COMMON HAEMOPROTOZOAN DISEASES IN CATTLE IN RAINY SEASON AND THEIR MANAGEMENT
Anupriya Misra
Undergraduate Student
B.V.Sc. & A.H. (Third Year)
College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, G.B.P.U.A.T, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand
SUMMARY
Farmers and livestock owners, every year, face huge economic losses with the arrival of monsoon. Rainy Season acts as proliferator of a wide number of diseases including bacterial, viral, parasitic and protozoan. Haemoprotozoan diseases are caused by unicellular protozoan or rickettsial parasites developing in blood or blood cells. The given article describes the various haemoprotozoan diseases commonly prevalent in India in cattle along with their treatment and management strategies.
- Theileriosis
- Babesiosis
- Anaplasmosis
- Trypanosomosis
https://www.pashudhanpraharee.com/haemoprotozoan-of-dairy-animals/
INTRODUCTION
India is majorly an agriculture based economy and majority of the Indian farmers rely on Livestock farming as an additional source of income. As of 2018-19, Livestock contributed an average of 14% of income for all rural households. Livestock provides livelihood to two-third of rural community. It also provides employment to about 8.8 % of the population in India. Livestock sector contributes 4.11% GDP and 25.6% of total Agriculture GDP.
In such a scenario, the advent of the monsoon acts as both, a boon and curse for the Indian Farmers. On one hand, it acts as elixir for agricultural farms, while on the other hand, it can wreak havoc on livestock health in case of inappropriate and lacking preventive measures. During rainy seasons, the bacterial as well as parasitic microclimate and prospers due to the rise in humidity and warmth inside the animal shed due do expired air, overcrowding, waste from animals and lack of ventilation. Wetting of feed due to leakage of rain water from damaged roof leads to development of moulds. Unhygienic conditions of shed and floor also act as breeding ground for various disease causing organisms.
Haemoprotozoan diseases are one of the major problems in cattle transmitted by arthropod vectors or through blood transfusion, which the farmers face mainly with arrival of the monsoon. It leads to drastic decline in health condition of the cattle, reduced milk production and draught performance, and even mortality, which in turns results in huge economic losses to the farmer. Thus, in this article, some common haemoprotozoan parasitic diseases in cattle occurring in rainy season have been discussed along with the management and control strategies.
- THEILERIOSIS
Theileriosis is a group of tick-borne diseases caused by Theileria spp. belonging to order Piroplasmida. The most pathogenic species of Theileria prevalent in India are T. annulata and T. parva and cause Tropical Theileriosis and East Coast Fever in Cattle respectively. East Coast Fever is prevalent in African continent and not in India, due to absence of tick vector in India. Unlike in Babesiosis, in Theileriosis there is no evidence of increased resistance in calves.
BOVINE TROPICAL THEILERIOSIS
It is an acute and highly fatal disease of cattle in India, especially for cross bred and exotic animals. Indigenous cattle act as constant source of infection to the cross bred and exotic cattle.
Etiology and Transmission: Caused by Theileria annulata, and transmitted by the tick vector Hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum. Prevalence rate is very high in late summer followed by rainy season, when vector population is very high and animal is in stress due to humid and warm climate.
Pathogenesis: The organisms is both haemoproliferative as well as lymphoproliferative and forms piroplasms and Koch’s Blue Bodies in Red Blood Cells and Lymphocytes respectively. The sporozoites are injected into cattle by infected vector ticks. After a lapse of 5–8 days of tick attachment, first stages are found in local lymphocytes and stimulates lymphoproliferation. Macroschizonts appear in lymphocytes as Koch’s Blue Bodies after several days followed by appearance of annular, ovoid or rod shaped piroplasms in Red Blood Cells 15-20 days post infection.
Clinical Signs: Clinical signs vary according to the level of challenge, and they range from in apparent or mild to severe and fatal.
