A survey of seasonal infestation with hard ticks on small ruminants in Divandareh suburb, Kurdistan province, Iran

Ticks are important ectoparasites in animals which causes economic losses in animal husbandry of Iran and worldwide. This study was aimed to determine frequency and species diversity of hard ticks in sheep and goats in Divandareh suburb, Kurdistan province, Iran. A total of 240 small ruminants (120 sheep, 120 goats) were randomly selected and examined from spring 2019 to spring 2020. Ixodid ticks were collected from body surface of examined animals and identified. Of all examined animals, 28.58% sheep, and 19.16% goats were infested with a total number of 398 ixodid ticks. The highest prevalence of hard ticks was found in ≥1 years-old animals in the region. There was significant difference between prevalence and different age and sex groups of infested animals. Of all examined ticks (398), four genera including Hyalomma spp., Rhipicephalus spp ., Dermacentor spp. and Haemaphysalis spp. with five species. i.e. H. asiaticum asiaticum (36.93%), Rhipicephalus bursa (28.89%) and Dermacentor marginatus (21.85%) , Haemaphysalis  inermis (9.54%) and Hyalomma anatolicum (2.76%) were identified. Ixodid ticks’ infestations occurred throughout the year with the highest prevalence in spring. There was significant difference between prevalence of hard ticks and seasons in this study. Tick indices (tick number per animal) were 3.4.  Based on our results, it is concluded that ixodid tick infections were prevalent among sheep and goats in Divandareh suburb, Kurdistan province, Iran.