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Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat

Assam Agricultural University is the first institution of its kind in the whole of North-Eastern Region of India. The main goal of this institution is to produce globally competitive human resources in farm sectorand to carry out research in both conventional and frontier areas for production optimization as well as to disseminate the generated technologies as public good for benefitting the food growers/produces and traders involved in the sector while emphasizing on sustainability, equity and overall food security at household level. Genesis of AAU - The embryo of the agricultural research in the state of Assam was formed as early as 1897 with the establishment of the Upper Shillong Experimental Farm (now in Meghalaya) just after about a decade of creation of the agricultural department in 1882. However, the seeds of agricultural research in today’s Assam were sown in the dawn of the twentieth century with the establishment of two Rice Experimental Stations, one at Karimganj in Barak valley in 1913 and the other at Titabor in Brahmaputra valley in 1923. Subsequent to these research stations, a number of research stations were established to conduct research on important crops, more specifically, jute, pulses, oilseeds etc. The Assam Agricultural University was established on April 1, 1969 under The Assam Agricultural University Act, 1968’ with the mandate of imparting farm education, conduct research in agriculture and allied sciences and to effectively disseminate technologies so generated. Before establishment of the University, there were altogether 17 research schemes/projects in the state under the Department of Agriculture. By July 1973, all the research projects and 10 experimental farms were transferred by the Government of Assam to the AAU which already inherited the College of Agriculture and its farm at Barbheta, Jorhat and College of Veterinary Sciences at Khanapara, Guwahati. Subsequently, College of Community Science at Jorhat (1969), College of Fisheries at Raha (1988), Biswanath College of Agriculture at Biswanath Chariali (1988) and Lakhimpur College of Veterinary Science at Joyhing, North Lakhimpur (1988) were established. Presently, the University has three more colleges under its jurisdiction, viz., Sarat Chandra Singha College of Agriculture, Chapar, College of Horticulture, Nalbari & College of Sericulture, Titabar. Similarly, few more regional research stations at Shillongani, Diphu, Gossaigaon, Lakhimpur; and commodity research stations at Kahikuchi, Buralikson, Tinsukia, Kharua, Burnihat and Mandira were added to generate location and crop specific agricultural production packages.

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Subject: Veterinary Public Health × End date: 2022 × Start date: 2022 × Thesis Type: M.V.Sc. ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Sero-prevalence and molecular detection of leptospires in dogs of peri-urban livestock farms and urban households of Guwahati
    (College of Veterinary Science, Assam Agricultural University, Khanapara Campus, 2022) Saikia, Ritrisha; Hazarika, R A
    Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease found in multiple wild and domestic species including dogs. A study on the sero-prevalence of leptospirosis in dogs of peri-urban livestock farms and urban households of Guwahati was carried out from September 2021 to August 2022. The work was envisaged to collect baseline data from respondents by interview method using a questionnaire, to detect the pathogenic leptospires with serological assay and molecular technique and to map the prevalent areas of leptospirosis in dogs in Guwahati. A total of 240 dogs were selected randomly from peri-urban livestock farms (120 dogs) and urban households (120 dogs). The study recorded higher secondary as the main level of education in both peri-urban farmers (40.00%) and urban household owners (60.00%). Majority of the dogs in peri-urban farms were non-descript (98.33%) compared with maximum of descript dogs (60.00%) in urban households. Female dogs were more common in urban households (55.83%) in contrast to maximum male dogs in peri-urban farms (71.67%). Overall, majority of the dogs aged 1-5 years in both peri-urban farms (38.34%) and urban households (44.17%). Vaccination in dogs was mostly followed by urban households (84.17%). Dogs were provided mainly tap water (56.67%) in peri-urban farms compared to with filtered water in urban households (96.67%). The study recorded peri-urban farms (50.83%) to be moderately clean. Practice of disinfection procedure in peri-urban farms recorded 28.33%. History of no abortion was recorded in peri-urban farms (67.50%) as well as in urban households (85.83%) for both livestock and dogs. Dogs from peri-urban farms (79.17%) and urban households (55.00%) were apparently healthy. Most of the farmers and dog owners were not aware of leptospirosis in both peri-urban livestock farms (96.67%) and urban households (84.17%). Leptospirosis of dogs showed an overall 10.42% sero-prevalence in peri-urban cattle and pig farms and urban households of Guwahati. Sero-prevalence was higher in peri-urban farms (15.83%) compared to urban households (5.00%). It was recorded higher in farms and households where farmers and dog owners were illiterate (30.76%) with non-descript (12.65%) as well as in male dogs (12.94%) and in dogs aged up to 1 year (14.54%). Non-vaccinated dogs (18.39%) were recorded with higher sero-prevalence. Higher sero-prevalence was more in farms providing stored water (52.17%), in dirty farms (29.27%) and farms which don‟t follow disinfection practices (20.93%). It was recorded to be higher in livestock farms having the history of abortion (13.52%), and farmers and dog owners those were not aware (10.56%) of the disease. The samples collected from IgG positive and negative samples from blood, which were subjected to PCR for the detection of 16S rRNA and Lipl32 genes of Leptospira showed their presence (8% each).