Early signs include
- Enlarged superficial lymph nodes, especially prescapular lymph node
- Fever (40.5-41.5°C)
- Increased heart rate, laboured breathing, dyspnoea, nasal discharge, coughing, slight anorexia
- Oedema in lungs is the cause of death in acute cases
In Later Stages, signs are-
- Declining fever
- Extreme weakness and prostration
- Anaemia and bilirubinemia may occur
- Jaundice
Diagnosis
- History and Clinical signs and symptoms
- Demonstration of piroplasms in erythrocytes using Thin Blood Smear Examination
- Demonstration of Koch’s Blue Bodies in lymphocytes using Lymph node Aspiration Cytology
- Immunodiagnostic and serological tests
- Haematological Tests revel fall in Haemoglobin and Packed Cell Volume
- Punched necrotic ulcers in abomasum and oedema in lungs on Post Mortem examination
Treatment and Control
- Intramuscular administration of BUPARVAQUONE, drug of choice for Theileriosis.
- Oxytetracycline has proved to be effective against schizontal stages of Theileria during early stage of disease.
- Immunization by vaccine containing culture attenuated annulata schizont infected bovine lymphocytes, commercially available as RAKSHAVAC-T®
- Treatment and control of tick infestation in cattle herd using acaricides.
- BABESIOSIS
It is one of the most common tick-borne diseases of cattle causing high mortality in adult cattle, especially exotic breeds. Calves are naturally resistant to the infection upto 9-12 months of age. It is also known as Tick Fever, Red Water Disease and Texas Fever.
Etiology and Transmission: Babesiosis in cattle is caused mainly due to two species: Babesia bigemina and Babesia bovis. The tick vector involved in its transmission is Riphicephalus (Boophilus) microplus. Babesiosis is commonly found in areas where its arthropod vector is distributed, especially tropical and subtropical climates.
Pathogenesis: The sporozoites are introduced into the host’s blood through tick bite. Incubation period under natural conditions id around 1-2 weeks. Organisms enter the erythrocytes and multiply to form trophozoites. Thereafter, they are released from RBCs and invade other erythrocytes. As a result, a large number of Red Blood Cells are parasitized and characteristic pear shaped piroplasms lying in pairs are found in them. A large number of erythrocytes are destroyed resulting into hyperchromic and macrocytic anaemia.
Clinical Signs and Symptoms: Common clinical signs include:
- High Fever (40-41°C, even upto 45°C)
- Severe Anaemia
- Haemoglobinuria, resulting into passage of Dark or Coffee Coloured urine
- Anorexia, Weakness and depression
- Cessation of rumination, salivation and dryness of muzzle
- Reduced milk yield
- Cerebral form may exhibit signs like incoordination and teeth
Diagnosis
- History and clinical signs and symptoms
- Detection of piroplasms in erythrocytes using Thin Blood Smear Examination
- Haematological tests reveal reduced Total Erythrocyte Count and Haemoglobin
- Immunodiagnostic and Serological tests
- Post- mortem examination revels enlarged liver and spleen, urinary bladder with dark coloured urine and lungs with reddish frothy fluid
Treatment and Control
- Intramuscular administration of DIAMINAZINE ACETURATE
- IMIDOCARB has also been reported to have therapeutic and prophylactic effect against the infection
- Immunoprophylaxis includes vaccination with Live Vaccine- inoculation of infected blood.
- Control and treatment of tick infestation in cattle using acaricides.
- ANAPLASMOSIS
Bovine anaplasmosis is a haemolytic disease of cattle characterised by anaemia, adult mortality, abortion, and performance reduction.
Etiology and Transmission: Anaplasmosis is a world-wide tick-borne disease of cattle caused mainly by the rickettsia Anaplasma marginale. The disease is common throughout tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world. Transmission to susceptible animals occurs through a variety of vectors, such as flies, viz. Tabanid Fly and Stomoxys, through tick bites (Riphicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, Argus persicus, and Ornithodoros spp.) or through veterinary instruments. Cattle that survive infection become persistently infected carriers which serve as the reservoir for other animals.
