Theileria and Babesia infection in cattle – First molecular survey in Kazakhstan

Background: Bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) is a major contributor to bovine respiratory disease complex in dairy and beef calves, especially during the first year of life. There is a lack of comprehensive information about the prevalence of infection in cattle herds in Poland as well as in European countries outside the European Union.Objective: The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of BRSV infections in young beef and dairy cattle in southeastern Poland, a region that has direct contact with non-EU countries.Animals & methods: Nasal swabs and sera (n = 120) were obtained from young cattle aged 6–12 months from 45 farms in eastern and southeastern Poland. BRSV antigen detection in the nasal swabs was carried out using a rapid immunomigration assay used in diagnosing human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV) infections in humans, while antibodies to BRSV were detected in the sera by ELISA antibody detection.Results: The study confirmed the presence of BRSV infections in young cattle under 12 months of age from both dairy and beef herds. BRSV was detected in 27 of the 45 herds (60%) sampled.Conclusions: Findings from this study indicate a high prevalence of BRSV infections in cattle in Poland, which may have a significant influence on health status and animal performance. The prevalence of infection is similar to that in other parts of Poland and other countries in Europe. Development of strategies to reduce BRSV infections is needed to improve health and productivity.

Phylogeny of benign Theileria species from cattle in Thailand, China and the U.S.A. based on the major piroplasm surface protein and small subunit ribosomal RNA genes

Latin American countries produce more than a quarter of the world’s beef and are a major global supplier of livestock protein. Tick-borne diseases (TBDs) are a major constraint to the livestock industry worldwide, including in Latin America. The aim of this study was to detect and characterise tick-borne pathogens in cattle from Santa Cruz, Bolivia, where no detailed epidemiological data are available. Blood samples were collected from 104 cattle. Apicomplexan parasites were detected by nested PCR amplification of the 18S ribosomal RNA gene (rDNA), and Anaplasmataceae was screened by the PCR amplification of 16S rDNA, followed by characterisation based on the heat shock protein and citrate synthase gene sequences. Babesia infection was observed in nine cattle (one Babesia bovis and eight Babesia bigemina), while Anaplasmataceae infection was detected in thirty-two cattle. A sequencing analysis confirmed the presence of Anaplasma marginale and Anaplasma platys-like. These results provide the first molecular evidence for the four above-mentioned tick-borne pathogens in cattle in Bolivia. This information improves our understanding of the epidemiology of TBDs and will help in formulating appropriate and improved pathogen control strategies.

Studies of tuberculosis in an in relation to infection in cattle

Molecular detection of Theileria and Babesia infections in cattle

Epidemiology of bovine trypanosomiasis in the Ghibe valley, southwest Ethiopia. 2. Factors associated with variations in trypanosome prevalence, incidence of new infections and prevalence of recurrent infections

A study was carried out to survey the prevalence of Cryptosporidium infection in cattle in Maiduguri, Northeastern Nigeria. A total of four hundred (400) fecal samples from cattle were randomly collected and examined for the presence of Cryptosporidium sp. oocysts using the modified Ziehl-Neelsen (MZN) staining method. The results showed that the overall prevalence of infection was 22.3%, with an infection rate of23.4% in adult cattle and 19.1% in young cattle, respectively. There was no statistical significant difference (P<0.05) between the age groups, with (OR: 1.298; 95%CI: 0.7507–2.245). Out of 89 positive samples, 21.2% were male and 25.0% were female, respectively. There was no statistical significant difference (P>0.05) between the sex, with (OR: 0.8062; 95% CI: 0.4828–0.346). It was concluded that Cryptosporidium sp. infection is prevalent in Nigeria; and cattle could serve as reservoirs for the zoonotic infection in humans.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjvm.v13i1.23712Bangl. J. Vet. Med. (2015). 13 (1): 25-28

Prevalence and molecular detection of Anaplasma marginale, Babesia bovis and Babesia bigemina in cattle from Puntarenas Province, Costa Rica

Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) is a highly contagious viral disease of farm animals. This study was aimed to identify symptoms, characteristics pathology and viral serotypes involved in infected cattle of Bangladesh. Dominant signs observed were salivation, vesicular eruption, lameness and maggot infestations in 66%, 80%, 36% and 14% cattle respectively. Out of 202 infected cattle investigated, 35 were below six months of age. A total of 18 young calves and 8 adult cattle were died due to FMD. Seven young calves and two adult cattle were examined at necropsy, 'Tiger heart disease' was commonly seen both in the young and adult cattle. The 'currant jelly clot' was common in the atrium, ventricles, aorta and veins of the heart of adult cattle. Congested and consolidated lungs, atrophied spleen, and fibrosed udder were grossly seen in the infected and dead cattle. Microscopically, hyalinization of cardiac muscle in young calf and degeneration, necrosis and multifocal lymphocytic infiltration in heart muscle were suggestive for infectivity due to FMD viruses. There were bronchiolitis, pulmonary emphysema, interstitial pneumonia and thickening of interlobular septa of lungs. Cattle survived from the acute infection developed respiratory distress in 15% cattle. Out of 202 samples tested in reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), 187 samples found to generate positive amplicons. Single infectivity due to FMD viral Serotypes O, A and Asia 1 were seen in 115 (62%), 26 (14%) and 34 (18%) cases, respectively. Seven cattle were co-infected with FMD viral Serotypes O and Asia 1 and four with FMD viral Serotypes O and A. FMD viral serotype O was dominating in cattle all over the country and was related to death of infected young and adult cattle. Cardiac myonecrosis and respiratory failure were the dominant lesions may be related to death of infected animals.

