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ThesisItem Open Access Immune response of cattle to Boophilus annulatus (Acari : Ixodoidea)(Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 1992) Sreekrishnan, R; KAU; Rajamohanan, KA study was undertaken to assess the nature and degree of development of acquired resistance in calves against the cattle tick Boophilus annulatus. Observations were made mainly on the development of natural resistance against repeat infestations and the effect of artificial immunization using the tick antigen. Tissue reactions induced by the ticks at the site of bite were also studied. The results indicated the development of resistance in the host, which was gradual and varying in degrees. Immunodiffusion test failed to reveal the presence of tick antibodies in the sera of calves after repeated infestations, indicating that easily demonstrable quantities of antibodies are not developed even after repeated infestations. The cellular reactions at the site of tick – bite revealed the development of a resistant reaction at the site of bite. Studies made on artificial immunization using the whole – tick extract gave varying results. However, the immunodiffusion test using sera of immunized calves revealed that there is a steady maintenance of antibody level throughout the infestation period. Thus, the results obtained in the present study indicate that antibodies are developed against the tick Boophilus annulatus in calves on natural infestations and using the tick antigen, and that there is a clear possibility of immunizing calves against B. annulatus artificially.ThesisItem Open Access Intertransmissibility of the common nematode parasites of pigeon (Columbolivio domestico) and domestic fowl (Gollus gollus domesticus)(Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 1996) Senthilvel, K; KAU; Madhavan Pillai, KAn investigation was made on the prevalence of nematode infections in pigeons for a period of one year by faecal and postmortem examinations and the percentage prevalence was 35.24 and 46.74 respectively. The species of nematodes collected from pigeons were Ascaridia columbae, Capillaria obsignata, Ornithostrongylus quadriradiatus, Acuaria spiralis and Strongyloides avium. Capillaria obsignata had the highest prevalence. The development of egg and the time taken to reach the infective stage in egg cultures of Ascaridia galli, Heterakis gallinae, Syngamus trachea, Ascaridia columbae, Capillaria obsignata and Ornithostrongylus quadriradiatus maintained at different room temperature were studied and recorded. The cross transmission trials with fowl nematodes; A. galli, H. gallinae and S. trachea and pigeon nematodes; A. columbae, C. obsignata and 0. quadriradiatus were conducted in pigeons and chicks respectively. Syngamus trachea and C. obsignata were found to be transmissible between pigeons and chicks. The detailed life cycles of A. columbae, S. trachea and 0. quadriradiatus in pigeons were worked out in detail. The prepatent period for these species was 46, 28 and 7 days respectively. The infective larvae of 0. quadriradiatus were seen to be phototropic and hydrotactic. They remained viable for 47 to 52 and 60 to 67 days in dry and wet seasons respectively. The clinical signs, gross and histopathological lesions produced by the nematodes in pigeons were recorded. Moderate infections of O. quadriradiatus produced anaemic changes in pigeons.ThesisItem Open Access Pathogenesis and treatment of immature Ascaridia galli infection in experimentally infected chicken(Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 1992) Padmaja, P B; KAU; Sathianesan, VIn a study conducted on the pathogenesis and treatment of Ascaridia galli in experimentally infected chicken at different developmental stages of the worm, it had been found that droopiness, whitish diarrhoea, marked reduction in body weight gain, haemorrhage and congestion at different parts of the intestinal mucosa and frothy or blood tinged intestinal contents were the main clinico pathological changes. Histopathological observations in the small intestine were signs of enteritis, jcatarrhalj changes, villar proliferation, desquamation of sub epithelium and villar tips and mild congestion and haemorrhage. A tissue phase was observed in the life-cycle of the nematode at 20th day post infection indicated by the presence of cut sections of the larvae-in the mucosal and submucosal regions. Haematologically, a decrease in the total erythrocyte count, an initial leucopenia followed by leucocytosis, reduction in packed cell volume and percentage of haemoglobin, an increase in the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, percentage of heterophils, eosinophils, mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular haemoglobin values and a reduction in the percentage of lymphocytes, monocytes and "mean corpuscular .haemoglobin concentration and an initial basopenia followed by basophilia were observed in infected chicks. For treatment, out of the four anthelmintics tried, namely piperazine hydrate, albendazole, morantel citrate and ivermectin against the infection, albendazole at 50 mg/kg body weight was found to be the most effective, closely followed by morantel citrate at 50 mg/kg body weight and then piperazine hydrate at 500 rag/kg ' body weight. I I Ivermectin at 1 mg/kg body weight subcutaneously was found to be the least effective. The present study with morantel citrate appeared to be the first of its kind as far as it's use against ascairidiasis in poultry was concernedThesisItem Open Access Effect of anthelmintic treatment on milk production in subclinical nematode infections of cows(Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 1994) Rajasekharan, Nair K G; KAU; Rajmohan, KA study was conducted on the incidence of subclinical gastrointestinal namatodiasis in diary cows and heifers, and the effect of anthelmintic treatment on their milk production. It was found that all the animals examined in the two livestock farms of Kerala Agricultural University were harbouring the infection. Faecal culture was found to be the method of choice for detection of nematode infection when compared to microscopical examination of faeces.ThesisItem Open Access Pathogenicity of Ascaridia Galli infection in broiler chicken with special reference to weight gain(Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 1995) Arunachalam, K; KAU; George, Varghese CA study carried out to assess the pathogenic effect of the developmewntal stages of Ascaridia galli in broiler chicks for a period of eight weeks, revealed clinical signs like general weakness, unthriftiness, ruffled feathers and loss of appetite, besides the delayed development of comb, wattles and feathers. On post – mortem examination of the experimentally infected chicks, large numbers of larvae were recovered from 2nd day PI onwards and the lumen larvae were detected from 14th day PI. The intestinal contents were frothy, mucus mixed and had many immature worms. In the small intestine the worms embedded in the mucosa with their anterior extremities. Histopathological studies revealed disruption of villi, desquamation of epithelium, infiltration with monocular cells, focal necrosis, congestion and haemorrhage in the mucosa and cystic changes of mucosal glands. Sections of larvae in the mucosa at different histological locations were detected on 4th, 10th, 14th and 17th days PI. In addition, cut sections of degenerated larvae were also observed. Haematological studies indicated a statistically significant increase in erythrocyte sedimentation rate, total leucocyte count, total heterophil and eosinophil counts. Packed cell volume, haemoglobin content and total erythrocyte count were significantly decreased. Lymphocyte count was significantly decreased (P < 0.01) in all the infected groups upto 37th day PI; later the count was gradually increased in all the infected groups. The mean body weight and mean body weight gain in the infected groups of chicks were significantly lesser than the control group chicks (P <0.01). The mean weekly feed intake and mean weekly feed conversion ratio were lesser in the infected groups of chicks than control ones, although the difference was not statistically significant. The morbidity rate was high in all the infected chicks, but mortality was not recorded during the experimental period. Coprological study confirmed the maturation period for A. galli in groups A, B, C and D as 59, 59,50 and 44 days respectively.