الفهرس 
IntroductionOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
 |  | from | 130 |  |  |
| | | from | 130 | | |
Abstract
The present work was carried out for identification of tick species infesting cattle, their abundance and seasonal incidence in Kalubyia governorate, as well as detection of haemoparasites in their hemolymph and confirmation of haemoparasites by PCR technique on ticks.
For this purpose 50 cattle were examined monthly for the tick infestation from March 2013 to April 2014 in different localities in Kalubyia governorate (Shebin El-kanater, Benha and Tukh), Ticks were collected from the animals by hand method by removing ticks clock wise or anti-clock wise and put in clean dry aerated container, Tick samples were examined in lab by using dissecting microscope for identification of tick species.
The result revealed that the number of collected ticks was 2548 which include 158 nymphs (6.2%), 1550 females (60.8%) and 840 males (32.96%).
The highest number of ticks was collected in July (18.52%) followed by August (13.61%), May (12.71%) and April (12.55%), while the lowest number of ticks was collected in March (2.94%).
The highest number of ticks in summer (44.3%) followed by spring (28.21%) and autumn (24.09%) and the lowest number of ticks was collected in winter (3.37%)
In the present work we found that, 37 out of 600 examined cattle were infested with ticks at a percentage of (6.17%). the infested cattle was high in summer (13.33%) followed by spring (6.67%), autumn (3.33%) and winter (1.33%). The number of collected nymph was high in summer (46.83%) while the lowest was in winter (3.79%).
The number of collected females was 1550 and the highest was in summer (36.12%), while the lowest number was in winter (3.22%),
The number of collected males was 840 and the highest was in summer (48.21%), and only (3.57%) was collected in winter.
The mean sex ratio between females and males Rhipicephalus tick was 1.8: 1. In autumn the sex ratio was 2.2 : 1, while it was 1.6 : 1 in both summer and winter.
The collected ticks were identified as Rhipicephalus turinicus (70.02%) and Rhipicephalus praetextatus (29. 98%)
The highest prevalence of R. turinicus was recorded in autumn (81.43%) followed by spring (72.19%), winter (65.11%) and the lowest infestation was recorded in summer (62.79%). The highest prevalence of R. paratexcatus was recorded in summer (37.2%) followed by winter (34.88%), spring (27.81%) and the lowest infestation was recorded in autumn (18.56%)
The mean tick burden was (68.8 / cattle). Highest tick burden was recorded in autumn (122.8/cattle) followed by Spring (71.9/ cattle), Summer (56.45/ cattle) and finely winter (43/ cattle)
Bulls were more infested than cows at a percent of (6.97%) and (5.83%) respectively.
The highest number of infested cattle was recorded in those between 3-5 years (78.73%) followed by those ages between 2-3 years (16.2 %), while the rate of infestation was (5.4%) in those ages between 8 months to 2 years.
The udder and inguinal regions of cattle were the most affected region by ticks (34.45%) followed by under the tail (18.28%). The lowest number of ticks was collected from two sides (7.69%).
412 (39.23%) out of 1050 Rhipicephalus turinicus haemolymph were positive for haemoparasites. The sporokinetes were recorded in 294 samples (28 %).
191 out of 294 positive haemolymph (64.96%) considered Babesia spp. Sporokinetes, while 36.05% considered Theileria species sporokinetes as their length was between 9-14 µ and 14-16 µ respectively. (11.23%) of haemolymph were infected by smaller developmental stages of haemoparasites which have sizes 2 - 9 µ.
By examination of 500 Rhipicephalus praetextatus female haemolymph, revealed that, 247 (49.4%) were positive for haemoparasites. Sporokinetes stages were recorded in 40.2%,
78 out of 201 positive haemolymph (38.8%) considered Babesia spp. Sporokinetes, while 26.86% considered Theileria species sporokinetes as their length was between 9 - 14 µ (intermediate) and 14-16 µ ( large)respectively The infection of haemolymph by other developmental stages of Babesia and Theileria species was (9.2%).
PCR investigation of 40 negative Rhipicephalus turinicus tick haemolymph samples for determination of the quality of microscopic examination of Giemsa stained haemolymph smears, showed that, 3 out of 20 were positive for Babesia species at a percentage of (15%) in winter, while 12 ticks, [5 for Theileria (25%) and 7 for Babesia (35%)] out of 20 were positive in summer
It was concluded that Rhipecephalus turinicus and Rhipicephalus praetextatus are the tick species that infest cattle in studied area in Kalubyia Governorate . they carry developmental stages of protozoan parasites that infect cattle. It was also concluded that, haemolymph and PCR can be used for early diagnosis of haemoparasites with superiority of PCR.