Hyalomma aegyptium the dominant hard tick in tortoises Tesdudo hermanni boettgeri found in different regions of Albania

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to estimate the level of hard tick infestation in the tortoise subspecies Testudo hermanni boettgeri living within the free-range hills and mountains of four regions of central and south Albania. In addition, this study showed the morphological differences of infested and non-infested tortoises in several geographic locations where tortoises are known to be infested with Hyalomma aegyptium, a natural carrier of different zoonotic pathogens. Thirty-six of 145 (24.8%) examined Hermann's tortoises were found to be infested with hard ticks. After the tortoises were carefully captured and controlled, a total of 67 H. aegyptium were collected: 47 in Berati, 11 in Ballshi and 9 in Saranda. None of the 40 tortoises in the Tirana region were found to be infested with ticks. All ticks were identified as H. aegyptium adults. The highest prevalence of tick infestation was in the Berati region at 49.1%, followed by the Ballshi and Saranda region by 24% and 12%, respectively. The mean infestation intensity was 1.86 H. aegyptium per Hermann's tortoise, and it was found that H. aegyptium are less common in large Hermann's tortoises. The number of H. aegyptium male ticks was negatively correlated with the body dimensions of Hermann's tortoises. Hyalomma aegyptium is the most prevalent tick in Hermann's tortoises in three regions of south Albania, and with a typical three-host life cycle in different wild and domestic animals, they may be a vector of zoonotic pathogens. Furthermore, other studies should be conducted to detect the presence of zoonotic pathogens in ticks from these regions and to estimate the risk of transmission in animals and humans.