Prevalence and Clinicopathological Studies of Theileriosis in Goats

Abstract

The present study was conducted to study the clinical profile, hemato-biochemical, post-mortem and histopathological changes of theileriosis in goat cases reported from areas in and around of Udgir city of Maharashtra state during the period from January to December 2020. Out of 107 suspected cases, 41 goats were found positive for theileriosis indicating an overall prevalence of 38.32%. The important clinical signs observed in theileriosis affected goats were fever, pale mucous membranes, swollen lymph nodes, respiratory distress and tick infestation. The hemato-biochemical abnormalities of theileriosis in goats were marked granulocytic leukocytosis, anemia, elevated levels of serum ALT, AST, BUN, creatinine and total bilirubin. The blood and lymph node aspiration smears revealed presence of pleomorphic intra-erythrocytic piroplasms and lymphoblastoid cells or macrophages with intra-cytoplasmic schizonts of Theileria spp. respectively. The characteristic post-mortem lesions of theileriosis in goats were pale or papery white mucous membranes, swollen oedematous or haemorrhagic lymph nodes, splenomegaly, punched out ulcers in abomasum and hepatomegaly with icteric discoloration. The histopathological lesions observed includes multiple haemorrhagic ulcerations and necrosis of mucosal epithelium of abomasum, proliferative changes in lymph nodes, hepatocellular degeneration and interstitial pneumonia. In conclusion, goat population in and around of Udgir city of Maharashtra state had overall prevalence of 38.32% of theileriosis by blood and lymph node aspiration smear examination.