Control of Cattle Ticks

Abstract: The present study was undertaken to evaluate the use of fungal chitinase enzyme in control of cattle ticks. Fifty soil samples were collected from animal houses at Giza Governorate and examined for mycological contamination. The incidence rates of A.fumigatus and C.albicans were 24 % and 20%, respectively, whereas, other species were also obtained at the rate of 80%. Chitinase enzyme was produced and extracted from cell walls of Candida albicans and Aspergillus fumigates isolates that were recovered from soil and assayed for control of cattle tick's infestation (Boophilus microplus) in comparison with one of the most commonly used arsenical pesticide. These fungi yielded active chitinase enzymes at mean levels of (3.42±0.02 and 2.35±0.03 U/ml), which showed the ability to eradicate 90 % and 80 % of active ticks, respectively. It is concluded that the chitinase enzymes produced by fungal species could be used for biological control of cattle tick infestation to avoid the use of carcinogenic chemical