Molecular and serological survey of some haemoprotozoan, rickettsial and viral diseases of small ruminants from Al- Madinah Al Munawarah, KSA

The prevalence of some viral and haemoprotozoan infections in goats and sheep was investigated in the present study. The infections of Anaplasma spp. and Theileria spp. were encountered by PCR and cELISA for the detection of Anaplasma spp. Anaplasma spp. was more prevalent than Theileria spp. with a significant difference (Pvalue<0.05) in both goats and sheep, but, the infection in sheep was more prevalent than goats. Also four viral infections were detected: Rift Valley Fever Virus (RVFV), Bluetongue Virus (BTV), Madina Visna Virus (MVV) and Schmallenberg, (SBV) with an overall prevalence of 56.6%, 40.4%, 36.0%, and 6.8% respectively. The factors related to the infections were also investigated. Detection of the antibodies against examined viruses and Anaplasma spp. indicated the widespread of these infections. So far to our knowledge, this is the first study that estimates the prevalence and distribution of MVV and SBV antibodies in Saudi Arabia. Both RVFV and BTV are widespread in KSA, causing Viremia in 7.2% and 25% respectively of total samples. These findings suggested that parasitic and viral infections are considered as important health risks for sheep and goats. For this reason, the current study introduces invaluable information for different governmental agencies for dealing with infection control meausers.

Tegumental alterations of Fasciola gigantica due to in vitro treatment with Ro-354

Triclabendazole is the drug of choice against Fasciola infections in humans and animals. However, parasite resistance against triclabendazole is spreading in veterinary field, and there are no drugs of comparable activity currently available for the treatment and control of fascioliasis. The efficacy of a new rhodanine derivative Ro-354 against adult Fasciola gigantica in vitro was investigated. One hour post incubation, scanning and transmission electron microscopic examination revealed an evident disruption of the tegument of F. gigantica as blebbing, swelling and furrowing. Moreover, an increase in severity of tegumental damage as sloughing and absence of spines was observed. In conclusion, Ro-354 shows potent activity against F. gigantica in vitro, and, the authors recommend carrying out more studies to detect its efficacy in vivo.