<div>Background: Turkey is home to various resident and migratory wild bird species. The aim of the present study was to investigate the ectoparasites found on 188 injured or rescued resident and migratory wild birds from Bursa and surroundings between 2015 and 2019. 
 
Methods: Sampled birds were examined for different ectoparasites and all of the collected parasites were placed into tubes containing 70% ethyl alcohol. After mounting onto slides or fixing onto a plate, each parasite was identified to species using a light or stereo microscope. 
 
Result: Results revealed that 88 (46.8%) of the examined wild birds were infested with one or two of 3 different species of ectoparasites. The species identified were 38 lice, three ticks and two flies. The lice were highly prevalent (40.4%) species than the flies (2.1%) and ticks (2.1%). The results also first geographically documented the lice and ked fly species as follows, with additional new host records: Fulicoffula gallinula and Pseudomenapon pilosum in the common moorhens (Gallinula chloropus); Ciconiphilus decimfasciatus in the grey heron (Ardea cinerea); Saemundssonia clayae in the Eurasian woodcock (Scolopax rusticola); Ardeicola ixobrychae in the common little bittern (Ixobrychus minutus) and the ked fly as Ornithophila metallica in the Eurasian magpies (Pica pica) in Turkey. The study results provided valuable data on the ectoparasites living on migratory and resident bird species during their migration throughout northwest Turkey. Further research on the related pathogens that these ectoparasites harbor is in need.</div>

A Survey of the Ectoparasites Found on Wild Birds in Northwest Turkey

<div>Background: Gnathiids are considered excellent ectoparasites widely distributed along the fish body with a biphasic life cycle including parasitic larval stages and free-living adults. This study focused on gnathiids infecting the brown-spotted grouper fish and confirming the identity of the host species. 
 
Methods: Twenty Epinephelus chlorostigma (Serranidae) were collected from the Red Sea Coast (especially off Jeddah, Saudi Arabia) and examined for gnathiid fish parasites. Species identification of the larvae was based on morphological criteria of Smit and Basson (2002). In contrast, the taxonomy of fish species was supported by amplification and sequencing of host DNA via the mitochondrial DNA genes (COI and 16S rRNA) using gnathiids&rsquo; blood meals. 
&nbsp; 
Result: Praniza larvae of a gnathiid isopod were collected from the gill chambers of the examined fish. The prevalence rate was 60% and mean intensity of the pranzia larvae was 16. The pranzia larva is described microscopically and distinguished by large body size (3.51-5.90 mm), the presence of 8th teeth in the mandible, maxilliped with 5-7th teeth on the first palp and the endite hooked, pleotelson with concave anterolateral margins and rami of uropods extend its apex. The recovered larvae could be identified as pranzia larvae of Gnathia pantherina Smit and Basson, 2002 due to the morphological resemblance. The host species identity was confirmed molecularly with COI and 16S rRNA genes and showed highly stringent criteria with the previously E. chlorostigma sequence data. The obtained host DNA sequences were deposited in NCBI database under accession numbers ON384530.1 for COI and ON384544.1 for 16S rRNA.</div>

​Identification of Gnathiid Isopods as Ectoparasites of the Brown-spotted Grouper Epinephelus chlorostigma from the Red Sea of Saudi Arabia

Background:&nbsp;The present study screened for isolation of&nbsp;Argulus&nbsp;spp. infecting fishes based on the report of causing substantial economic losses both in aquaculture ponds and ornamental shops across several locations in Tripura, India.&nbsp; 
 
Methods:&nbsp;Identification of Argulus spp. was performed based on morphological, and molecular techniques. The molecular identification of&nbsp;Argulus&nbsp;spp. was performed using universal eukaryotic 18S rRNA genetic markers. Prevalence analysis was performed to determine the infestation rate of&nbsp;Argulus&nbsp;spp. in different hosts.&nbsp; 
 
Result:&nbsp;Seven&nbsp;A. japonicus, one&nbsp;A. coregoni&nbsp;and one&nbsp;A. foliaceus&nbsp;isolates were identified based on molecular and morphological features. In the present study it was found that A. japonicus infected a wide range of host species, including Goldfish, Milky Koi carp, Mrigal, Rohu, Catla and Subunkin. It was the first instance of&nbsp;A. japonicus&nbsp;infecting milky koi carp both in India and globally. On the other hand,&nbsp;A. foliaceus&nbsp;and&nbsp;A. coregoni&nbsp;infected only tiger oscar and goldfish respectively, indicating a rather narrow range of host diversity.

