The study was aimed at determining the prevalence of endo and ectoparasite of dogs in Dawaki and Bukuru dog markets of Plateau State. A total of 150 dogs were sampled for haemoparasite, gastrointestinal parasite and ectoparasites. Standard floatation technique and Giemsa stained thin blood smear methods were used for gastrointestinal and haemoparasites, respectively while ectoparasites were identified using standard taxonomic keys. A total 10.67% (16/150) were positive for haemoparasite, 30.67% (46/150) for gastrointestinal parasite and 16.00% (24/150) for ectoparasites. Gastrointestinal parasites detected included Ancylostoma species as 20.67% (31/150), Diphylobothrium latum as 12.67% (19/150), Isospora species as 5.33% (8/150), Taenia species and Necator americanus recorded the same frequency 0.67% (1/150); only single haemoparasite detected during the present study was Babesia canis 10.67% (16/150) while ectoparasites detected includes Rhipicephalus species as 15.33% (23/150) and Amblyomma species as 2.67% (4/150). No significant difference (p<0.05) was seen in the association based on age, sex and location. It was concluded that ectoparasites, haemoparasites and gastrointestinal parasites some of which may pose threat to public health are prevalent in the study area and affect the dogs irrespective of their age, breed or location. Strategic treatment of dog and responsible ownership with proper housing management were recommended. Key words: Endoparasites, ectoparasites, dogs, dog markets Plateau State.

El objetivo del trabajo fue analizar un polipéptido derivado de la proteína RmS-17 en cepas y aislados de garrapatas Rhipicephalus microplus de México. Se realizó un análisis in silico de la secuencia de aminoácidos con el fin de seleccionar una región que constó de 145 aminoácidos. Posteriormente, se diseñó un par de oligonucleótidos específicos para lograr la amplificación del fragmento de interés en cada una de las cepas y aislados de garrapatas en estudio, obteniendo un amplicón de 435 bp. Los productos obtenidos fueron clonados en el vector comercial pCR®4-TOPO® y los plásmidos transformados en células competente de E. coli TOPO10® . Se seleccionaron clonas positivas con fines de secuenciación. Los resultados mostraron un 99.08% de identidad para la cepa de referencia “Media Joya” con respecto a la cepa previamente reportada en Brasil (KC990116.1). En relación a las secuencias de las cepas “Vargas”, “Híbrido”, “Huastecas” y de los aislados de Campeche, Chiapas, Hidalgo, Morelos y Guerrero se observó un 100% de identidad y similitud. Estos resultados demuestran un elevado grado de conservación en la secuencia que codifica para el polipéptido RmS-17 y sugiere ser una propuesta para llevar a cabo el desarrollo de un antígeno vacunal que coadyuve en el control de infestaciones por garrapatas R. microplus en distintas zonas geográficas de México.

A cross sectional study was carried out to investigate the prevalence and species’ diversity of ixodid ticks that parasitize dromedary camel since October 2016 to March 2017. A total of 384 dromedary camels from five peasant association in Yabello District were examined. A total of 4417 ticks were collected from 374 camels. The average burden of the tick was 11.8 per camel while a male to female ratio was 1.9 to 1. Four genera: Rhipicephalus (85.6%) Ambylomma (3.65%), Hyalomma (5.57%) and Boophilus (1.34%) and eight species: Rh. pulchellus, Rh. pravus, A. gemma, A. lepidium, A. variegatum, H.m. rufipes, H. dromedary and B. decoloratus were identified with prevalence of 90.6, 28.4, 27.1, 2.9, 4.7, 18.5, 27.9 and 10.4%, respectively. Rh. pulchellus has preference for sternum, ana-vuval, head, udder/scrotum and inguinal, Rh. pravus for head, sternum and anal or and vulva; A. gemma for udder/scrotum and B. decoloratus in different body parts. H. rufipes preferred head, sternum and anal/vulva and H. dromedary preferred head, sternum, anal/vulva and udder/scrotum regions. Except B. decoloratus, all tick species had higher number of males than females. There was statistically significant difference in prevalence and level of tick infestation between pastoral associations (PAs) groups of Yabello District and herd size (p<0.05). Tick infestation was found to be among serious health problem of dromedary camel in the study area with higher risk of exposure of these animals to tick-borne diseases. Therefore, this problem observed in the study area warrants immediate professional intervention through implementation of community based sustainable control strategies. Key words: Camel, ixodid tick, borana, Ethiopia

