The Role of Soft Tick in Transmission of Parasitc Diseases In Domestic Birds In Assiut

The present study was carried out to investigate the ~ole played by soft ticks in transGission of blood parasites of d?~estic birds. The program of study included:It Survey of soft ticks in assiut Governorate.Il. Survey of blood parasites of douestic birds prevailing in this areaI. SURVEY OF SOFT TICKS.Rasults of the present survey revealed that argas per sicus is the only species of ticks par-as Lt i.z arig do.xcatiLc b.Lrds in Assiu~ Gov~rnQrate. Fowls sh0wed the highest infectation rate(78.57%), whereas ducks and geese were less couwonly infested ’(708% and 4.12% respectively). Pigeons were scarcely infected (2.12 %).Study of the seasonal fluctuations of this tick den- oted that il~agos pr-edouanat e during the hot se .on , s unr; or , fei::ales slightly s erseded L.:.ales. Larvae on the other hand ,were found nor e abundanti during .l.l.utUi:.n. Both stages showed~~ked DROP in denSity during the cold season of winter.These results were coc.pared with those previously abtained by Soli:.:..an (1965).The life cycle ~..rgas Eersicus was worked out under