The role of domestic animals and shelters in ticks and tick-borne diseases

Year 2020, Vetexpo-2019, KHVD-2019, 19 - 19, 31.03.2020

Ayşen Gargılı Keleş

Abstract

There are more than 900 globally described tick species and 32 of these have been reported from Turkey,
of which are hard ticks of the family Ixodidae with an exception of Argas, Otobius and Ornithodorus
species belong to the Argasidae family. Along with the vast density of the tick populations in domestic
animals, there is also an intense diversity of the major species towards to the host groups. Majority of the
tick species present in the country are found and fed on large animals, mainly ruminants and a few are
common on pet animals, mainly dogs. Virtually majority of the ticks found on dogs are Dermacentor
marginatus, Ixodes ricinus, Rhipicephalus sanguineus (brown dog ticks) and Haemapysalis spp. with the
exception of Dermacentor spp. (in which the immatures infest mainly rodents), all three stages (adult,
nymph, larva) of the other common species may infest dogs. All of these tick species have multiple hosts
in their life cyle and their biology depends on environmental conditions as well as host suitability. Ticks
of economically important animals such as sheep and cattle has a wider variety in terms of genus and
species. Boophilus (Rhipicephalus), Dermacentor, Haemapysalis, Hyalomma and Rhipicephalus species
are prevalent on farm animals in Turkey. Tick species found in poultry are in soft-ticks group and have a
host/pen dependent biology. Among all these species, single, two or three host ticks are present. Related to
tick borne infectious diseases, Anaplasma spp., Babesia spp., Borrelia burgdorferi sl. (Lyme), Crimean
Congo Hemoragic fever Virus, Ehrlichia phagocytophyla (HGE), Louping ill virus, Rickettsia spp.,
Theileria spp., Tick Borne Encephalitis Virus have been identified from tick samples in various regions of
the country. Although most concern relates to infectious agents, it should be noted that the vast majority of
host seeking ticks are not infected. Other than presence of the agents in tick species, their relation with the
host and vector, and natural foci of the vector and agents play a crucial role for the emergence of the tickborne
infections. Barns of domestic animals and animal shelters for pets, especially dogs, can be infested
by some tick species. Acaricides may reduce the risks of infestation and impair the persistence of tick
population, which is important in formation of natural foci of infections. Identification of the tick species
is important for the type and timing of the acaricide applications. Regular and systematic control of the
animals and housing is essential for detection of timely and actual risks for animal health and tick-borne
diseases as well.

Keywords

tick, shelters, tick-borne diseases

References

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