The present study identified 881 specimens of the ticks found on about 2000 domestic sheep in Niğde Province. During this investigation, Argasidae (Ornithodoros (Alveonasus) lahorensis) and eight Ixodidae species of (Dermacentor (Serdjukovia) marginatus, D. (S.) niveus, Haemaphysalis (Haemaphysalis) concinna, H. (Alloceraea) inermis, H. (Segalia) parva, H. (Aboimisalis) punctata, H. (Herpetobia) sulcata, and Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus) were determined. The distribution at the genera level of the samples are as follows: Haemaphysalis 73.2 %, Ornithodoros 16.1 %, Dermacentor 10.2 %, and Rhipicephalus 0.45 %. H. sulcata was the most common species with 256 specimens(29.1 %), and H. concinna was the rarest species with only one specimen (0.1 %). D. niveus was recorded for the first time from Niğde Province. Besides, the seasonality and taxonomic status of the recorded species are discussed in the current article.

Parasitic diseases are one of the dominant pathological entities with significant consequences on camel productivity. This survey was carried out to determine the prevalence of camel infection with internal and external parasites in two regions in southern Algeria, between January and December 2015. The investigation of external parasites was carried out in Oued Souf and concerned 406 camels. For internal parasites, two studies were conducted; the first was realized at the slaughterhouse in the Ouargla and concerned 273 camels and the second study was realized in Oued Souf region which aimed to search for digestive parasites; therefore, 64 samples of camel faeces were taken. The results showed that 232/406 (57.14%), 114/406 (28%) and 67/406 (16.5%) camels were infested with ticks, scabies and ringworms, respectively. Camels were significantly more infested with ticks than scabies and ringworms (p<0.001). The identification of ticks revealed Hyalomma dromedarii (83.98%), Hyalomma impeltatum (10.58%), Amblyomma variegatum (5.12%) and Rhipicephalus sanguineus (0.32%). Camels were more infested with H. dromedarii (p<0.001). For internal parasites, 22/64 (34.37%) camels were found infected with digestive strongyles of which 8/64 (12.5%) were infected with Nematodirus sp. At the Ouargla slaughterhouse, 23/273 (8.42%) camels were revealed infected with hydatid cyst. Camels appear to be highly parasitized in Algeria and its cohabitation with other animal species increases the risk of its contamination. Therefore, it is important to take into consideration the parasitism of the camel in Algeria and appropriate control measures are recommended in order to improve camel productivity.

Ticks are the main ectoparasites responsible for losses in cattle livestock due to spoliation, hematozoa transmission, and destruction of the leather; Rhipicephalus Boophilus microplus is the main agent in tropical countries. The control of these agents is done basically with chemical products, but this procedure has presented some challenges, such as the rapid development of ticks' resistance against them. In this context, the phototherapy is an important alternative for controlling these agents. Schinus terebinthifolius, known as Brazilian peppertree, presents antimicrobial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory activities. Many organic molecules are reported as having effect on organisms extracted from this plant. This paper aimed to test the efficient activity of the S. terebinthifolius extract under different concentrations on the egg mass formation of R. B. microplus and on larvae hatchability in vitro assay. Engorged females of R. B. microplus were collected in a bovine herd and were taken to laboratory and submitted to immersion test into alcoholic extract at 100%, 50%, 25%, 10%, 5%, and 2.5% dilutions. Test in impregnated papers was carried out under the same concentrations to verify the extract efficacy that causes larval mortality. Control groups were composed, one with water, one with alcohol, and one with a commercial formulation containing cypermethrin, chlorpyrifos, and piperonyl butoxide. It was found that the extract at 70% hydroalcoholic solution showed acceptable efficacy in 50% and 100% dilutions. Result of the impregnated papers test showed 100% extract efficacy at 50% and 100% concentration. These results suggest this phytotherapic extract could be used for R. B. microplus control.

