STUDIES ON PREVALENCE OF GASTROINTESTINAL PARASITES OF CAPTIVE, FREERANGE WILD ANIMALS, BIRDS AND MOLECULAR DETECTION OF BENZIMIDAZOLE RESISTANCE IN CERVIDS

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dc.contributor.advisorSingh, Vidya Sagar
dc.contributor.authorSahu, Shivani
dc.date.accessioned2024-08-05T07:13:06Z
dc.date.available2024-08-05T07:13:06Z
dc.date.issued2023-02
dc.description.abstractIndia is a treasure-house to many of the wild species of animals and birds. Wildlife plays a vital role in the maintenance of ecological and biological balance, hence life. For the evaluation and management of the harmful effect of gastrointestinal parasites on an animal population dynamics, it is necessary to evaluate their prevalence in wildlife populations. The present research was conducted to study the per cent prevalence of gastrointestinal parasitic infection in captive wild animals and birds of Dehradun Zoo, National Zoological Park, New Delhi and free-range wild animals of Rajaji Tiger Reserve, on seasonal basis. Studies on anthelmintic efficacy of drugs and molecular detection of benzimidazole resistance against strrongyles of cervids at Dehradun Zoo were also done. A total of 3184 faecal samples were screened, out of these 887 samples were found positive, with an overall prevalence of 27.85%. A total prevalence of 44.29% gastrointestinal parasitic infection was reported in Rajaji Tiger Reserve, 28.24% in Dehradun Zoo and 21.84% in National Zoological Park, New Delhi. Total of 2119 faecal samples of herbivores, 257 of carnivores, 144 of omnivores, 605 of birds and 59 samples of reptiles were screened from the beginning till end of study period. The total per cent prevalence of gastro-intestinal parasites reported were 28.31% in herbivores, 25.29% in carnivores, 40.27% in omnivores, 23.80% in birds and 33.89% in reptiles. The per cent prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in wild animals and birds was observed in three different seasons viz., rainy, winter and summer. It was found to be 32.20% in rainy, 21.73% in winter and 27.85% in summer season. The results for Dehradun Zoo indicated 32.20% prevalence in rainy, 28.72% in winter and 22.73% in summer seasons. The gastrointestinal prevalence in herbivores, reptiles and birds was 31.54%, 33.89% and 24.09% respectively, with 22.09% samples positive with helminths, 4.77% samples positive with protozoa and 1.36% samples positive with mixed infection. The gastrointestinal parasitic prevalence of animals and birds of National Zoological Park, New Delhi was recorded 21.87%. The maximum parasitic infection was observed in rainy season i.e. 27.98%, followed by summer (25.88%) and winter (11.92%) season. The prevalence of intestinal parasitic infection in herbivores, carnivores, omnivores and birds were 20.25%, 21.51%, 35.29%, and 23.28% respectively, with 17.05% samples positive for helminths, 4.54% samples positive for protozoans, 0.06% for acanthocephalans and 0.20% with mixed infection. The gastrointestinal parasitic prevalence of wild animals was recorded 44.29% in Rajaji Tiger Reserve. Prevalence of 47.45% in rainy, 41.61% in winter and 43.45% in summer seasons was seen. Host-wise per cent prevalence of gastrointestinal parasitic infection revealed infection of 57.14% in carnivores, followed by 52.38% in omnivores and least of 42.01% in herbivores. The prevalence of helminths, protozoans, acanthocephalans and mixed infection were 36.36%, 5.99%, 0.77% and 1.16% respectively. The study to compare the efficacies of drugs namely Ivermectin and Fenbendazole was conducted in the cervids of Dehradun Zoo. As per the routine Zoo regime, ivermectin was administered @0.2mg/kg body weight, orally and fenbendazole @7.5mg/kg body weight, orally. EPG (egg per gram) of collected faecal samples was determined on 0, 7th, 14th and 21st day post treatment, using the modified McMaster method to quantify nematode egg burdens. Percent efficacy of drugs was recorded on days 0, 7th, 14th and 21st. Efficacy of ivermectin on 7th day was found 95% and in fenbendazole 95.19%, on day 14th it was 97% for ivermectin and 96.15% for fenbendazole and on day 21st, 96% efficacy was observed for ivermectin in comparison to 94.23% for fenbendazole. Compared to the control group, there was sharp decline of mean EPG in both the treated groups up to 14th day post treatment. However, the mean EPG raised, post 14th day in both the groups. In the present study, for the detection of benzimidazole resistance in strongyles of Cervids of Dehradun Zoo, the positive faecal samples were cultured to obtain the infective larvae. Exsheathment of larvae was done then the isotype 1 β- tubulin gene of each digested larva was amplified by primary and nested PCRs. The Nested PCR product obtained was digested with restriction endonuclease enzyme RsaI, which yielded 4 bands of approx. 441, 211, 98 and 49 bp size in case of Haemonchus contortus. Whereas in Trichostrongylus colubriformis a prominent fragment of 399 bp, low intense 154 bp, 98 bp and 49 bp were obtained. Allele specific PCR was used for detection of resistant H. contortus and T.colubriformis alleles. The PCR reaction leads to amplification of a non specific fragment of 750 bp, a 603 bp susceptible fragment and a 222 bp resistant fragment in case of H. contortus. In case of T. colubriformis, a specific band of 550 bp corresponding for susceptible allele was observed. Out of 57 larvae of H. contortus, 54 were found to be homozygous susceptible and 3 were heterozygotes with gene frequency of 0.974 for susceptible allele and 0.026 for resistant alleles. The present comprehensive study on the evaluation of parasitic status is helpful to generate baseline data on the prevalence of parasitic infections in wild animals and birds under captivity at Dehradun Zoo, National Zoological Park, New Delhi and free-range wild animals of Rajaji Tiger Reserve, which shall prove beneficial for strategic treatment and devising appropriate control strategies by the authorities concerned. Both, ivermectin and fenbendazole can be used in a rotational manner against the gastrointestinal nematodosis in cervids at Dehradun Zoo. The resistance against benzimidazole in strongyles of Cervids have started circulating in the population, though at a low frequency. In order to limit the development and spread of benzimidazole resistance in H. contortus, a change in existing control strategies of zoo, like adopting rotational or alternate deworming with different classes of anthelmintics is suggested.
dc.identifier.citationTheses of Ph.D
dc.identifier.urihttps://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810212833
dc.language.isoEnglish
dc.pages130 p.p.
dc.publisherG. B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar-263145
dc.relation.ispartofseries10833
dc.research.problemSTUDIES ON PREVALENCE OF GASTROINTESTINAL PARASITES OF CAPTIVE, FREERANGE WILD ANIMALS, BIRDS AND MOLECULAR DETECTION
dc.subVeterinary Parasitology
dc.themeAcademic Research
dc.these.typePh.D
dc.titleSTUDIES ON PREVALENCE OF GASTROINTESTINAL PARASITES OF CAPTIVE, FREERANGE WILD ANIMALS, BIRDS AND MOLECULAR DETECTION OF BENZIMIDAZOLE RESISTANCE IN CERVIDS
dc.typeThesis
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