Unusual parasitism site of Dermacentor nitens (Acari: Ixodidae) on a horse

Abstract

Dermacentor nitens Neumann is the most common tick species infesting horses in the main Brazilian biomes. It has a predilection to attach to horse the ears, the nasal diverticulum, perineal and perianal regions. The infestations can generate severe damage in the ears, anemia, and the tick also acts as vector of Babesia caballi (Nuttall and Strickland), the causative agent of equine babesiosis. Our study describes unusual parasitism site of D. nitens on a female cross breed horse, approximately ten years old that presented high parasitism by ticks on the perineal and perianal region, ears, and the left eye orbit region, where an enucleation process had been performed a few years earlier. To our knowledge this is the first report of D. nitens parasitism on a formerly enucleated eye orbit.