Epidemiological and identification study of mange mites infestation in sheep in Al-Diwaniyah province

This study was conducted to investigate the percentages of infestation of mange Mites in sheep in different regions of Al-Diwaniyah province and the effects of age, sex of animals on the prevalence of the disease were studied also.The results of the microscopical examination of the skin scraping were revealed that 186 of the sheep were infested with mites with an overall percentage of infestation 3.65%.In this study four genera of Mange Mites were recorded that parasitized sheep: Sarcoptes scabiei , Psoroptes ovis , Chorioptes spp. , Chirodiscoides caviae (fur mite) with rates 31.18%, 52.15%, 8.06%, 2.15% respectively where the genera of Chorioptes spp. and Chirodiscoides caviae recorded for the first time in Iraq, in addition to the presence a mixed infestation such as Sarcoptes with Psoroptes 5.91% and Psoroptes with Chorioptes 0.53%.The prevalence of the infestation was highest in sheep more than two years old (3.74%) and the lowest in sheep with age less than two years old (3.40%). The prevalence of Mange Mites in male sheep was 3.93% versus 3.59% in females. Statistically there were no significant differences (P>0.05) according to the age and sex of animals, but the differences in percentages of infestation were significant ( p< 0.05) according to different regions of study.