Abdul Naser Al-Omar*(1) and Morshid Kassouha(2)
(1). Hama Research Center, General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research (GSCAR), Damascus, Syria.
(2). Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hama University, Hama, Syria.
(*Corresponding author: Dr. Abdul Naser Al-Omar. E-Mail: abdnaser64@gmail.com).
Received: 30/03/2020 Accepted: 01/05/2020
Abstract
This study was carried out on 1200 heads of Awassi sheep in Hama governorate, 600 heads of them from governmental sector, from which 162 samples of ticks were collected. Also, 600 heads from private sector, from which 279 samples of ticks were collected. Samples collecting lasted one year (2012), ticks samples were preserved in ethyl (70%) until laboratory testing time. Sheep were selected randomly and checked up clinically in order to know ticks infection prevalence and determine its genus, species, the effect of season, animal age and the places of parasitism on animal body. Ticks were determined through morphological descriptions by using microscope according to followed standard definition keys. Results showed that the average ticks infection prevalence in Awassi sheep in the governmental and private sector for whole the year amounted 36.74% (27% in governmental sector and 46.5% in private sector). It was noticed that there was a significant difference (p<0.01) between ticks infection ratios and the year season where the most of infections in spring and summer and the less infections in autumn and winter. Also, it was noticed a significant difference (p<0.01) in infection ratios according to animals ages where the highest of infection ratio was in age group between (2-4) years old which amounted in the two sectors governmental and private 22.97%, and 51.73% respectively, while the less infection ratio was in age group smaller than one year which amounted 17.7% and 35.52% for governmental and private sector respectively. Eight species of ticks were determined and isolated in Awassi sheep in study area, which followed to two genus at significant difference (p<0.01) of prevalence ratios that were Hyalamma spp in high rate amounted 2.5% of total isolations, where (5) species of Hyalamma spp were diagnosed that called H. anatolicum excavatum at total rate of (48.07%), H. truncatum (22.22%), H. impeltatum (14.5%), H. marginatum marginatum(9.07%) and H. lusitanicum (4.08%). Also three types of Rhipicephalus genus were diagnoses that called: Rh. Turanicus (1.58%), Rh . camicasi and Rh. Sangaineus with the same rate (0.45% ) of total isolations. This study recommended to use ticks pesticide periodically specially seasons of numerously ticks prevalence with the necessity to follow an existence of resistance in some isolated species against pesticides and medicines used for controlling .
Keys word: prevalence of ticks, Awassi sheep, Hama governorate, Syria.