Abstract:
A cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2020 to August 2021 in Enarji Enawuga
district of north western Ethiopia with the objectives of determining the prevalence of small
ruminants tick infestation, to identify the existing tick species, to identify the major
haemoparasites, to investigate major risk factors associated with tick infestation and tick borne
haemoparasites in small ruminants in the district, to obtain general information from small
ruminant owners for their awareness on tick infestation and relation between seasonal variation
and tick infestation. A total of 396 small ruminants (sheep =198 and goats n=198) were used
for this study. Six kebeles were selected by purposive sampling technique based on the agro
ecology while the study animals and the respondents of the questioner survey were selected
using simple random sampling. After the animal had been properly restrained, tick and blood
samples were carefully gathered. Tick samples were retrieved using forceps from different
predilection sites of the body and placed in 70% ethanol alcohol. After anticipating the ear with
antiseptic, blood samples were obtained from the marginal ear vein. The marginal ear vein was
punctured with a blood lancet, blood samples were obtained with a capillary tube, and thin
blood smears were prepared and fixed with methanol, then stained with Giemsa. The samples
were tagged and sent to the parasitological laboratory department of the Bahir Dar regional
animal health disease investigation and diagnostic laboratory facility. The overall prevalence
of tick infestation and tick born haemoparasites found in this study were 47.22% and 4.29%,
respectively. Multi variable logistic regression was employed to quantify the association
between potential risk factors with ticks’ infestation after analyzed each risk factor with tick
infestation by uni variable logistic regression while fisher’s exact test was employed to quantify
the association between risk factors with tick borne haemoparasites. Age (OR=4.71, P =0.000),