[Identification of Babesia and Theileria species in goats and ticks with smear observation and molecular examination in Mashhad, Khorasan Razavi province, Iran]

Background: Babesiosis and Thosis are parasitic tick-borne diseases that cause a lot of economic loss in livestock Industry

Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to detect Babesia and Theileria infection in goats and and vector ticks in goats in Mashhad

Methods: One hundred blood samples of goats and 246 ticks were collected from some suspected flocks with history of piroplasmosis. The samples were transported to laboratory under cold condition. Blood smears were prepared and stained by Geimsa method and examined with a light microscope at ×1000 magnitude. The collected ticks were separated into tick pools of five according to their species and sex. The blood, salivary gland and ovaries of tick samples were examined using specific primers of Babesia.spp and Theileria.spp by semi nested-PCR

Results: Piroplasm bodies were not observed in any blood samples of goat in Mashhad. In a total of 246 collected ticks, seven species were identified as follows: R. turanicus 127[51.6%], D. marginatus 67 [27.2%], Hy. marginatum 44 [17.9%], R. sangunincus 4[1.6%], Hy. anatolicum 2[0.8%], Hy. asiaticum 1[0.4%] and Heam. sulcata 1[0.4%]. Dominant tick species of goats in Mashhad suburb were R. turanicus and D. marginatus. The results of PCR showed that none of the blood samples were infected with Babesia spp. and Theileria spp. Also, Theileria infectoin was detected in a sample salivary glands of Hy. marginatum

Conclusions: Based on microscopic and molecular results, no Theileria spp. and Babesia spp. infection were detected in goats. R.turanicus was the dominat tick species and Theileria spp. infection was detected in one sample of Hy.marginatum

Molecular detection of Babesia spp in sheep and vector ticks in North Khorasan province, Iran

Babesiosis is an important tickborne disease in the sheep of Iran. A molecular study was carried out in North Khorasan province, Iran in 2010-2011, designed to identify Babesia spp. infection of both sheep and ticks. Ninety sheep from different flocks were clinically examined and blood samples were collected with ixodid ticks. The collected ticks were separated into 82 tick pools and the salivary glands were dissected out in 0.85% [w/v] saline under a stereomicroscope. The blood and the salivary glands were examined using semi-nested PCR. Piroplasm infection was detected in 37 blood smears using microcopic examination while 80 blood samples were piroplasm positive in the first round of semi-nested PCR and Babesia ovis was only detected in 6 [6.6%] of positive samples in the second round of semi-nested PCR. Of the 434 ticks that were collected, the most prevalent species was Rhipicephalus turanicus [69.3%] followed by Hyalomma marginatum turanicum [18.4%], Dermacentor marginatus [6.4%] and Rhipicephalus bursa [5.7%]. One pool of H. m. turanicum salivary glands and one pool of R.turanicus were infected with B. ovis. Based on these results, it is concluded that B.ovis has a low prevalence among the sheep of North Khorasan province and H. m. turanicum and R. turanicus may be the vectors of B.ovis in this area

Estimating the rate of transplacental transmission of Neospora caninum to aborted fetuses in seropositive dams in Mashhad area, Iran

Neospora caninum is an apicomplexan protozoa, which causes abortion in cattle worldwide. The present study was designed to estimate the rate of transplacental transmission of N.caninum to aborted fetuses in seropositive dams in dairy farms in Mashhad area, Iran. Two hundred blood samples of dam with aborted bovine fetuses were collected from dairy farms from 2008 to 2010. First, the maternal sera in each aborted case were tested by using ELISA method, and then the brain samples of aborted fetuses were examined for detecting DNA of N. caninum, using the PCR method. In this study, 38 [19%] of dams' sera showed seropositive reaction against N.caninum infection, and also 23 [10.5%] aborted brain fetuses showed positive reaction by PCR. A significant association was observed between N.caninum-serapositie dams and infected aborted fetuses [p<0.0001]. In the present study, 20 [86%] infected fetuses were aborted from seropositive, and 3 [13%] of the fetuses were aborted from seronegative dams. Based on the results of molecular and serology examination, the rate of transplacental transmission of N. caninum infection in dairy cattle were calculated as 52%

Transovarial transmission of babesia ovis by rhipicephalus san-guineus and hyalomma marginatum

Rhipicephalus sanguineus and Hyalomma marginatum are the most common species in sheep herds in Northeast of Iran. There is preliminary evidence that these species may be the vectors of Babesia ovis in Iran. We carried out two experiments in Mashhad area, Khorasan Razavi Province to determine whether B. ovis could be transovarially transmitted by R. san guineas and H. marginatum. In experiment 1, adults of laboratory reared H. marginatum and R. sanguineus were infected with B. ovisisolated from naturally infected sheep in Mashhad area by feeding the ticks on the sheep inoculated intravenously by infected blood samples. The inoculated sheep showed clinical signs with parasitaemia while the adult ticks were engorging on them. The engorged females were collected and kept at 28°C and 85% relative humidity in incubator. Then, larval, nymphal and adult stages derived from engorged females were used to infest the clean sheep. In experiment 2, two splenectomized sheep were infested only with the same adult ticks of two species. Examination of smears and PCR of blood samples to detect of B. ovis in infested sheep in two experiments were negative. It seems that R. sanguineus and H. marginatum cannot transovarially transmit B. ovis in sheep