Hemoparasitoses are diseases of great importance for animal health, because they cause variable clinical changes, leading to death if not treated. They are caused by intracellular blood parasites like Ehrlichia spp, Anaplasma spp, Babesia spp and Hepatozoon spp, which are of main concern. Hemoparasitoses are called tick born diseases and Rhipicephalus sanguineus is the most involved species, in what concerns to transmission. In addition to several clinical signs, these etiologic agents also cause hematological changes such as anemia. The diagnosis can be made through direct microscopic examination and, also, through more sensitive techniques such as serological and molecular techniques. The goal of this research was to evaluate the most suitable site for peripheral blood collection, used to perform blood smears for direct parasitological examination. Besides, to detect the prevalence of hemoparasites in dogs referred to the Veterinary Hospital of the Federal University of Mato Grosso, situated in Sinop, Mato Grosso, Brazil. From the 66 tested animals, 17 of them (25.75%) were considered positive. Regarding to the performed exams, the buffy coat smears obtained the highest number of positive results, followed by peripheral blood smears and, finally, the ear tip blood smears. Among the most commonly found etiological agents were Anaplasma platys (64.72%), followed by Hepatozoon spp. (17.64%), Babesia spp. (11.76%) and Ehrlichia spp. (5.88%). It is concluded that parasitological direct microscopic examination can be used as a reliable diagnostic method, despite its low sensitivity. Additionally, the observed prevalence of hemoparasites in tested canine population was significant enough to justify an improvement in routine control methods of transmission.

This study investigated the ectoparasites of the Nile Rat, Arvicanthis niloticus in Shendi area, River Nile State, Sudan. Eighty nine A. niloticus were collected for the first time from the horticultural fields of Shendi, between January to June 2018, and their entire fur was combed thoroughly, using a fine-tooth comb. Any removed ectoparasites were relaxed, mounted and examined under a microscope for morphological identification. Forty two (47.2%) of the collected rats was found infested, with an overall mean intensity of 13.4 (range 2–67) ectoparasites per an infested rat; 10 different species of ectoparasites were identified, including: 2 species of flea – Xenopsylla cheopis, Leptopsylla segnis; 3 species of louse – Polyplax spinulosa, P. abyssinica, P. serrata; a species of tick – Rhipicephalus sp.; 4 species of mite – Laelaps agilis, L. nuttalli, Ornitonyssus bacoti, Dermanyssuss gallinae. The most prevalent ectoparasite found was the flea Xenopsylla cheopis, 23.6%, followed by the mite Laelaps nuttalli, 10.1%, while the least was the mite Ornitonyssus bacoti, 1.1%. Significantly higher prevalence and intensity of infestation was found among male rats. Likewise, older rats significantly harbored a higher prevalence and intensity of infestation.

Table S1. Rhipicephalus appendiculatus cox1 and 12S rRNA haplotype sequences retrieved from GenBank. (DOCX 16 kb)

Introduction: Babesiosis is caused by protozoa of the genus Babesia, with manifestations ranging from subclinical infection to life-threatening disease. Many Babesia species have been described in domestic and wild animals. This study aimed to investigate Babesia in unfed Rhipicephalus sanguin­eus sensu lato. Material-methods: One hundred and forty DNA samples extracted from tick pools comprising 5403 unfed R. sanguineus s.l. (503 adults, 3100 nymphs, 1800 larvae) were screened for Babesia by 18S ri­bosomal RNA PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) and RLB (Reverse Line Blot) hybridization. Result: Babesia infection was found in male, female, and nymph pools with an infection rate MLE (max­imum likelihood estimate) of 1.98 [CI (Confidence Interval) 0.65-4.74)], 0.50 (CI 0.03-2.40), and 0.07 (CI 0.01-0.21), respectively. Babesia ovis was detected in one adult pool (MLE 0.47, CI 0.03-2.27) ob­tained from dogs and a nymph pool (MLE 0.03, CI 0.00-016) collected from the shelter grounds. Three adult female tick pools (MLE 1.44, CI 0.38-3.88) and one adult male pool (MLE 0.50, CI 0.03- 2.40), collected from dogs, hybridized to the catch-all and Babesia genus probes but did not show sig­nals to other probes, suggesting the evidence of an unidentified Babesia. One nymph pool (MLE 0.03, CI 0.00-016) collected from the shelter grounds also hybridized to catch-all and Babesia genus probes but not species-specific probes. The maximum similarity (96.1-97%) observed was with Babesia sp. sable antelope, Babesia sp. Malbazar and Ludhiana isolates of dog origin, Babesia sp. of wild boar or­igin, Babesia sp. Kashi 2, and Babesia occultans of cattle origin. Conclusion: The analysis of unfed R. sanguineus s.l. to be infected with B. ovis and a novel species of Babesia. The latter isolate is suggested to be a new species based on its 18S rRNA sequences, and further studies in the vertebrate host, especially dogs, would help to determine its epizootiological significance.

Babesia and Theileria are two protozoa belonging to the phylum Apicomplexa, which result in babesiosis and theileriosis in different hosts, cause considerable problems in domestic animals and as a consequence economic losses. These two diseases are transmitted by ticks. This survey was carried out due to the lack of studies and information regarding tick vectors and Theileria and Babesia species in the Dehgolan area of Iran, which is a center of agriculture and animal holding industry. This study was conducted during a four-year period, between 2012 and 2016. Infection with Theileria and Babesia was observed throughout the year while in contrast to cattle and sheep, infection with Babesia in goats was not observed between December and February. Infection with Babesia and Theileria reached the highest peak in July and this was more considerable for Theileria in cattle and sheep with a prevalence of 37–47% and 46–79%, respectively. The infection rate in goats for both diseases was 20%. The results in this study showed that Imidocarb Diproprionate and Buparvaquone are effective treatments for Babesia and Theileria, respectively. In this survey, the ticks of Rhipicephalus spp. and Hyalomma anatolicum had the highest infection rate with Babesia and Theileria, respectively. Considering the significant relationship between the prevalence of Theileria and Babesia with tick infection in this study and other studies, more studies on climate changes and tick vector prevalence are necessary.

Q fever, as one of the tick-borne zoonotic diseases, is caused by Coxiella burnetii. Ticks may play an important role in C. burnetii transmission to animals and humans. By using nested Trans-PCR, we investigated the presence of C. burnetii in ticks collected from dogs in Kerman, southeast of Iran. A total of 375 ticks were randomly collected from 100 dogs. Eight pools were finally formed. The pools of tick samples were assessed for the presence of C. burnetii. Genomic DNA extraction was done and samples were evaluated by nested Trans-PCR. All tick specimens were identified as Rhipicephalus sanguineus regarding the taxonomical characteristics. Coxiella burnetii was detected in 1 out of 8 (12.5%) pool samples. One positive sample was subjected to sequence analysis, which successfully confirmed the accuracy of the PCR assay. Our data show that ticks infesting dogs can be infected by C. burnetii, providing zoonotic importance of these populations. Efforts should be focused on understanding the role and epidemiologic importance of dogs and their ticks, especially for human Q fever, which can be a life-threatening disease.