Exploring the Genetic and Morphological Diversity of Argulus Ectoparasite Infecting the Aquaculture and Ornamental Fish in Tripura

Background: Honey bees are one of the most important and efficient insect pollinators of food crops on earth providing honey, bee wax, bee pollen, royal jelly, propolis, etc. Varroa destructor is the most obnoxious pest of honey bees infliciting damage to the colony vis-&agrave;-vis transmitting viral diseases. The repeated use of synthetic acaricidal treatment results in developing resistance against varroa mite followed by residue hazards in bee products. This leads to an urgent need to develop alternate eco-friendly methods to manage the pest. 
 
Methods: The experiment was designed to evaluate the relative efficiency of six botanical extracts viz. Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.), Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), Coleus (Coleus aromaticus), Sweet flag (Acorus calamus L.), Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum L.) and Goat weed (Ageratun conezoides L.) against Varroa mite (Varroa destructor) under laboratory conditions. After preliminary dose-setting experiments, mites and honeybees were exposed to 2% ethanol extracts of the plants, with 24 hours&rsquo; exposure time. 
 
Result: 2% concentration of Coleus, Sweet flag and Tulsi registered cent percent mortality of mites within 24 hours after treatment followed by Turmeric (93.33%), Sweet basil (86.67%) and Goat weed (80%). All the extracts exhibited &lt; 30% mortality of honey bees (Apis cerana indica) whereas turmeric showed the lowest efficiency (14.29%).

Laboratory Evaluation of Some Botanicals against the Honey Bee Ectoparasitic Mite Varroa Destructor (Acari: Varroidae) and its Impact on Honey Bees (Apis cerana indica)

<div>Background: Mithun (Bos frontalis) experience infestations from various ectoparasites, including several types of flies that cause painful bites, stress, blood loss and transmit a range of microorganisms. In the Mithun-inhabited forested regions of Phek, Nagaland, the Tabanus fly is particularly prevalent.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: Researchers studied Tabanus flies infesting free-range mithun in Phek District, Nagaland. The flies were collected and processed at the ICAR-NRC on Mithun in Nagaland. Both morphological (using stereoscopic microscopes) and molecular methods (employing ribosomal and mitochondrial gene markers) were utilized for identification. Additionally, DNA barcoding was done at Eurofins Genomics India Pvt. Ltd. to further ascertain the flies&rsquo; identities. Climate attributes (Temperature, Rainfall and Humidity) was recorded during the study. 
 
Result: Through morphological and molecular investigations, it was conclusively determined to be Tabanus rufofrater. The highest occurrence of Tabanus rufofrater encounters takes place between May and August, aligning with the pre-monsoon and monsoon seasons, before gradually declining thereafter. The prevalence of Tabanus rufofrater attacks peaks from May to August, coinciding with the pre-monsoon and monsoon periods and subsequently decreases.</div>

A Report on the Tabanus Species Tabanus rufofrater in Mithun (Bos frontalis)

<div>Parasitism is a common problem for mithun (Bos frontalis) resulting in production losses in terms of meat and milk. Prevalence of ectoparasites infestation including Rhipicephalus microplus, Ambylomma testuidinarium, Ixodes ovatus and I. acutitarsus, has been reported based on taxonomic studies and PCR amplification of conserved gene. Different gastrointestinal helminth like Haemonchus contortus, Mecistocirrus digitatus, Trichostrongylus spp., Oesophagostomum spp., Trichuris spp s, Thelazia species, Strongyloides papillosus, different amphistomes and Fasciola gigantica were also reported from mithun from India. Among filarial worms, Setaria digitata was &nbsp;recorded from peritoneal cavity of mithun and its molecular confirmation was done based on PCR amplification of marker genes. Tapeworm infestation viz. Moniezia expansa, M. benedeni, hydatid cyst and Cysticercus tenuicollis, were also commonly occurred in mithun. Enteric protozoa like different species of Eimeria, Cryptospordium species, Balantidium coli, has been diagnosed based on morphological identification sporulated oocysts and developmental stages found on faecal examination. Another obligate intracellular parasites Toxoplasma gondii, was also diagnosed based on ELISA and modified agglutination test. An integrated approach incorporating deworming, good livestock management and optimum feeding management practice coupled with vaccination programme will make successful parasite control programme in near future.</div>

<div>Parasites of mithun (Bos frontalis) in North Eastern hilly region of India-A review</div>

Background: Ticks are one of the most common ectoparasites of cattle. Ticks can cause symptoms of infestation, including tick-toxicosis and paralysis and can also transmit some tick-borne diseases. Some tick species are not commonly found in cattle, but can occasionally be transmitted to them from wild reservoirs. A study was conducted to investigate and identify the ticks infesting cattle from the adjacent villages of Gorumara National Park in West Bengal, India. 
&nbsp; 
Methods: Ticks collected from cattle were studied using a stereo zoom microscope. Then, DNA was extracted from them and the mitochondrial 16S rRNA sequence of the tick was amplified using gene-specific primers. The amplified fragments were sequenced and aligned with other sequences using the NCBI BLAST. This further validated the results of morphological analysis. 
&nbsp; 
Result: One of the tick species collected was first identified as Haemaphysalis shimoga based on its morphological features. After sequencing the amplified 16S rRNA sequence PCR product, its length was found to be 456 bp long. Phylogenetic analysis of the collected H. shimoga revealed 99-100% sequence similarity with the reference sequences of H. shimoga from Thailand and Malaysia. This is the first report on the morphological and molecular identification of H. shimoga in cattle from West Bengal, India.

