ABSTRACT The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence of cattle ticks and molecular identification of R. microplus in different ecological regions of North-Western Pakistan. A total of 1091 ticks were collected from 430 cattle followed by morphological identification of different species and confirmation of R. microplus using polymerase chain reaction. Overall, 335 (77.9%) cattle were infested with ticks. Grazing system, lack of acaricide application, and age (with 86.0%, 55.8%, and 85.7% prevalence rates, respectively) were significantly (P ≤ 0.05) associated with higher tick infestation. Microscopic examination detected three different species of ticks including R. microplus, Hyalomma anatolicum, and Hyalomma marginatum at prevalence rates of 47.8%, 41.8% and 10.4%, respectively. Rhipicephalus microplus identification was also confirmed by sequencing the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS2) and cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene fragments. Phylogenetic analysis of ITS2 revealed a single clade of R. microplus and based on the COI nucleotide sequencing, R. microplus in the present study was assigned to clade C. This study showed a higher prevalence of cattle ticks in North-Western Pakistan and confirmed R. microplus as a major cattle tick species. These findings may be helpful in devising strategies for integrated control of ticks and tick-borne diseases in Northwestern Pakistan.

中文翻译：

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巴基斯坦西北部牛群中蜱的流行病学和细头头虱的分子特征

摘要 本研究旨在调查巴基斯坦西北部不同生态区牛蜱的流行情况和 R. microplus 的分子鉴定。从 430 头牛中总共收集了 1091 只蜱，然后使用聚合酶链反应对不同物种进行了形态学鉴定并确认了 R. microplus。总体而言，335 头（77.9%）牛感染了蜱。放牧制度、未使用杀螨剂和年龄（流行率分别为 86.0%、55.8% 和 85.7%）与蜱虫感染率显着相关（P ≤ 0.05）。显微镜检查检测到三种不同种类的蜱，包括 R. microplus、Hyaomma anatolicum 和 Hyalomma marginatum，患病率分别为 47.8%、41.8% 和 10.4%。通过对第二个内部转录间隔区 (ITS2) 和细胞色素氧化酶 I (COI) 基因片段进行测序，也证实了 Rhipicephalus microplus 的鉴定。ITS2 的系统发育分析揭示了 R. microplus 的单个进化枝，并且基于 COI 核苷酸测序，本研究中的 R. microplus 被分配到进化枝 C。该研究显示巴基斯坦西北部牛蜱的流行率较高，并证实了 R . microplus 作为主要的牛蜱种。这些发现可能有助于制定在巴基斯坦西北部综合控制蜱和蜱传疾病的策略。本研究中的 microplus 被分配到进化枝 C。该研究表明，巴基斯坦西北部牛蜱的流行率较高，并确认 R. microplus 是主要的牛蜱物种。这些发现可能有助于制定在巴基斯坦西北部综合控制蜱和蜱传疾病的策略。本研究中的 microplus 被分配到进化枝 C。该研究表明，巴基斯坦西北部牛蜱的流行率较高，并确认 R. microplus 是主要的牛蜱物种。这些发现可能有助于制定在巴基斯坦西北部综合控制蜱和蜱传疾病的策略。