Trypanosomosis and Theileriosis Haemoprotozoan Diseases of Ruminants (Cattle and Buffaloes)

Trypanosomosis and Theileriosis Haemoprotozoan Diseases of Ruminants (Cattle and Buffaloes)

Anuruddha Singh Niranjan** Satish Yadav^*

**Assistant Professor, Department of Veterinary Parasitology, *Assistant professor, Department of Gynaecology and obstetrics, Apollo College of Veterinary Medicine (ACVM), Jaipur (Rajasthan)

Abstract

The common blood parasitic diseases mainly Theileriosis, Babesiosis, Anaplasmosis and Trypanosomosis are major problem in dairy industry. These diseases cause a heavy loss to the livestock industry throughout the world. It is found that, most of the blood protozoan and rickettsial diseases are transmitted by ticks. It is of great economic importance in India and has always been problem for establishment of dairy industry. The blood parasitic diseases have great impact on cattle health, milk yield, draft and meat production, which in turn affects overall cattle production, hence lowering agricultural and socio economic development in India. However, the most of blood protozoan parasites cause anaemia by inducing erythrophagocytosis. Therefore, it is important to control these blood parasitic diseases by checking the ticks and flies population.

1. Trypanosomiasis or Surra

• It is a extracellular parasite found in the blood plasma and lymph of vertebrate hosts.
• It is an important disease of cattle and buffalo.
• It is caused by Trypanosoma evansi blood protozoa.
• It is transmitted mechanically by biting flies namely, Tabanus , Stomoxys sp., Haematopota sp., Chrysops sp. Tabanus sp. and Stomoxys sp. flies are more common vectors.

Clinical sign and symptoms

• Buffaloes have a higher incidence rate than in cattle

Peracute case:

• Nervous signs within 2-3 hours

Acute case:

• Animals appear dull and sleepy
• Animals show staggering gait, eyes staring and wide open,
• Breathing hard and noisy
• Circling movements, nervous excitement, hitting of head with hard objects
• Stamping of feet, frequent micturition
• Rise in body temperature up to 40.6⁰C
• Bellowing, profuse salivation, shivering of body followed by coma, collapse and death in 6-12 hours

Subacute and chronic case:

• Animals are sleepy, dull and have bilateral lacrimation
• Progressive emaciation, rapid pulse, intermittent attack of fever
• Oedema of legs, diarrhoea and death from exhaustion
• In buffaloes abortion has been reported

Diagnosis

• Diagnosis of disease is based on:

1. History of the prevalence of biting flies namely, tabanids
2. Clinical symptoms
3. Laboratory examination of blood and body fluids by
4. Direct examination by blood smear
5. Chemical tests
6. Animal inoculation test –Albino mice and rats are used
7. Immunodiagnostic tests
8. Molecular test- Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)

Treatment

• Quinapyramine (Antrycide) methyl sulphate @ 3mg/kg body wt. As 10% aqueous solution, Subcutaneous injection.
• Diminazine aceturate (Berenil) @3.5mg/kg body wt., Subcutaneous or deep intramuscular injection.
• Isometamidium chloride @0.5-1mg/kg  body wt., deep intramuscular injection or slow I/V injection.

Control

• Control programme consists of-

1. Treatment of affected animals
2. Chemoprophylaxis
3. Regular spray with insecticides to check the flies population
4. Proper disposal of manure and treatment of breeding places of vectors to reduce the population of flies

Blood picture showing the Trypanosoma sp.

2. Theileriosis or bovine tropical theileriosis (BTT)

• It is a intracellular parasite found in the red blood cells, lymphocytes and histiocytes of vertebrate hosts.
• It is an important disease of cattle and buffalo.
• Cross bred cattle are more susceptible than indigenous cattle.
• It is caused by Theileria annulata protozoan parasite.
• Parasites are pleomorphic and occur as minute round, ovoid, rod like, comma shaped or irregular forms found in the lymphocytes, histiocytes and RBCs of vertebrate hosts.
• It is transmitted by ixodid ticks of genus Hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum, Hyalomma dromedarii

Clinical sign and symptoms

• Enlargement of regional superficial lymph nodes
• High fever (40.5-41.5⁰C)
• Heart rate and pulse rates increase, laboured breathing
• Serous nasal discharge and coughing
• Petechial haemorrhages on conjunctivae
• Post-mortem findings are punched necrotic ulcers in the abomasums and in young calves abomasum is full of undigested clots of milk.

Diagnosis

• Diagnosis of disease is based on:

1. History of the high prevalence of Hyalomma anatolicum ticks
2. Clinical symptoms- mainly high fever with enlargement of superficial lymph nodes
3. Demonstration of piroplasms in RBCs and schizonts (KBB) in lymphocytes in biopsy smears from lymph nodes
4. Serological tests
5. Complement fixation test (CFT)
6. Capillary tube agglutination test
7. Fluorescent antibody technique (FAT)
8. Molecular test- Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)

Treatment

• Buparvaquone (Butalex) @ 2.5 mg/kg body wt., intramuscular injection
• Parvaquone @ 20 mg/kg body wt., I/V route as a single dose
• Long acting oxytetracycline 20 mg/kg body wt., intramuscular injection every four days
• Oxytetracycline @ 15 mg/kg body wt., intramuscular injection 4-6 times daily
• Halofuginone @ 1-2 mg/kg body wt. Orally once

Control

• Bovine tropical theileriosis control measures include prophylaxis and chemotherapy with supportive treatment.
• Prophylaxis consists of chemoprophylaxis, immunoprophylaxis and control of ticks.
• Rakshavac-T is an attenuated tissue culture vaccine contain Theileria annulata schizont infected bovine lymphoblasts, recommended for use in crossbred and exotic cattle aged two months and above.
• One subcutaneous injection of 3 ml is given yearly to the animals.

Blood picture showing the Theileria sp. parasite

https://www.ijcmas.com/7-7-2018/Shashi%20Kala%20and%20Bhawesh%20Gopal%20Deo.pdf

https://www.pashudhanpraharee.com/theileriosis-in-cattle/

Please follow and like us: