Study on species distribution and seasonal dynamics of equine tick infestation in Ardabil province, northwest of Iran.

Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports

Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, West Azarbaijan, Iran.

Published: February 2024

AI Article Synopsis

  • Ticks significantly impact equid health and economy, with this study focusing on their prevalence and diversity in Ardabil, Iran.
  • A total of 240 equids were examined, revealing a 32.5% infestation rate in horses and 4.58% in donkeys, with an average tick load of 4.62 ticks per animal.
  • The research identified three tick genera and four species, with the highest infestations found in older equids and during spring, highlighting the need for further studies on potential disease transmission.

Article Abstract

Ticks are important ectoparasites in equids, causing economic losses in animal husbandry in Iran and worldwide. This study was aimed to determine frequency and species diversity of hard ticks in equids in Ardabil province, during the four seasons in 2021. A total of 240 equids (187 horses, 53 donkeys) were randomly selected and examined. Ixodid ticks were collected from body surface of examined animals and identified. Of all examined equids, 32.5% horses, and 4.58% donkeys were infested with a total number of 412 ixodid ticks. Tick indices (tick number per animal) were 4.62. There was significant difference between prevalence and different age groups of infested animals. The highest prevalence of hard ticks was found in ≥3 years-old equids in the region. Of all examined ticks (412), three genera including Hyalomma spp., Rhipicephalus spp. .and Dermacentor spp. with four species. i.e. Hyalomma anatolicum (73.05%), H. marginatum (17.23%), Rhipicephalus bursa (7.76%) and Dermacentor marginatus (1.94%) were identified. Ixodid ticks' infestations occurred throughout the year with the highest prevalence in spring. The findings indicated that the equids had a high species diversity and ixodid tick infestation, necessitating additional research to identify any possible tick vectors for the hemoparasite transmission in equids of this region.

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Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.vprsr.2024.100987DOI Listing

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