Subcutaneous ticks: a first report in a golden jackal, and their absence in non-canid carnivores.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Ticks are hematophagous arthropods which normally attach to the surface of the host's skin. Their aberrant presence in the subcutaneous tissue of a few carnivores, predominantly foxes, has been reported. However, there have been no reports of this phenomenon in other carnivores such as mustelids or golden jackals. Our aim was to investigate the host spectrum for this aberrant localization of ticks.

Methods

Between 2015 and 2020, a total of 198 carcasses of 12 species of carnivore were examined by parasitological necropsy. When a subcutaneous tick was found, the nodule was removed, carefully dissected, and stored in ethanol. The morphological identification of the subcutaneous tick was carried out to species level.

Results

A single subcutaneous tick was foun

SUBMITTER: Mechouk N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7786515 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature