Unveiling the Hidden Threat: An Epidemiological Study of Tick Infestation in Ruminants Across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and FATA, Pakistan

This work was aimed to determine the infestation of ruminants by ticks in different agro-geo climatic zones of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) and FATA in Pakistan. The investigation was carried out from May 2019 to August 2020 in different districts of KPK (Banu, Peshawar, Swat and Mansehra) and FATA (Khyber Agency). A total of 526 cattle, 397 buffalo, 760 goats and 316 sheep were observed in ten different tehsils of the selected study areas. Ticks were collected from different body parts of animals. Current study results revealed highest prevalence was recorded in Banu (51%) followed by Peshawar (44%), Khyber Agency (34%), Swat (29%) and Mansehra (22%). Five tick genera (Hyalomma, Rhipicephalus, Dermacenter, Haemaphsylis and Ixodes) were identified from the selected study districts. H. anatolicum and R. microplus were the most prevalent tick species infesting different livestock species including cattle, buffalo, sheep and goats. Differences in prevalence percentage might be due various intrinsic factors including (sex, breed, age, immune response and physical appearance etc.) and extrinsic factors including (climatic conditions, farm structure, hygienic measures, farm management, housing structure, floor pattern and farm system etc.). Among all screened animal species cattle were highly infested followed by goats, sheep and buffaloes.