatica moderate host specificity . Approximately 64.2% of ectoparasites shared more than one host, and others were singletons. Seasonal fluctuations were found in the occurrence of ectoparasite; fleas and lice were more abundant in spring and winter, respectively. Ticks demonstrated high abundance in spring and summer and mites were more common in autumn. The overall prevalence of ectoparasite on male rodents was greater than that on females (56.4% vs. 44.4%), while similar mean intensities were detected for both sexes. This study extends the knowledge on the distribution, seasonality and host choice of four main groups of ectoparasites in association with rodents. Further studies are needed to provide deep insight into how relationships and interactions between ectoparasite and rodents are formed, and how they can be applied in epidemiology.

Distribution and Density of Haemaphysalis longicornis (Acari: Ixodidae) on Public Lands in Pennsylvania, United States.

Since the recent introduction of the Asian longhorned tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis Neumann) in the United States, quantitative surveillance information remains lacking, which hinders accurate estimates of population structure and entomological risk. We conducted statewide, active tick surveillance from May to August 2019 and report data on H. longicornis geographical distribution and population density in Pennsylvania. In total, 615 H. longicornis were collected from four counties. Across samples recovering H. longicornis, mean density of H. longicornis was 9.2/100 m2, comparably greater than Ixodes scapularis Say (8.5/100 m2). Density of H. longicornis was also significantly greater in August, largely driven by larvae, and greater in recreational habitat types (12.6/100 m2) and in Bucks County (11.7/100 m2), situated adjacent to the location of the first U.S. discovery of intense infestations. These data are among the first to document H. longicornis from statewide tick surveillance and provide initial measures of population density enabling more quantitative characterizations of distributional patterns.

Alcedoffula alcyonae Carriker (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera: Philopteridae) infesting belted kingfisher, Megaceryle alcyon (Linnaeus) (Aves: Coraciiformes, Alcedinidae), in Manitoba, Canada

AbstractForty-one belted kingfishers, Megaceryle alcyon (Linnaeus) (Aves: Coraciiformes: Alcedinidae), from Manitoba, Canada were examined for ectoparasites in 1995–2020. One species of chewing louse, Alcedoffula alcyonae Carriker (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera: Philopteridae), infested 48.8% of hosts. The mean intensity of infestation was 17.1, and mean abundance was 8.5 lice per bird. Distribution of infestation was highly aggregated. Although female lice outnumbered males, the sex ratio was not significantly different from 1.0. The ratio of nymphs to females was 2.6. An unidentified species of feather mite of the genus Proterothrix Gaud (Acari: Astigmatina: Proctophyllodidae) infested three of 35 hosts (8.6%). No mites were found in the quills of primary feathers from 19 birds, and no nasal mites were collected from 32.

COMPARISON OF MANIFESTATIONS OF GIARDIA AND ASCARIS INFESTATIONS BETWEEN BOTH GENDERS PRESENTING WITH DIARRHEA

Objective: To assess the occurrence and intensity of Giardia and Ascaris infestations in children of both genders reporting with diarrhea.&#x0D; Study Design: Comparative cross sectional study.&#x0D; Place and Duration of Study: Paediatrics department, Combined Military Hospital, Gilgit, from Jul 2016 to Jul2018.&#x0D; Methodology: Patients of either gender with worm infestation were included in the study. Patients more than13 years old were excluded. The sampling technique used was non probability consecutive sampling. The stoolexamination (R/E) for the diagnosis of worm infestation was done. Stratification was done with regards to age,mother education, gender, type of water used and post stratification chi square test was applied. p-value was0.613 when calculated for the manifestation between both genders. p-value ≤0.05 was considered significant.&#x0D; Results: Total number of patients in our study was 100. Among them, males were 65 (65%) and females were 35(35%). Mean age of patients in our study was 4.20 ± 2.61 years (Mean ± SD). Abdominal pain being most common symptom in 43 (43%) of patients. Majority of the patients were from 2 to 10 years of age, 79 (79%). Helminthic infestation was the most common observed in 52 (52%) whereas Protozoal infestation was observed in 48 (48%) patients. The most common parasite isolated was Giardia 41 (41%) followed by Ascaris 36 (36%). p-value of 0.613 was found between both gender.&#x0D; Conclusion: In our study Helminthic infestation was more common. The most common parasite isolated wasGiardia followed by Ascaris.