First Report of Haemaphysalis Shimoga from Cattle in West Bengal, India

<div>Eprinomectin is a broad spectrum endectocides used against gastrointestinal, pulmonary nematodes and ectoparasites in cattle. The main objective of the present study was to investigate effects of eprinomectin in cows following subcutaneous and pour-on administrations; on serum DNA apoptosis, acute phase response, Total Antioxidant Status (TAS), total protein, creatinine, urea levels, and AST, ALT and GGT activities. Ten Holstein cows were divided into two groups. Group 1 received subcutaneous (0.2 mg/kg) and group 2 received pour-on (0.5 mg/kg) administration of eprinomectin. Blood samples were collected from vena jugularis prior to and following the drug administration at intervals of 36 hrs, 3rd, 6th, 12nd and 20th days, respectively. Samples were centrifuged at 2500 g for 15 minutes and separated sera stored at -20 &ordm;C. Results showed that the eprinomectin application decreases the sera levels of acute phase proteins. Statistically significant increase was observed &nbsp;in antioxidant capasity (P&lt;0.05) and total protein (P&lt;0.01). However, there was non-significant increase in apoptosis rate. No remarkable alterations were observed in AST, ALT and GGT activities including urea and creatinine levels. Results showed that the eprinomectin application reduces &nbsp;the sera levels of acute phase proteins (ceruloplasmin and sialic acid) in cows. However, statistically significant increase &nbsp;was measured in antioxidant capasity (P&lt;0.05) and total protein (P&lt;0.01) levels. It could be concluded from the study that eprinomectin do not have adverse effects on liver and kidney.&nbsp;</div>

<div>Effects of eprinomectin administration on apoptosis, acute phase response and antioxidant status in cattle</div>

<div>Background: Ticks are destructive ectoparasites that feed on the blood of domestic animals and the spread of ticks causes significant losses in meat, milk and leather production. About 800 species of ticks are known around the world, Hyalomma dromedarii is one of the ticks that attack camels as their main host. The objective of this study was to identify the acaricidal activity of Laurus nobilis and Croton tiglium seeds extract against H. dromedarii ticks and comparison with some drugs used against external parasites. 
 
Methods: A study was performed to evaluate the acaricidal activities of methanolic extracts of two medicinal plants, namely the seeds of C. tiglium and L. nobilis, against H. dromedarii using an adult immersion test and larval bundle test. Five graduated concentrations of extracts, 6.25, 12.5, 25, 50 and 100 mg/ml, were tested at different periods and changes over time in the viability of ticks were registered for 24 hr. Distilled water and cypermethrin (0.1%) were used as a negative and positive control, respectively. 
 
Result: From 30 min after exposure, a concentration of 100 mg/ml of C. tiglium seed extract resulted in higher mortality (p&lt;0.05) compared with cypermethrin. A significant rise in tick mortality began 2 hr after exposure to a concentration of 100 mg/ml of C. tiglium seed extract and cypermethrin. At 24 hr after exposure, cypermethrin and concentrations of 50 and 100 mg/ml of C. tiglium extract induced significantly higher tick mortality compared to the rest of the concentrations. A significant increase in tick mortality began 3 hr after exposure to cypermethrin and concentrations of 50 and 100 mg/ml of Laurus nobilis extract and 12 hr after exposure to concentrations of 6.25, 12.5 and 25 mg/ml L. nobilis extract. At 24 hr after the exposure time, concentrations of 50 and 100 mg/ml of the extract and cypermethrin had a comparable higher tick mortality effect compared to the remaining concentrations below 25 mg/ml (p&lt;0.05). The lower concentration (6.25 mg/ml) resulted in notably higher mortality of adult ticks and larvae compared to the negative control (distilled water) at 24 hr exposure to both extracts. At 24 hr after the exposure period, the tick mortality of all estimated plant extracts also increased with raised exposure time and concentration. Therefore, studied plants can be used against H. dromedarii as a potential alternative to commercially available medicines. Further studies should include more research on separating each component and validating the materials.</div>

In vitro Assessment of the Acaricidal Activity of Laurus nobilis and Croton tiglium Seeds Extract against Hyalomma dromedarii Ticks