Parasitic mites and ticks of birds.

Abstract

A brief review of mite and tick groups of birds and their acariasis is presented.Birds are hosts to diverse groups of mites and ticks that inhabit the feathers,quills,skin,intracutaneous tissue,subcutaneous tissue, nasal cavity,trachea,lung,air sac and serous membranes of the viscera.Fifty-one families of acarina,1of which is phoretic,that are parasitic on or in birds have been recognized.Many of them are minimally pathogenic for wild birds.However,they can lead to various health problems and death in parasitized caged and aviary birds,and some groups may bite humans.Birds are also an important animal not only as a host for vector species of acari-borne diseases but also as a healthy carrier of acari-borne pathogens