title: Prevalence ofDermanyssusandOrnithonyssusspecies of mites in poultry farms of Vikarabad area of Hyderabad.
abstract: The common blood feeder mites of poultry are from the generaDermanyssusandOrnithonyssus. Their presence are problematic for the producers either through potential direct effects on weight gain, egg production or sperm production in roosters or as nuisance pests on workers. They also cause anaemia in birds and play a vector role for several human and animal diseases. Five poultry farm buildings of Vikarabad area of Rangareddy district were visited. Samples were collected from a variety of sites, including beneath feed troughs, inside cage fittings and fastening clips, under egg conveyer belts and under manure belts. Heavily mite infested feathers were plucked from three to five individual birds and kept in closed plastic covers. Samples were processed and mounted permanently by using DPX and species differentiation was done. Besides this litter materials and soil samples from the farm were also collected. Massive mixed infestations ofDermanyssusandOrnithonyssusmites were found. The morphological characters provided here can be considered as a practical tool for species differentiation and as these blood feeder mites were most prevalent and important pests of poultry, public health aspects of these parasites should be considered.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Science, Rajendra Nagar, Hyderabad, 500030 India.
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Sreenivasa Murthy
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Science, Rajendra Nagar, Hyderabad, 500030 India.
authors.forename: Rasmita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Panda
keywords: Dermanyssus gallinae; Ornithonyssus bursa; Poultry farms; Vikarabad area