Ticks are obligate blood-feeders that require a host to survive and reproduce and has been said to be second to mosquito in pathogen transmission. Tick-borne diseases are increasingly becoming an important public health issue because of the possibility of acquiring them through tick bite and the presence of ticks in environment poses risk to humans and livestock alike. This study was carried out to determine the presence of ticks in Abeokuta environment and to screen harvested ticks for some zoonotic pathogens. Ticks were gathered from ten different spots in Abeokuta Ogun state using the cloth dragging method. The gathered ticks were morphologically identified to genus level using stereo microscope and grouped based on their developmental stages. Harvested ticks were screened for 5 pathogens of Public Health importance namely Anaplasma, Babesia, Borrelia, Ehrlichia and Rickettsia by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) using extracted DNA from the ticks. A total of 357 ticks were gathered from the environment, the environments were areas where cattle are being grazed. Using their morphology; 19 (5.3%) of ticks were of the genus Amblyomma, 274 (76.6%) were of the Genus Rhipicephalus (sub genus Boophilus), and 64 (17.9%) were of the Genus Rhipicephalus. Using the developmental stages; 44 (12.3%) of the ticks were adults, 304 (85.2%) were larvae and 9(2.5%) were nymphs. Pathogen prevalence in the harvested ticks was 20.73%. PCR analysis revealed that 2 (0.56%) of ticks were positive for Coxiella and Rickettsia, 28 (7.84%) for Anaplasma, 29 (8.12%) for Coxiella, 7 (1.96%) ticks were positive for Coxiella and Anaplasma and 8 (2.25%) ticks were positive for Rickettsia. None of the ticks had Babesia and Borrelia. With the presence of Anaplasma, Coxiella and Rickettsia in the harvested ticks, the risk of acquiring infection from bite of ticks by humans and livestock is very high in the study areas and the possibility of transfer into other areas through movement of goods and services involved in global trade portend danger. Importance of co-infection in the harvested ticks and the dangers they pose in disease transmission to animal and humans are of great public health concern which require Public awareness and education. Key words: zoonoses, Borrelia, pathogens, Rickettsia

Table S1. Group, stage, generation and genotype of ticks genetically identified in this study. (DOCX 18 kb)

Bovine theileriosis is caused by the protozoan parasite Theileria annulata and Theileria parva and is transmitted through tick Hyalomma and Rhipicephalus, respectively leading to economic losses and causes devastating losses to the livestock worldwide. This paper deals with clinical signs, diagnosis and treatment of theileriosis in buffalo having 4years of age and clinical signs observed were; high fever (106.7oF), anorexia, enlarge lymph nodes, dyspnoea and ocular discharge with pale mucous membrane. The peripheral blood smear confirmed the presence of Koch blue bodies. The animal was treated with a single dose of Buparvaquone, 2.5 mg/kg i.m. along with supportive therapy.

The Brazilian cattle herd is the second largest in the world and the first largest exporter and producer of beef. Nevertheless, the direct losses due to parasitism by Rhipicephalus microplus are due to weight loss, low milk production and decreased quality of leather. Thus, this study consists of a literature review on the Brazilian cattle herd associated with damage caused by pests. databases were used: LILACS, SciELO and PubMed and through keywords such as ectoparasites, ticks and Brazilian cattle became the research. It was found that in recent decades has been given an extreme economic importance for Brazilian agriculture aiming to decrease the biological control of pest attack.