A review on integrated approach for the management of weeds in Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata)

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) is the most important leguminous crop raised as pulse as well as a vegetable crop in India. The slow initial growth and wider spacing necessitate weed control in the early stages of crop growth. The critical period of crop weed competition in cowpea was 20 to 30 DAS. Season-long crop weed competition resulted in a yield reduction of 40 to 90 per cent in cowpea depending on the intensity of weed infestation, weed flora, season, location, and the climatic condition prevailed. Mulching, manual weeding and stale seedbed are the different cultural methods which can be adopted for weed control in cowpea. Chemical method of weed control is the cheapest and economically viable option for weed control in cowpea. Both Pre-emergence herbicides viz., pendimethalin, diclosulam and imazethapyr and post-emergence herbicides viz., imazethapyr, quizalofop-p-ethyl can be used for weed control in cowpea. Studies revealed that pre-emergence application of herbicide (imazethapyr/pendimethalin or diclosulam) followed by manual weeding or post-emergence application of herbicides (quizalofop-p-ethyl or imazethapyr) or mulching followed by post-emergence application of herbicides (quizalofop-p-ethyl or imazethapyr) were found to be more effective for the broad-spectrum weed control in cowpea. The integrated approach of weed control has resulted in a higher yield, net returns and B: C ratio in cowpea.

Lice community structure infesting Trinomys iheringi (Thomas, 1911) - Ocurrence, sex bias and climatic variables on tropical island.

Few studies have provided information on parasitological indexes or other ecological characteristics of lice populations that parasitize small mammals in the Neotropical region. We used lice parasitizing a rodent species, Trinomys iheringi, as a study model to investigate the effect of parasite occurrence and intensity on the body condition of rodents and the effect of climatic conditions, sex and age class of T. iheringi. We also provide information on prevalence, mean intensity, aggregation, sexual ratio of adult lice, and proportion between life stages and lice parasitizing T. iheringi. The study was conducted in Ilha Grande, an island in southeastern Brazil. We used a logistic regression to run a model of lice occurrence using climatic variables (rainfall, temperature, humidity), and then adding sex and age classes. A total of 39 T. iheringi individuals were captured with 17 parasitized (43.58%). These animals hosted Gyropus (martini) martini (n = 94), Gliricola sp. (n = 8), and Pterophthirus wernecki (n = 2). The model with humidity and sex variables showed that the occurrence of lice was negatively associated with humidity. There are more males than females infested with lice, while most of the young individuals are not infested. The higher lice occurrence in the low humidity coincides with the birth period of T. iheringi. The contact among individuals are higher during the reproductive period of the host species, but males are more suscetible to the lice parasitism due to higher testosterone levels that reduce the immunocompetence. The distribution pattern of lice was aggregated, but there was no correlation between body condition index and lice infestation intensity. We highlight that the major occurrence of lice occurs in the driest period of the year, that males are more prone to parasitism by lice than females, and adults more prone than young.

Species diversity, abundance and damaged caused by rats in oil palm plantation in West and Central Sulawesi, Indonesia

Abstract. Ikhsan M, Priyambodo S, Nurmansyah A, Hendarjanti H, Sahari B. 2020. Species diversity, abundance and damaged caused by rats in oil palm plantation in West and Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 21: 5632-5639. Oil palm is one of the plantation commodities which has an important role in Indonesia’s economy. Indonesia is the largest producer and exporter of oil palm in the world with its export value capable of supplying 55.78% of global consumption. Rats are wild animals that are important pests for human life, both in agriculture plantations and urban areas. Rats can damage crops at various stages of plant growth. This study was aimed to determine the species abundance of rats in oil palm plantations, calculate the severity of crop damage due to rats infestation. Three blocks of mature plants were used in OC and OH plantation blocks were used to calculated, crop damage caused by rats, Identify the species of rats, and estimated rats abundance. The results of these studies showed there were four species of rats found in the oil palm plantation, namely Rattus tiomanicus, R. tanezumi, Rattus sp, and Maxomys hellwaldii. However, only R. tiomanicus and R. tanezumi were dominant species. There were significant differences in the number of, sex, and body weight between R. tiomanicus and R. tanezumi. The OC 12 block had the lowest infestation intensity than the other blocks since it was well maintained. The OH 02 block had the highest infestation intensity, infestation area, and abundance due to a lack of maintenance.

Identification and incidence of hard tick species during summer season 2019 in Jijel Province (northeastern Algeria).

Ticks are haematophagous arthropodsand tick-borne diseases causes billions of dollars in losses in the cattle industry because of the ability of ticks to be vector for many pathogens. This paper identifies and compares the infestation rate (prevalence and intensity) of females of hard tick species compared to males with respect to sex, age and breed of cattle in the region of Jijel, northeastern Algeria. A total of infested 53 cattle were screened and 1214 ticks were collected manually during summer 2019 (June, July and August) and identified based on their morphology. Seven tick species were identified as infesting the cattle: viz. Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus, Rhipicephalus bursa, Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Hyalomma marginatum, Hyalomma lusitanicum, Hyalomma scupense, and Hyalomma anatolicum. The predominant tick species recorded is Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus. The maximum intensity of tick infestation as a function of age is between 3 and 4years and 5 and 6years (39 ticks/cow). The study shows that the comparison between the prevalence of infestation in females and males is significant as a function of sex and breed of cattle. In addition, only the intensity of infestation as a function of the age of the cattle, when comparing the sexes of the ticks, is significant (p < 0.05). This study also provides data for the development of an active control plan based on tick mating strategies for the management of ticks in cattle in Jijel, Algeria.