Morphological and molecular studies on tick species in Ismailia Governorate in Egypt and Al Gabal Al Akhdar in Libya

BACKGROUND: Ticks are obligate blood-sucking ectoparasites of vertebrates that have an impact on both domestic and wild animals, especially in tropical and subtropical areas. AIM: The objective of this study is to compare the prevalence and the tick species in both Al Gabal Al Akhder regions in northeastern Libya and Ismailia, Egypt. METHODS: Tick specimens collected from predilection sites on the hosts were identified by morphological (light microscopy) and molecular methods. RESULTS: In Ismailia, Egypt, 23.9% of the 230 (examined cattle and buffaloes) were infested with one species of hard ticks, Rhipicephalus annulatus. In the Libyan province of Al Gabal Al Akhdar, the prevalence of tick infestation in cattle, sheep, and goats, was 47% and 59%, respectively. R. annulatus is the identified tick species for cattle, Hyalomma marginatum, and Rhipicephalus bursa, are the identified tick species of the infested sheep and goats. CONCLUSION: The 16S rDNA gene sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of sample species from Egypt and Libya proved instrumental in overcoming the difficulties associated with morphological identification techniques.