ABSTRACT

The present study aimed at assessing the epidemiology and associated risk factors of ixodid ticks from Shivalik hill zone of Himachal Pradesh, India. A total of 602 cattle of different age, breeds, and sex were screened for the occurrence of ixodid ticks from six districts from March, 2019 to February, 2020. The associated data were recorded for the risk factor assessment. The overall tick prevalence was recorded to be 66.4%. Three tick species were found prevalent viz., Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (68.4%), Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus (30.85%), and Hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum (0.74%). The highest prevalence was recorded during the monsoon season (74.9%) (OR: 1.25; 0.65–1.86) followed by summer (65.3%) and lowest in winter season (59.4%) (OR: 0.64; 0.26–0.79). Agewise, tick infestation was observed to be highest in age group >1 year (76.5%) (OR: 6.37; 3.32–12.21) followed by age group >6 months–1 year (38.8%) (OR: 9.09; 4.67–17.69) and the lowest in ≤6 months age (29.3%). The prevalence rate was found to be more in female cattle (71.6%) in comparison to males (23.4%). Breedwise, the highest tick infestation was observed in cross-bred Jersey (69.8%) (OR: 3.51; 1.59–7.76) followed by cross-bred Holstein Friesian (69.6%) (OR: 0.95; 0.51–1.75) and lowest in indigenous cattle (45.0%). The risk factors related to management practices revealed that the prevalence of ixodid ticks was significantly (P < 0.05) less when the animals were kept in pucca sheds with acaricide application done both on body and shed with reapplication in 3 months. The odds of tick infestation were high in cattle population in Solan (OR: 2.29; 1.05-5.02) and least in Hamirpur in comparison to Kangra region (reference district) when the regression analysis of the risk factors associated with tick prevalence was studied. The current study represents the first report determining the epidemiological status of ixodid ticks in Shivalik hill zone region and findings of the study would provide a basis for generating new and effective control strategies for management the management of ticks in cattle population of the region.

摘要

本研究旨在评估来自印度喜马偕尔邦 Shivalik 山地区的硬蜱的流行病学和相关危险因素。2019 年 3 月至 2020 年 2 月，共对 602 头不同年龄、品种和性别的牛进行了 ixodid 蜱的筛查，记录了相关数据用于风险因素评估。总体蜱流行率记录为 66.4%。三个蜱物种被发现普遍存在即，镰形扇头（小牛蜱）microplus（68.4％），镰形扇头（小牛蜱）annulatus（30.85％），和璃眼蜱anatolicum anatolicum(0.74%)。季风季节（74.9%）（OR：1.25；0.65-1.86）的流行率最高，其次是夏季（65.3%），冬季最低（59.4%）（OR：0.64；0.26-0.79）。在年龄方面，观察到蜱虫感染在年龄组 >1 岁（76.5%）（OR：6.37；3.32-12.21）中最高，其次是年龄组 >6 个月-1 岁（38.8%）（OR：9.09；4.67-17.69） ) 和 ≤6 月龄最低 (29.3%)。与公牛（23.4%）相比，母牛（71.6%）的患病率更高。在品种方面，杂交泽西岛的蜱虫感染率最高 (69.8%) (OR: 3.51; 1.59–7.76) 其次是杂交荷斯坦弗里斯兰 (69.6%) (OR: 0.95; 0.51–1.75) 和最低的是土著牛（45.0%）。与管理实践相关的风险因素表明，硬蜱的患病率显着（P< 0.05) 当动物被关在 pucca 棚子里时，在身体上和棚子里都施用杀螨剂，并在 3 个月内重新施用。在研究与蜱流行相关的风险因素的回归分析时，与康格拉地区（参考区）相比，索兰牛群中蜱感染的几率很高（OR：2.29；1.05-5.02），而在哈米尔布尔的几率最低。目前的研究代表了第一份确定 Shivalik 山地区 ixodid 蜱流行病学状况的报告，该研究的结果将为制定新的有效控制策略提供基础，以管理该地区牛群中蜱的管理。