First report of Hyalomma marginatum (Arachnida, Ixodidae) in Saiga tatarica from Ural antelope population: Western Kazakhstan

Аннотация

Background and Aim. Ixodid ticks (Acari, Ixodidae) are among the most important groups of arachnids globally, significantly impacting human and veterinary practice. Five genera of ticks of the Ixodidae family have been registered in Kazakhstan. Ticks of the genus Hyalomma are particularly important from epizootiological and epidemiological perspectives. Bites from infected ticks can transmit pathogens of bacterial and viral diseases.
Materials and Methods. The research was conducted in the Bokeyorda State Nature Reserve, located in the Bokeyorda, Zhanibek, Kaztalov, and Zhanakala districts of the West Kazakhstan region of Kazakhstan, under a permit from the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Trapping for parasite carriage studies was conducted using the Coral method without harming animal health. To avoid stress, each captured animal was examined as quickly as possible. One or two ticks were removed safely, after which the animals were immediately released. The collected samples were placed in sterile laboratory Eppendorf tubes and stored at 2-4 °C. Tick species identification was performed under a trinocular stereoscopic microscope using identification tables.
Results. During the study, Hyalomma marginatum ticks, a major vector of the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHF), were discovered for the first time in representatives of the Ural saiga population (Saiga tatarica) in Western Kazakhstan. This species have not previously been recorded on saiga in Kazakhstan. Morphological identification allowed us to clarify the characteristic diagnostic features of the discovered specimens, distinguishing them from other species of the genus Hyalomma.
Conclusion. The detection of H. marginatum in saigas is of epizootiological significance, as this tick species actively parasitizes farm animals, creating conditions for the circulation and possible transmission of zoonotic pathogens between wild and domestic animals. Saiga migrations between Kazakhstan and Russia contribute to the expansion of the range of H. marginatum and likely increase the risk of tick-borne infections in the steppe ecosystems of the Urals.