International Journal of Entomology Research

Authors
Adil EA Bala, Adam D Abakar, Mohammed S Mohammed, Sami M Bukhari, Sidig Eisa

Abstract
With the objective of determining the prevalence and species diversity of hard ticks encountered in sheep and goats, this cross-sectional study was carried out in Sennar state as part of the ongoing investigations on Sudan viruses. In the present study, 1414 animals (sheep and goats) were surveyed, among which 270 animals were non-infested (92 sheep and 178 goats), the rest (1144 animal), were found infested by 4766 and 3012 different types of ticks in sheep and goats, respectively. Four genera and 6 and 5 species of hard ticks were identified in sheep and goats, respectively. The prevalence of the genera on sheep was: 96.12%, 2.18%, 0.86% and 0.84% for Rhipicephalus (R.), Amblyomma (A.), Boophilus (B.) and Hyalomma (H.), respectively. However, on goats was: 98.80%, 1.00%, 0.20% and 0.00% for Rhipicephalus, Amblyomma, Boophilus and Hyalomma respectively. The tick species and tick sex were identified during the study period. The prevalence of the tick species was: 41.94% R. camicasi, 41.94% R. guilhoni, 40.64%, R. evertsi evertsi, 13.53%, A. lepidum, 02.18%%; R. (B.) decoloratus 0.86%% and Hy. Anatolicum, 0.84%% of the total. However, in case of goats was: R. guilhoni, 39.31%; R. camicasi, 37.92%, R. evertsi evertsi, 21.58%, A. lepidum, 1.00% and B. decoloratus, 0.20% of the total collected ticks. Neither males nor females of Hy. anatolicum nor males of B. decoloratus were found in the examined goats. Further studies are recommended to estimate the impact of tick’s infestation on tick-borne diseases in general and viruses in particular, and to design effective management and prevention strategies.