Studies on molecular based diagnostic assay and clinico-pathobiochemical findings in Babesia bigemina infection in dairy animals
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Date
2014-07-15
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Abstract
A total of 783 animals were examined from fourteen districts adjoining Sutlej, Beas, Ravi and Ghaggar rivers of five major agroclimatic zones of Punjab. The overall prevalence of B. bigemina based on SpeI-AvaI PCR was 3.96%. The zone wise molecular prevalence was the highest in the undulating plain zone (5.26%) and the lowest in western zone (1.82%). The district wise prevalence varied non significantly being highest in SBS Nagar (10.42%). Among the different species prevalence was significantly (P<0.01) higher in cattle than in buffaloes by both BSE and PCR. Age wise prevalence was higher in adult cattle as compared to their calves. The correlation of diagnostic findings with clinico-haematobiochemical parameters showed the predominant symptoms in subclinically infected group of animals (positive by PCR) were anorexia (81.2%), pale mucous membrane (42.8%) and fever (28.5%).The haematological parameters showed significant decrease (P<0.05) in Hb, PCV in both infected groups, while significant decrease in TEC was observed only in group I as compared to non infected animals. Changes in the erythrocytic indices depicted microcytic hyperchromic type of anemia in infected group of animals. The biochemical changes reported significant increase (P<0.05) in GLO, AST, BUN, CRTN, TBIL, DBIL, IBIL and Fe and significant decrease in glucose level in infected animals than non infected animals. The trend of prevalence of B. bigemina among different zones, districts and species based on SSU rRNA PCR was similar to that of SpeI-AvaI PCR. The SSU rRNA gene based PCR showed comparatively high prevalence rate (6.64%) than SpeI-AvaI PCR (3.96%) and revealed 100% identity with the various geographical isolates. Realtime PCR employed on the 95 samples including 21 samples positive by SSU rRNA PCR were quantified in the range of 104-103 copy/µL. Additionally 18 animals positive for B. bigemina infection by realtime PCR alone fell in the range of 102-10 copy/µL. The overall 30% seroprevalence of B. bigemina was recorded by ELISA based on 200 kD merozoite. Among the different zones, the seroprevalence was highest in undulating plain zone (39.6%) and lowest in western zone (10.5%). Overall seroprevalence of B. bigemina was significantly (P<0.01) higher in cattle (54.1%) as compared to buffaloes (11.3%). The cattle calves revealed significantly high (P<0.05) (32.4%) seroprevalence than buffalo calves (10.5%).
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Prevalence, PCR, Babesia bigemina, clinico-haematobiochemical alterations, ELISA, Realtime PCR, low lying (bet) areas, dairy animals, Punjab