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Sero-prevalence and molecular detection of canine brucellosis in urban and peri-urban areas of Guwahati
    (College of Veterinary Science, Assam Agricultural University, Khanapara Campus, 2022) Goud, Malela Saikrishna; Talukdar, Archana
    Brucellosis is an important neglected lingering zoonotic disease of increasing veterinary and public health concern particularly in developing countries which is highly underreported in India. In Assam, the abundance of non-confined free roaming dogs in peri-urban livestock farms and enormous increase in dog ownership in metropolitan city of Guwahati has become a significant threat rendering the owners vulnerable to various zoonotic diseases including canine brucellosis. The present investigation was carried out from January, 2022 to June, 2022 to collect baseline data on dog owners, study the sero-prevalence of brucellosis in dog, detect the presence of Brucella spp. in dogs using molecular technique and prepare canine brucellosis prevalence map in peri-urban and urban areas of Guwahati. A total 24 locations comprising of 12 locations each for peri-urban areas viz., Sonapur Rewa NC, Mirza, Khankar Gaon, Kahikuchi, Digaru Gaon, Shanti Basti, Bonda, Gorol, Gomoria Gaon, Birkuchi, Jorabat, Hatisila, and urban areas of Guwahati viz., Khanapara, Six Mile, Hatigaon, Uzan Bazar, Zoo Road, Hengrabari, Ganeshguri, Chandmari, Beltola, Bharalumukh, Boragaon and Kahilipara were selected. From each peri-urban location 10 livestock farms having in-contact dogs and from each urban location 10 households keeping dogs were selected. Baseline data revealed that most of the peri-urban farmers were educated up to secondary (78.34%) level and below 50 years (92.507%), having moderately clean or dirty farms (82.50%) and reared non-descript (85.00%) local or cross breed dogs which were fed on garbage and homemade food (50.83%). Majority of the farmers did not consult veterinarian and used unsafe method of waste and carcass disposal. Contrary to this, in urban areas the dog owners were highly educated, reared descript pure breed dogs, fed commercial and homemade food to dogs (93.33%), but 94.17% owners were unaware about brucellosis. Dogs were showing various symptoms of brucellosis viz., infertility (11.25%), scrotal dermatitis (2.90%), still birth (2.50%), fetal maceration (2.50%), fetal mummification (1.25%), fetal resorption (1.67%), vaginal discharges (12.09%), abortion (7.91%) and lymphadenopathy (5.41%) in both urban and peri-urban areas of Guwahati. Screening of a total of 240 serum samples of dog by RBPT and further confirmation by STAT and LFA revealed the overall sero-prevalence of canine brucellosis to be 4.16%, with 2.50% sero-positivity in urban compared to 5.83% in peri-urban areas. Highest sero-prevalence of brucellosis was recorded in Sonapur Rewa NC (2.50%) of peri-urban Guwahati. Association between sero-prevalence of canine brucellosis with respect to the feeding habit of dogs and cases of abortion in livestock were found to be very highly significant (P<0.001). Significant association (P<0.05) between sero-prevalence of canine brucellosis was recorded with respect to the educational qualification of the farmers, sex of dogs, health status of dogs, method of disposal of farm waste and hygienic status of farms. Molecular detection of genus specific BCSP31 gene in dog blood samples indicated the presence of Brucella organism, which were confirmed as Brucella abortus by species specific AMOS, Bruce Ladder and a multiplex PCR. GIS maps were prepared to visualize the topographic distribution of canine brucellosis in urban and peri-urban areas of Guwahati on the basis of Brucella sero-prevalence in dogs, which will be of immense support in future for strategic disease control at the interface of human, animal and environment.