A preliminary study on ticks and equine Babesiosisin rural areas (North-east of Algeria), Algeria

During the year 2015-2016, a study was conducted to identify ticks that infect horses in rural areas in North-east of Algeria. Five parasitic species were observed, Rhipicephalus bursa predominates with 45%, Rhipicephalussanguineus: 10%, Rhipicephalusannulatus 15%, Hyalommamarginatum 13% and Hyalommaanatolicum: 17%. Moreover, the prevalence of babesiosis in local horse breeds was determined. A global prevalence of 70% was found for equine babesiosis in the two areas (Sedrata and Lake of birds). The horses were found positive (Giemsa coloration) for Theileriaequi and Babesiacaballi. No significant differences were encountered concerning sex and age of infected animals. Removal of ticks manually does not prevent for ticks infestation and the exposure of horses to piroplasmosis. So, apart from favorable climatic factors, the presence of horses with other animals (ruminants and dogs) appears to be a factor in the infestation of horses by ticks. There were no significant differences between the positivity to Babesia with the factors sex and age of the horses (p> 0, 0.5). After this preliminary work, a wider study of ticks of the equine population in Algeria is essential for the establishment of a plan of prevention against these mites and the diseases that they transmit.