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Prevalence, intensity and population dynamics of hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) on sheep in the humid tropics of Mexico

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Abstract

Hard ticks are a perennial problem in livestock systems throughout Mexico. No data are currently available on tick prevalence, infestation intensity and population dynamics for sheep in the humid tropics of Mexico. Blackbelly sheep (n = 30) in Tabasco state, Mexico, were examined every 3 weeks for 1 year, and all Ixodidae ticks were counted and removed for analysis. Tick species were identified, infestation prevalence and intensity calculated per animal, and infestation per body zone determined. Overall infestation on the studied animals was 51.9%. Four tick species were identified (Amblyomma mixtum, A. imitator, Rhipicephalus microplus and R. annulatus), the most abundant being A. mixtum (94.9%). Prevalence was highest during the northwinds season (61.9%), followed by the dry (48.5%) and rainy (47.3%) seasons; however, the intensity (2.01–2.07 ticks/sheep) did not differ between seasons. Infestation was most frequent in certain zones including the axilla, crotch, udder, abdomen, thorax and rib area. Sheep in the humid tropics of Tabasco, Mexico, are parasitized by four hard tick species and prevalence is highest in the northwinds season. The present data constitute an important baseline for developing sustainable tick control programs for sheep in the humid tropics of Mexico.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the small ruminant area of the División Académica Ciencias Agropecuarias de la Universidad Juarez Autónoma de Tabasco for providing installations for the study, and the animal parasitology laboratory of the Centro de Investigaciones Ciencias Agropecuarias (UJAT) for their support. Thanks are also due the veterinary medicine students Jessica, Cristina, Amaraini, Elizabeth, Miroshlava, Carlos, Francisco, Silbina, Lucy, Samanta and Melina; the veterinary medicine intern Emilio Sanchez Olán; and A. Fernando and Paulino from URRUSE-Chapingo.

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Correspondence to Nadia Florencia Ojeda-Robertos.

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Coronel-Benedett, K.C., Ojeda-Robertos, N.F., González-Garduño, R. et al. Prevalence, intensity and population dynamics of hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) on sheep in the humid tropics of Mexico. Exp Appl Acarol 74, 99–105 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10493-017-0195-x

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