author(s)
Adil EA Bala, Adam D Abakar, Mohammed S Mohammed, Mohammed A Mohammed and Maha A El Tigani

abstract
Sudan ranks second, after Somalia, in the world camels' production. Notwithstanding, tick-borne viruses were reported in Sudan however, no research programs were conducted. It is hypothesized that identifying the key tick species and animal hosts as a first step will give better understanding of such viruses lifecycle and fill the currently existing knowledge gaps. Surveys and ticks collections from camels (6 collections/site/year) were conducted in five sites in four states of Butana year-round (November 2014 to October 2015). Regarding the detailed tick species findings during the study period, a total of 828 camels were surveyed in the five sites. A total of 9245 ticks from the genera: Hyalomma, Amblyomma, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus), and Rhipicephalus were collected and identified. The species composition and prevalence of tick species feeding on camels in descending order was: Hy. dromedarii (72.22%), A. lepidum (7.74%), Hy. Rufipes (7.36%), Hy. excavatum (4.12%), R. guilhoni (3.31%), Hy. impeltatum (2.07%), Hy. anatolicum (1.57%), R. (B.) decoloratus (0.81%), R. camicasi (0.18%), Hy. Truncatum (0.16%), Hy marginatum (0.05%), R. sanguineus (0.03%). It was able to relate such data to the locations, seasons and animal breed, sex and age. Therefore, such collected information could be useful at least as a first step in the risk analysis of emerging tick-borne diseases in general and viruses in particularly.