Babesiosis, caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Babesia, and ixodid ticks are considered to be one of the most important causes that result in significant economic losses in cattle production worldwide, including in Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was undertaken in the Dasenech and Salamago Districts of South Omo zone Ethiopia to determine the prevalence and associated risk factors of babesia infection and ixodid ticks of cattle using Giemsa-stained thin and thick film techniques and morphological identification keys for babesia species and tick identification, respectively. Out of 470 examined cattle, 102 (21.7%) were infected by Babesiosis (15.53% Babesia bigemina and 6.17% Babesia bovis). A statistically significant association (p < 0.05) was observed between babesia infection and season and tick infestation. However, cattle that were infected with the Babesia parasite revealed a lower mean PCV value (21.49%) than noninfected cattle (28.29%) and showed a statistically significant (p < 0.05) difference with the occurrence of Babesia infection. The overall prevalence of ixodid ticks was 53.8% (253/470) and revealed a statistically significant association (p < 0.05) between the season and origin of the animal. However, no statistically significant association (p > 0.05) was observed between sex, age, and body condition score of the animal with the occurrence of ixodid tick. A total of 8040 adult ticks belonging to four tick genera, Amblyomma, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus), Hyalomma, and Rhipicephalus, were collected from various body parts and identified. The high prevalence of Babesia infection and ixodid ticks in cattle at the study sites requires seroprevalence and molecular studies to identify the predominant Babesia species and to detect Babesia in tick hemolymph for the identification of tick genera responsible for the occurrence of Babesia infection. Additionally, tailoring suitable and coordinated tick management methods using chemotherapy as well as strategic treatment to overt clinical cases of bovine babesiosis is critical.

Malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) is a frequently fatal viral disease of cattle and other ruminants. Sheep-associated MCF is caused by ovine herpesvirus type 2 (OvHV-2). Over 95% of domestic sheep are asymptomatic carriers of OvHV-2 and serve as a source of infection for cattle. Previous studies demonstrated a significant high prevalence of asymptomatic OvHV-2 infection in adult dairy cattle from a herd housed in close proximity to sheep. While sheep are considered to be the primary source of infection in cattle, there are reports of MCF in cattle that are not in direct contact with sheep. The hypothesis for this study is that cattle infected with OvHV-2 can remain asymptomatic for extended periods of time and may transmit the virus to offspring through placenta and/or colostrum. The study's objectives were to monitor a group of adult cattle for evidence of OvHV-2 persistent infection and evaluate possible transmission of OvHV-2 to calves.

A molecular and parasitological survey of Hepatozoon canis in domestic dogs in Turkey

The present study was carried out to determine the prevalence of bovine sarcocystosis and identify the different species of Sarcocystis cysts in cattle in different regions of Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh. A total of 150 slaughtered cattle over a period of 1year were examined both macroscopically and microscopically for the presence of Sarcocystis infection. Out of 150 slaughtered cattle examined, macroscopic sarcocysts were observed in nine cattle and were exclusively found in oesophagus. Examination of tissue samples collected from different predilection sites from each of 150 cattle by pepsin-HCl digestion method revealed presence of live banana shaped bradyzoites under light microscopy in 134 cattle. Six cattle that were positive by macroscopic examination were also positive by microscopic examination of tissues. The overall prevalence of Sarcocystis infection in cattle of Chittoor district was 91.33%. The prevalence of macroscopic and microscopic sarcocysts was 6.57 and 93.43% respectively. Statistically a significant relationship between the prevalence of infection among different age groups (P<0.001) and no significant relationship (P>0.001) between the prevalence of Sarcocystis infection in male (91.76%) and female (90.76%) cattle was observed. In both male and females the prevalence of Sarcocystis infection increased with age. Microscopically sections of tissues from cattle that were positive by tissue digestion technique revealed thin walled cysts (4.5±0.5µm) in 131 samples and thick walled cysts (0.5±0.12µm) in six cattle.

Theileria orientalis is known to cause a benign infection in cattle and buffalo (Bubalus bubalis). However, the Ikeda and Chitose genotypes of the parasite cause lethal disease in beef and dairy cattle. Recently an outbreak of clinical oriental theileriosis occurred in buffalo calves in a Government Animal Husbandry and Agricultural Farm located in Uttar Pradesh, India. Examination of Giemsa stained thin blood smears revealed typical rod-shaped T. orientalis piroplasms in the erythrocytes. The clinical signs included pyrexia, nasal discharge, lacrimation, lethargy, inappetence and anaemia with varying degrees of paleness of the visible mucous membranes. Vascular congestion in internal organs, pulmonary emphysema and consolidation of lungs, focal areas of necrosis in the heart with mononuclear cell infiltration, focal mononuclear cell aggregation in the cortex and tubular degeneration of the kidney were significant necropsy findings. The T. orientalis major piroplasm surface protein (MPSP) gene was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using specific primers. The nucleotide sequence analysis of the PCR product revealed 84.8% identity between the T. orientalis Uttar Pradesh isolate and other reference genotypes available in the public domain. Furthermore, the phylogenetic analysis of the MPSP gene sequence ratified that this is a new genotype of T. orientalis. This is the first report of a clinical outbreak of oriental theileriosis in Indian buffalo calves caused by a novel genotype of T. orientalis.

Anthropogenic and meteorological factors influence vector abundance and prevalence of bluetongue virus infection of dairy cattle in California