Survey of dogs' parasites in Khorasan Razavi Province, Iran

Dog is known to act as definitive host for some parasites that cause important diseases in man and animals. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of Neospora caninum and other intestinal parasites in dogs in Khorasan Razavi Province, Iran. A cross-sectional study was done concerning frequency of N. canium and other intestinal parasites in dogs in Mashhad area. Totally, 174 fecal samples from 89 farm dogs and 85 household dogs were collected from 2006 to 2007. Fecal samples were examined for detecting intestinal parasites by Mini Parasep [registered sign] SF faecal parasite concentrator in Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran. The overall prevalence of other intestinal parasites in farm dogs and household dogs were 29.21% and 14.11%, respectively. Seven parasites were found in farm dogs as follows: Toxocara canis 17.9%, Taenia sp. 10.1%, Strongyloides stercoralis 5.6%, Hammondia Neo-spora-like oocysts [HNLO] 4.4%, Isospora sp. 7.8%, Sarcocystis sp. 7.8% and Giardia sp. 1.1% and four parasite in housed dogs: Toxocara. 4.4%, Taenia sp. 3.3%, Isospora sp. 2.3% and Sarcocystis sp. 4.7%. The fecal samples with HNLO were examined by N.caninum- specific PCR, and two of samples were positive for N. caninum. The farm and household dogs are the source of some important zoonotic and non-zoonotic diseases in Iran

Immunization of lambs against infection with echinucoccus granulosus using protoscolices and hydatid fluid antigens

In the present study, protoscolices and hydatid fluid were prepared from livers or lungs of sheep with hydatid cyst in sterile conditions. The protein concentration of samples was then measured by Bradford method. 12 lambs 4 - 6 months of age of mixed sex were randomly allocated to 3 groups of 4 lambs. Each lamb in groups 1 and 2 was immunized subcutaneously in the neck with a 2 - ml dose of vaccine [1 mg of protoscolex and hydatid fluid proteins dissolved in 1 ml of PBS] and emulsified with an equal volume of Freund's complete adjuvant [FCA] respectively. Control lambs were immunized with adjuvant in PBS. Lambs were boosted at day 28 with the same preparation except that FCA was replaced by Freund's incomplete adjuvant [FIA]. Three weeks after the second immunization, each lamb received a challenge infection with 2000 protoscolices intraperitoneally and 10 adult E. granulosus. All lambs were euthanized after 7 months and examined for hydatid cysts. Results showed that, the number of cysts in immunized lambs with protoscolices were lower than in control group and also the number of cysts in immunized lambs with hydatid fluid antigen was significant [p < 0.05]. This result indicated that the protective immunity in lambs with protoscolices and hydatid fluid was 54.5% and 75.75% respectively

Immunization of rabbits against Hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum tick using antigens derived from whole tick and gut extract

This study was conducted in three phases for identification of protective antigens in Hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum that can induce the best protection in the sheep and cattle. In the first phase of study, H. anatolicum anatolicum was cultured for preparing enough antigens. Then, four antigenic preparation, viz, whole tick supernatant antigen [WTSA], whole tick pellet antigen [WTPA], gut supernatant antigen [GSA] and gut pellet antigen [GPA] were made partially fed adult female H. anatolicum anatolicum. Four groups of five rabbits were immunized with the antigens in Freund's adjuvant emulsion and a fifth group was kept as control. The rabbits were challenged with ten pairs of homologus ticks and characteristic representing tick feeding and fertility were recorded and compared between groups. A significant decrease in percent of engorgement, index feeding, percent of oviposited, weight of egg and index fertility were observed in GSA immunized rabbits

[Seroepidemiological Survery of ovine toxoplasmosis in mazenderan province, Iran]

A survey study has been conducted in three zones of Mazenderan province for eighteen months in 1992-93 the aim of study was to determine the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis on sheep flocks and to detect the relationship between the toxoplasmosis prevalence and the epidemiological factors. Total 983 sera from sheep in three zones of Mazenderan province were collected and tested for antibody against. Toxoplasma gondii by direct agglutination [DA] test. The results suggested that, the prevalence of toxoplasmosis in zone 1.2, and 3 were 64.35, 54.59% and 49.05% respectively. This study showed as animal get older, the rate of infection gradually increases this means that maximum rate of prevalence occurs in age group of more than five year amounted to 68%. Toxoplasmosis prevalence in females was 58.39% whereas in males was 53.24%. This study also revealed that the seasonal prevalence of toxopiasrnosis in winter was higher, neverheless, influence of host breed was not distinct effect on susceptibility of sheep to the parasite