A survey of seropositivity to antigen B, an immunodiagnostic antigen for human cystic echinococcosis, in domestic animals in Mongolia.

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is well known to be an important zoonotic disease and national disease due to the traditional nomadic life style in Mongolia. The present study was carried out to obtain data on the seropositivity to antigen B, in domestic livestock, goats, sheep and cattle, in each province of Mongolia. The seropositivity to antigen B varied by province and ranged from 0% to 25.0% in goats, 0% to 12.5% in sheep, and 0% to 13.3% in cattle. In total, 9.2% of goats, 3.6% of sheep and 5.9% of cattle in Mongolia showed seropositivity.

Mongolian and Japanese Joint Conference on "Echinococcosis: diagnosis, treatment and prevention in Mongolia" June 4, 2009.

The first Mongolian-Japanese Joint Conference on "Echinococcosis: diagnosis, treatment and prevention in Mongolia" was held in Ulaanbaatar on June 4th, 2009. It was the first chance for Mongolian experts (clinicians, pathologists, parasitologists, biologists, epidemiologists, veterinarians and others working on echinococcosis) joined together. Increase in the number of cystic echinococcosis (CE) cases year by year was stressed. CE in children may be more than adult cases. Alveolar echinococcosis was suspected chronic malignant hepatic tumors or abscesses. Main discussion was as to how to introduce modern diagnostic tools for pre-surgical diagnosis, how to establish the national system for the data base of echinococcosis with the establishment of a network system by experts from different areas. The importance of molecular identification of the parasites in domestic and wild animals was also stressed.

Prevalence of Sarcocystis infection in horses in Mongolia.

Sarcocystis infection was detected in 93% of horses in Mongolia. Using the compress method, sarcocysts were found in the muscles of the diaphragm, heart and tongue in 40 of the 43 horses that were slaughtered at the Makh Impex Meat Company in Ulaan Baatar in July 1998. The muscle of the tongue showed the highest rate (97.5%) of infection. The distribution of sarcocysts in the muscles was positively correlated with horse age; the rate of detection was significantly lower (p=0.01) in the under 10 year old group than the older group. All horses were apparently healthy and were slaughtered for human consumption.

Prevalence of Sarcocystis infection in meat-producing animals in Mongolia.

A survey of Sarcocystis infection was conducted in Mongolia between June 1998 and July 1999. Samples of muscle were taken from the diaphragm, heart, tongue, esophagus,and intercostal region of cattle, yak, hainag, sheep, horses, and camels. A muscle compress method was used to determine the prevalence of infection: cattle 90.0% (27/30), yak 93.3% (28/30), hainag 100% (30/30), sheep 96.9% (753/777), horses 75% (3/4) and camels 100% (5/5). Of the various muscles, heart was the most commonly infected in cattle (100%), yak (86.7%), and hainag (100%); tongue was most likly to be infected in sheep (100%) and horses (100%).

Detection of antibodies to Hypoderma lineatum in cattle by Western blotting with recombinant hypodermin C antigen.

The cDNA encoding the entire mature hypodermin C (HC) of Hypoderma lineatum was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli as a glutathione S-transferase fusion protein using pGEX vector. The recombinant HC protein (rHC) was tested by Western blotting to detect antibodies to H. lineatum in cattle. Western blotting with rHC as antigen clearly differentiated between H. lineatum-infested cattle sera and normal cattle sera. Forty-six out of forty-eight serum samples from cattle in Central Mongolia were positive, whereas all 30 serum samples from cows in Hokkaido, Japan, were negative by Western blotting. The result of Western blotting was identical to that of a previously developed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. These data demonstrated that Western blotting, with rHC expressed in E. coli, might be a useful method for the diagnosis of cattle hypodermosis.

Detection of Babesia caballi and Babesia equi in Dermacentor nuttalli adult ticks.

Ticks play an important role in human and veterinary medicine particularly due to their ability to transmit protozoan pathogens. In this study we have demonstrated that polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and nested PCR methods enabled detection of Babesia caballi and Babesia equi in field isolates of Dermacentor nuttalli adult ticks from Mongolia. Primers specific for 218 bp fragment merozoite antigen 1 (EMA-1) gene of B. equi successfully amplified products from all samples of D. nuttalli adult ticks while primers for the 430 bp fragment product from BC48 gene of B. caballi amplified products from seven of the 54 samples. Using PCR and nested PCR methods we have found mixed infections with B. equi and B. caballi in the tick vector. The amplified DNA fragment from D. nuttalli ticks was inserted into the EcoRV site of pBluescript SK and sequenced. The sequence of the 430 bp fragment was completely identical to the nucleotide sequence of the USDA strain of B. caballi. These results suggest that D. nuttalli may play an important role as a vector of both B. caballi and B. equi and also may be important in maintaining endemicity of equine piroplasmosis in Mongolia.