ECTOPARASITES OF NESTING CATTLE EGRET BUBULCUS IBIS L. (CICONIIFORMES: ARDEIDAE) AT KAFER EL-SHEIKH CITY, EGYPT

Desouky, Abdel-Razek; El-Abasy, Moshira A.; Ibrahim, Reda A.

doi:10.21608/kvmj.2008.115910

ECTOPARASITES OF NESTING CATTLE EGRET BUBULCUS IBIS L. (CICONIIFORMES: ARDEIDAE) AT KAFER EL-SHEIKH CITY, EGYPT

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Dept. of Parasitology , Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kafrelsheikh University

² Dept.of Poultry Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kafrelsheikh University

³ Dept. of Economic Entomology, Faculty of Agriculture, Kafrelsheikh University

10.21608/kvmj.2008.115910

Abstract

Nesting cattle egrets are considered nuisances when their breeding colonies are near structures used by humus due to noise, odour, spoiling the environment and concern over health hazards. Cattle egrets play an important role in disseminating many pathogenic micro-organisms, viral, bacterial, rickettsial and parasites to domestic birds, animals and man.
Ectoparasitic infection is one of the most important parasitic diseases of birds because they are not markedly host specific which makes infected foreign birds potentially dangerous carriers to other habitats. These ectoparasites may also be mechanical or biological vectors to the more serious viral and bacterial pathogens. So, this work aimed to study the ectoparasitic fauna of nesting cattle egrets at Kafr El-Sheikh city to elucidate their possible role of transmission of such parasites and infectious organisms to domestic birds and mammals.
In the present study, a total of 81 adult cattle egrets were captured from KafrEl-Sheikh city and examined for ectoparasitic infection during the period from June to September 2006. Results revealed that a total of 76 out of 81 (93.8%) birds were infected with ectoparasites. A total of 76 out of 81 (93.8 %) birds were infected with lice (Menacanthus stramenius), 23 out of 81 (28.4%) birds were infected with red mite (Dermanyssus gallinae) and 30 out of 81 (37%) birds were infected with tick (Argus arboreus).The highest percentage of infection and the highest intensity of the infection with the three recorded ectoparasites was in July and August, then in June followed by September.

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