Ticks infesting domestic animals in northern Greece.
The tick species infesting grazing animals in the countryside of 11 prefectures in Northern Greece were investigated during April-July and September-December of consecutive years 2003-2006. A total of 3,249 (1,952 males, 1,297 females) adult ticks were collected from goats, sheep, cattle and dogs. Ticks were identified as Ixodes ricinus (44.57%), Ixodes gibbosus (4.09%), Rhipicephalus bursa (19.14%), Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Rhipicephalus turanicus (5.79%), Hyalomma marginatum marginatum (12.40%), Dermacentor marginatus (0.31%) and Boophilus annulatus (4.43%). Rhipicephalus spp. and Hyalomma spp. were abundant in all prefectures, Ixodes spp. were present in 9/11 prefectures, Boophilus spp. in 4/11, while Dermacentor spp. were found only in one. Results of this study give an insight into the ecology of ticks and their potential of tick-borne diseases in the country.
Department of Microbiology (WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Arboviruses and Hemorrhagic Fever Viruses), Medical School, Aristotle University, 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Vasiliki
V
Pavlidou
Spyros
S
Gerou
Melania
M
Kahrimanidou
Anna
A
Papa
D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic / Q000469:parasitology*; D001096:Arachnid Vectors / Q000145:classification*; D002417:Cattle / Q000469:parasitology; D004285:Dogs / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D006041:Goats / Q000469:parasitology; D006115:Greece; D008297:Male; D012756:Sheep / Q000469:parasitology; D013987:Ticks / Q000145:classification*