Clinical and Diagnostic Studies with Special Reference to Multiplex PCR for Detection of Babesia Bovis and Anaplasma Marginale from Imported Beef Cattle in Egypt

Abstract

The present study aimed to diagnose mixed infection with both Babesia. Bovis ( B. bovis) and Anaplasma marginale (A. marginale) in imported Uruganian Frisian beef cattle that transported from Alexandria to Ismailia governorates-Egypt using multiplex PCR. Twenty five blood samples from investigated beef cattle were collected and examined using different parasitological, heamatological and molecular investigations. Ticks infesting the examined animals were collected and tested for presence of babesia and anaplasma by molecular technique. Clinically infected beef cattle showed variable clinical signs as pyrexia up to 40 - 41°C, anorexia, dullness, depression, weakness, pale oricteric conjunctival mucous membranes, dyspnea, accelerated respiratory and heart rates, coughing, harsh vesicular sound, rattling tracheal sound, oculo-nasal discharge, petechial hemorrhage of buccal and conjunctival mucus membrane, bloody feces and nervous manifestation including ataxia and in coordination. Four beef cattle were found dead without apparent clinical signs. Hematological results showed a significant decrease in erythrocytic count, hemoglobin content, and packed cell volume in clinically affected cases. Parasitological examination using Giemsa-stained thin blood smearsrevealed presence of a mixed infection with B. bovis and A. marginale in 8/25 (32%) and A. marginale alone in 10/25 (40%).Molecular examination using PCR assay showed that mixed B. bovis and A. marginale were detected on 10 samples (40%) and 12 samples (48%) were positive for A. marginale alone while one sample (4%) was positive for B. bovis alone and the last two samples (8%) were completely negative. Out of five ticks Boophilus annulatus (Bo. annulatus) groups, three (60%) were positive to mixed infection and 2(40%) for A. marginale alone. It was recommended to tighten the quarantine measures and rules to avoid introduction of expatriate diseases and protect the newly imported animals.