Determination of seasonal prevalence and intensity of tick infestation in tortoises, in Turkish Thrace

Hyalomma aegyptium, tortoise tick, is seen in Turkey, Balkans, and North Africa. It is among the first two tick species that attach human, particularly in the western regions of Turkey. Although H. aegyptium is a medically important species, there is no detailed data on the monthly or seasonal dynamics of the species, neither in Turkey nor in the world. On the other hand, unlike most other tick species, a species with a cold-blooded host and a unique biology has a unique seasonal dynamic, and it is difficult to predict this dynamic by looking at other tick species or based on general tick ecology data. This study was conducted on tortoises in Thrace, where the population of tortoises is known to be quite high. The study carried out between 01.01.2021 – 31.01.2022 in the localities in Suleymanpasa, Yeniciftlik, Corlu, Cerkezkoy, Cesmeli and Seymen in Tekirdag province was carried out to determine the seasonal prevalence and intensity characteristics of H. aegyptium. As a result, 157 turtles were found between March and September and ticks were detected in 148 of them. The lowest prevalences were recorded in April with 85.7% and in May with 87.2%; the value was 100% in other months. The intensity in the infested animals was calculated as 18.4. All the tick specimens, which is distributed as 939 larvae, 435 nymph, 974 male and 377 female, encountered on the tortoises belonged to H. aegyptium species. Keywords: Hyalomma aegyptium, Tick, Testudo graeca, Tortoise, Thrace