Identification of Hard Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) in Southern Villages of Ahvaz to Khorramshahr Road in Southwest Iran, 2021

Ticks, as external parasites, biological carriers and reservoirs of various diseases, play a role in the transmission of various disease agents to humans and animals. The aim of the present study was to identify hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) in the southern villages of Ahvaz-Khorramshahr road in southwest Iran.

In this descriptive cross-sectional study which was conducted in 5 selected southern villages of the Ahvaz-Khorramshahr road in the summer and autumn of 2019, 156 heads of livestock were investigated, ticks in the two seasons of summer and autumn from different parts of the body of cattle, sheep and goats. were collected and identified according to Chegini's diagnostic key. The sample collection method was manual, the collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistical tests and Vines analysis.

In the present study, 156 animals were examined and 234 ticks were caught. A total of 3 species of ticks from 2 genera (Ripcephalus, Hyaloma) were identified. In total, Hyaluma marginatum was the most common species and Rhipicephalus sanguinus was the least abundant. The abundance of Rhipicephalus sanguinus was 16.4%, Hyaluma anatolicum was 36.2% and Hyaluma marginatum was 47.4% in this area. The highest abundance of Hyaloma marginatum and Ripicephalus sanguinus ticks was observed in Umm al-Tir village with 56% and 29%, respectively. The highest abundance of Hyaluma anatolicum species was observed in Krishan village with 50%. Tick infestation was observed in 6% of cattle, 13% of sheep and 10% of goats. The frequency of tick infection based on the body regions in cattle was in the head and neck (59%), under the tail and around the anus (27%), groin (14%), which statistically indicated a significant difference (02.02). p = 0).

The distribution of the collected ticks revealed that the studied areas were suitable for the activity of ticks due to the weather conditions, so health planners need to consider the possibility of the spread of tick-borne diseases in these areas.