PROTOZOAN PARASITES IN CAMELS (CAMELUS DROMEDAIRUS) INFESTED WITH TICK DURING SUMMER AND WINTER IN LIBYA

This study was carried out to investigate prevalence of tick infestations and identify tick genusand species that parasitized one humped dromedary camels from random farm houses in Sebhacity, southern Libya. Out of 225 camels examined, 172 (76.44%) were infested with one or twoof tick species. Prevalence rate was (100%) in summer compared to (57.6%) in winter, with significantdifference (P < 0.05). The recovered ticks were Ixodes avatus (24.8%) in winter followedby Argas persicus (12%), Haemophysalis sp. (9.6%), Hyalomma dromedarii (7.2%) andRhipicephalus annulatus (4.0%). But, in summer ticks were A. persicus (30.0%) followed by R.annulatus (29.0%), H. dromedarii (17.0%), I. avatus (13.0%) and then Haemophysalis sp. Nodoubt, global climate changes increase ectoparasites on animal and humans, and hence increasingarthropod-borne infectious diseases.