Ticks and Tick-borne diseases surveillance with special reference to Babesia infections in small ruminants in northern Greece.

Abstract

Ticks (n= 530) and blood samples (n= 228) were collected from small ruminants on farms (n= 39) in northern Greece during the period of April-June in 2015. The farms were either sheep farms, goat farms or mixed (shoats). The following prefectures were visited: Epirus, West Macedonia, Central Macedonia, East Macedonia and Thrace. During the visits the farmers were asked questions that were recorded on a questionnaire. There were questions about the management of the farmer, common diseases and tick-borne diseases. The ticks were identified as follows: Dermacentor marginatus (0.57%), Hyalloma marginatum (0.75%), Ixodes gibbosus (1.89%), Ixodes ricinus (1.32%), Rhipicephalus annulatus (2.08%), Rhipicephalus bursa (70.19%), Rhipicephalus sanguineus (4.90%), Rhipicephalus turanicus (18.30%). R. bursa had the highest prevalence and is known to be a vector of Babesia ovis, Anaplasma ovis and Theileria spp. The blood samples will be used in a subsequent study using PCR reverse line blot (RLB) hybridization and sequencing. Knowledge of the present tick species in Greece gives an opportunity to make a risk analysis about tick-borne diseases and the possible economic impact for the farmers.