The current study on prevalence and identification of ixodid ticks in cattle was carried out in Gursum district, East Hararghe Zone of Oromia regional state, from November 2015 to April 2016. A total of 1447 ticks were collected from nine body parts of 384 cattle kept under extensive management system. Out of 384 cattle examined, 232 were found harbor one or more tick species. The identified tick species were Amblyomma variegatum, Rhipicephalus evertsi, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) decoloratus, Rhipicephalus pulchellus, Hyalomma marginatum and Amblyomma gemma. The risk factors such as sex and age of animals, seasonal and agro ecological variation of tick infestation, predilection sites and male to female ratio of ticks were considered in this study. Among the risk factors considered, gender and age of animals did not show significant difference but predilection sites, seasonal and agro-ecological variation of tick infestation showed significant difference. Tick infestation was higher in wet season than in dry season. This study also indicated higher prevalence of ticks in mid-altitude and lowland areas than in highland areas. As to attachment sites, A. variegatum had preference for axillae, udder or scrotum; R. evertsi for base of tail and anus; B. decoloratus for different body parts; R. pulchellus for ear, tail, anus and scrotum/udder and H. marginatum for tail and ano-vulval areas. In case of male to female ratio, all the tick species had higher number of males than females except B. decoloratus which had higher number of females than males. With the occurrence of such degree of tick infestation in the area, the economic impact of ticks and tick-borne diseases in Gursum district and the country as a whole should be given a high priority in devising effective and sustainable control strategies of ticks. Key words: Age, agro-ecology, Gursum, prevalence ratio, season, sex, species.

Background: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a tick-borne viral disease that is endemic in Africa, southeastern Europe, and Asia. Ticks are both the reservoir and the vector of the CCHF virus (CCHFV). Determining the virus infection rate of the tick population in different geographical regions is necessary todesign public health policies to prevent CCHF outbreaks. Objectives: To determine the prevalence, seasonal activity, and the frequency of CCHFV infection of the tick population in Hamadan province of west Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 3 counties of Hamadan Province from June 2013 to May 2014. The study areas included both lowland (plains) and highland (mountains) and covered 5% of the villages where 10 herds per village of sheep and goats were randomly selected for hard tick collection. Results: We examined 983 sheep and goats, and 881 ticks were collected and identified before being preserved for molecular tests. The collected ticks belonged to 3 genera including, Rhipicephalus (95.6%, n = 842), Hyalomma (4.1%, n = 36) and Haemaphysalis (0.4%, n = 4). After species identification, 100 randomly selected ticks were analyzed using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to detect viral infection. CCHFV infection was observed in 7 collected ticks, of which 4 belonged to R. sanguineus, 2 belonged to R. bursa, and one Hy. asiaticum. Conclusions: Hyalomma and Rhipicephalus ticks are the main vectors of CCHFV in Hamadan province where CCHF is focal and endemic. Keywords: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, Hamadan, Iran, molecular epidemiology, tick-borne diseases, zoonotic viral disease

The objective of this work was to study the acaricide activity of oils extracted from kernels of T. peruviana and A. muricata with the hexane at different concentrations on Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus larvae aged from 14 to 21 days. For this purpose, the Larva Immersion Test was performed. Twice dilutions of both oils were tested from a starting dilution of 40% to 2.5%. There were three repetitions for each concentration and for each oil. The control solution in which these larvae were treated consisted of Tween-20, diluted at 2% in distilled water. The experimental groups were stored in an incubator at 27 ± 1 °C and at 85-90% of relative humidity for 24 hours. The larvae mortality was greater than 55% in all tested groups and reached 100% at the 40% concentration for A. muricata , while the control group had a 0% mortality. The LC 50 and CL 90 obtained were respectively 4.0331% and 10.7594% for A. muricata and 7.0942% and 41.4247% respectively for T. peruviana . These results clearly indicate that these oils all have acaricidal effects on Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus larvae. However, A. muricata oil is the most toxic. It can therefore be used as an effective alternative to control the Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus tick and there is a high probability that it can be used for other ticks affecting cattle and even other ectoparasites in Benin and worldwide, thereby reducing the use of synthetic acaricides which are toxic to the environment and ineffective against this tick.

Most ticks of the genus Amblyomma and Rhipicephalus are typical ectoparasites of bovine. However, information about survival in different environmental conditions or coexistence of different species is lacking. Amblyomma hebraeum Koch, 1844, Rhipicephalus appendiculatus Neumann, 1901 and R. maculatus Neumann, 1901 were found in the skin (fixed in the salt) of an African buffalo Syncerus caffer (Sparrman, 1779), brought to Poland from the Republic of South Africa. Most of the ticks were still alive during their collection.