PROTOZOAN PARASITES IN CAMELS (CAMELUS DROMEDAIRUS) INFESTED WITH TICK DURING SUMMER AND WINTER IN LIBYA

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Damietta, Egypt

2 Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of Sebha, Libya

Abstract

This study was carried out to investigate prevalence of tick infestations and identify tick genus
and species that parasitized one humped dromedary camels from random farm houses in Sebha
city, southern Libya. Out of 225 camels examined, 172 (76.44%) were infested with one or two
of tick species. Prevalence rate was (100%) in summer compared to (57.6%) in winter, with significant
difference (P < 0.05). The recovered ticks were Ixodes avatus (24.8%) in winter followed
by Argas persicus (12%), Haemophysalis sp. (9.6%), Hyalomma dromedarii (7.2%) and
Rhipicephalus annulatus (4.0%). But, in summer ticks were A. persicus (30.0%) followed by R.
annulatus (29.0%), H. dromedarii (17.0%), I. avatus (13.0%) and then Haemophysalis sp. No
doubt, global climate changes increase ectoparasites on animal and humans, and hence increasing
arthropod-borne infectious diseases.

Keywords