Pathogenesis: The disease is mostly observed in cattle above 18 months of age. The major pathogenic effects occur due to multiplication in Erythrocytes which results in their destruction.
Clinical Signs and Symptoms: Anaplasmosis is characterised generally by following symptoms:
- Rise in body temperature but it is not a constant finding.
- Anaemia
- Bilirubinemia and sometimes Haemoglobinuria
- Dyspnoea
- Jaundice and pale visible mucus membrane
Diagnosis
- History, Clinical signs and symptoms
- Demonstration of Anaplasma as small spherical bodies, with faint halo around them, inside the erythrocytes on Thin Blood Smear Examination.
- Serological tests
Treatment and Control
- Intravenous administration of TETRACYCLINE has shown to be effective against anaplasmosis. Supportive therapy may be given if required.
- Vaccination with commercially available vaccine line Amvac, Anaplaz, Plasvax and Anavac.
- Control of fly and tick vectors using insecticides and acaricides respectively.
- SURRA (TRYPANOSOMOSIS)
Trypanosomosis, also known as Surra, is one of the most important haemoprotozoan diseases affecting cattle health in India. The disease prevalence peaks around the monsoon when the animals are under maximum work-stress and other factors, viz., concurrent disease, poor nutrition and parasite pathogenicity.
Etiology and Transmission: Surra in cattle is caused by Trypanosoma evansi and transmitted mechanically, majorly by Tabanus and Stomoxys fly. It is endemic in most parts of the Indian sub-continent, and epizootics have occurred particularly in cattle and buffaloes with mortality rate ranging from 20 to 90%.
Pathogenesis
Basic mechanism involves in the pathology include utilization of host’s nutrients and excretion of metabolites, excretion of toxic substances, mechanical disruption of host’s tissue and immunologically mediated injury. The main pathological effects of Trypanosomosis are:
- Pyrexia with successive waves of parasitemia due to antigenic variation
- Anaemia with reduced erythrocytes and haemoglobin due to erythrophagocytosis by monocyte-macrophage system and haemolysins produced by trypanosomes. In acute cases, the anaemia is normally macrocytic normochromic and in chronic cases, it is microcytic hypochromic
- Immunosuppression and decreased blood platelet count
Clinical Signs and Symptoms
- Per acute Form is characterised by nervous symptoms and animals die due to convulsions in 2-3 hours.
- Acute form is characterised by staggering gait, eyes staring and wide open, encircling movement, nervous excitement, apparent blindness and twitching of muscles. Animal appears dull, collapses and dies within 6-12 hours.
- Chronic form is characterised by progressive emaciation, intermittent attacks of fever, anaemia, oedema of legs and genital area, lacrimation from both eyes and the animal may die due to hypoglycaemia and exhaustion.
Diagnosis
- Clinical signs and symptoms
- History of prevalence of biting flies
- Laboratory examinations, microhematocrit technique and direct blood smear examination to detect trypanosomes in blood
- Chemical tests like Stilbamide Test
- Animal Inoculation Tests using white mice or rats
- Immunodiagnostic tests
Treatment and Control
- Quinapyramines like Antrycide Prosalt (TRIQUIN) has both therapeutic and prophylactic effects and provides protection against Surra for about 3 months
- DIAMINAZINE ACETURATE has also been found to be effective against evansi.
- SURAMINS line Antrypol, Gilpol, Naganol are also effective but they are mostly used in evansi infection in camels.
- Control and reduction of fly population using insecticides.
CONCLUSION
The increase in haemoprotozoan infections with arrival of monsoons can effectively be controlled by taking appropriate prophylactic measures. Timely vaccination and deworming of animals before arrival of monsoon and taking effective measures for control of arthropod vectors like flies, ticks, mosquitoes, etc is the key to minimise the economic losses occurring due to these diseases.
REFERENCES
- Annual Report 2018-19, Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Govt. of India.
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