Detection of microorganisms in the saliva and midgut smears of different tick species [Acari: ixodoidea] in Egypt

ABSTRACT

Investigation of 1789 field-collected adult ticks in Egypt for the presence of microorganisms revealed the following the protozoan, Babesia bigemina, B. canis; Theileria annulata, and the rickettesia Aegyptianella pullorum [Carpano] were found in the saliva and the mid-guts smears of eight ixodid and two argasid tick species. The infected percent was higher in cattle and dog ticks than it was in fowl ticks; it was also higher in salivary glands [S] than in the midguts [M]. Identification of protozoa using microscopic image analysis, showed that Hyalomma spp. [Koch] were infected with T. annulata', the genera Boophilus [Curtice] and Rhipicephalus Koch were infected with B. bigemina, and B. canis respectively; Argas spp. [Latreille] were infected with A. pullorum. The bacterial disease agents Staphylococcus, Streptococcus and Yersinia were detected in [S] and [M] of eight ixodids and one argasid tick species; Bacillus was only found in H. anatolicum excavatum, [Koch]. Escherichia coli was isolated only from A. persicus [Oken] midguts