Infestation rate of tick, mite and lice among rodent species in Menoufia governorate, Egypt.

A preliminary survey of domestic rodent species and their ectoparasites tick, mite and lice was carried out in ten centers of Menoufia (Quesna, Shebeen El-Kom, Berka El-Saabe, El-Bagour, El-Shohada, Tala, Menoff, Searth El-Lian, Ashmon and El-Sadat) Governorate. Frequency of rodent species and ectoparasites indices (tick, mite and lice) were recorded in spring (2009). The main species of rodent was Norway rat, Rattus norvegicus, the grey-bellied rat, Rattus rattus alexandrinus, the white-bellied rat, Rattus rattus frugivorus and the house mouse, Mus musculus. The common tick species attacking rodents were: Rhipicephalus sp. and Hyalomma sp. The common mite species attacking rodents were: Dermanyssus sangineus, Orithonysus bacoti, Haemolaelaps glas-gowi, Laelaps nutalli, Radfordia sp. and Myobia sp. The only common lice species was Polyplax spinulosa. The fur mites Radfordia sp. and Myobia sp. were recorded at Quesna, Searth El-Lian and El-Sadat centers on R. norvegicus for the first time at Menoufia Governorate.