EPIZOOTIOLOGICAL STUDIES ON TICK INFESTATION AMONG DROMEDARY CAMELS IN UPPER EGYPT

The goal of the present work was to study tick infestation in camels in relation to different localities, age, sex and seasons. A total number of 1000 one humped camels were investigated, out of the investigated camels, three hundred and ninety were infested with ticks. The current work indicated that the prevalence of tick infestation of the examined camels located in Assiut, El-Minia and Sohag (River Nile Governorates) were 44.78%, 51.43% and 35.55% respectively. Meanwhile the prevalence rates of tick infestation of camels in the border governorates (El-Wady El-Gadid, Aswan and Shalatin) were 47.52%, 33.46% and 32.61% respectively. Statistical analysis revealed that there was no significant variation at P < 0.05 between prevalence rates of tick infestation in River Nile Governorates and Border Governorates. There was highly significant increase in prevalence of tick infestation in camels located in El-Wady El-Gadid governorate at P < 0.05. The prevalence of tick infestation of the examined camels was primarily increased by increasing the age of the animal and the infestation rate ranged from 8.7% to 44.78% (maximum) at 5.5 years. Thereafter, the prevalence of tick infestation was decreased by increasing in the age of infested camel and the percent of infection decreased from 44.78% till 7.41% at 15 years. The susceptibility rate of females (44.5%) to tick infestation was highly significant (p < 0.01) in contrast to males (37.20%). The percentage of infestation with ticks reached its peak (p < 0.01) at hot months of the year (44.3%). It could be concluded that prevalence of tick infestation in Upper Egypt reach its highest level in El-Wady El-Gadid governorate especially during the hot months of the year and camels 5.5 years of age is the most affected.