Impact of geo-climatic factors on the prevalence and diversity of tick fauna in Achai cattle of the northern Hindukush Mountains, Khyber pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Ticks are blood-feeding ectoparasites that can transmit different diseases in livestock and humans. Globally, 994 tick species are recognized, belonging to three families, that is, Argasidae (220 species), Ixodidae (773 species) and Nuttalliellidae (one species). The current study investigated the impact of geo-climatic conditions on the prevalence and distribution of ticks in Achai cattle of the northern Hindukush Mountains of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. METHODS: A total of 707 households containing Achai cattle were investigated for the prevalence and distribution of ticks in Achai cattle. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of positive households (388) was 53.46%. Different geo-climatic conditions, such as location, humidity, temperature and altitude, showed a significant impact on the prevalence and distribution of tick fauna. Higher tick prevalence was observed in Achai animals kept at altitudes of 1500-2000 m, 41-50% humidity and 10-20oC. The most prevalent tick species was Rhipicephalus microplus (67.26%), followed by Haemaphysalis montgomeryi (16.75%), under all studied geo-climatic conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Achai cattle are mostly susceptible to the tick species R. microplus, which might be due to its richness in the study area. Furthermore, the results regarding the impact of geo-climatic conditions on the diversity and richness of the tick species could be considered in preventive policies for tick control.