Growth and egg production performance of Dekalb layers (Gallus gallus domesticus) supplemented with cassava leaf meal (Manihot esculenta Crantz)

A feeding trial was done to determine the best level of supplementation of cassava leaf meal (CLM) on the growth, productivity and egg quality of Dekalb layers at Salikneta Farm, San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, Philippines. The treatments were control (no CLM), T1 (3% CLM supplement), T2 (5% CLM supplement) and T3 (7% CLM supplement). The study was laid in a single factor Completely Randomized Design, with three replicates, consisting of ten birds per replicate. Results show highest feed consumption of birds at T3 (p \u3c 0.05) compared to control, T1, and T2. Weight gain was not affected by CLM supplementation. However, the FCR, percentage egg production, and cumulative number of eggs per bird in T1, and albumen height in T2 and T3 were higher (p \u3c 0.05) compared to the control group. Likewise, the supplementation of CLM up to 7% has no adverse effect on the health of the birds. Results revealed that 3% supplementation of CLM can improve FCR, percent egg production, and the cumulative number of eggs per bird. Moreover, increasing the level of CLM to 5% and 7% supplement may further improve birds\u27 performance in terms of egg weight, yolk color, and albumen height

Molecular Reports of Ruminant <i>Babesia</i> in Southeast Asia

The protozoon Babesia is a blood parasite transmitted by hard ticks and commonly parasitizes ruminants such as cattle, buffaloes, goats, and sheep. Babesiosis, the disease caused by Babesia infection, has been considered a potential threat to ruminant production due to the grave and enormous impact it brings. About 125 million ruminants are at risk of babesiosis in Southeast Asia (SEA), a region composed of 11 countries. In recent decades, molecular-based diagnostic platforms, such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays, have been a reliable and broadly employed tool in Babesia detection. In this article, the authors compiled and summarized the molecular studies conducted on ruminant babesiosis and mapped the species, including B. bovis, B. bigemina, B. ovata, Babesia sp. Mymensingh, Babesia sp. Hue, and B. ovis, and determined the host diversity of ruminant Babesia in SEA

Tick-Borne Hemoparasites of Sheep: A Molecular Rresearch in Turkey

Tick-borne diseases (TBDs) indulge in severe economic losses in the livestock industry by adversely affecting the small ruminant breeding in tropical and subtropical zone countries, including Turkey. Turkey encompasses a wide land area representing diverse climatic conditions. The present study explored the presence and distribution of Babesia ovis, Theileria ovis, Theileria lestoquardi, Anaplasma ovis, Anaplasma phagocytophilum and the co-occurrence status of these pathogens. A total of 299 sheep blood samples were collected from fifteen provinces located in six different geographical regions in Turkey. PCR analyses were executed using species-specific primers based on Babesia ovis BoSSU rRNA, Theileria ovis ToSSU rRNA, Theileria lestoquardi 18S rRNA, Anaplasma ovis Major Surface Protein (AoMSP4), and Anaplasma phagocytophilum 16S rRNA genes. Overall, 219 (73.24%) sheep were found to be infected with at least one of the following protozoan and rickettsial pathogens; B. ovis, A. ovis,T. ovis, and A. phagocytophilum. Theileria lestoquardi was not detected in any blood sample. The global prevalence of B. ovis, A. ovis, T. ovis, and A. phagocytophilum was estimated to be 2.68%, 16.05%, 41.47%, and 57.19%, respectively. Besides this, dual (24.41%), triple (9.03%), and quadruple (0.67%) co-infections were detected in the study. Phylogenetic analysis revealed significant nucleotide sequence identities between the sequences obtained in this study and the sequences registered in the GenBank. This study provides relevant data regarding the predominance of ovine tick-borne protozoan and rickettsial agents in Turkey. A high molecular prevalence of tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) was identified in the study. This situation indicates that TBPs should be screened continuously, and necessary control measures should be taken to prevent diseases caused by tick-borne protozoan and rickettsial agents

Evaluation of 5-Aminolevulenic Acid Plus Ferrous Ion for Its Potential to Improve Symptoms of Bovine Babesiosis

5-aminolevulenic acid (ALA), an endogenous, non-proteinogenic, naturally occurring amino acid found in diverse organisms, is a precursor of heme biosynthesis. For apicomplexan protozoan parasites, an ALA and sodium ferrous citrate (SFC) combination was previously evaluated and suggested as a potential drug candidate for Plasmodium falciparum malaria. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of this combination against bovine babesiosis. ALA administration at 100 and 500 µM coupled with 10 µM SFC in culture medium significantly inhibited intraerythrocytic development and growth of Babesia bovis, which causes cerebral babesiosis in cattle, under in vitro culture. However, administration of 10 µM SFC only in the medium did not inhibit parasite growth. ALA/SFC was efficacious in treating babesiosis in an experimental animal model with B. microti, which causes debilitating babesiosis in mice. Female BALB/c mice were infected with B. microti and administered a single oral dose of ALA/SFC combination daily in different concentrations for 30 days. Treatment with ALA/SFC at 4/0.4 mg/kg body weight significantly suppressed parasite development in the mice blood circulation and resulted in significantly lower parasitemia. Moreover, body weight loss in the mice has been improved significantly compared with the control group at the peak of parasitemia. Treated mice showed moderate decreases in red blood cell count, hemoglobin value, and hematocrit compared with those observed in the control group, indicating an effect in moderating progressive anemia. These findings suggested the potential of ALA/SFC to achieve symptomatic improvement against bovine babesiosis

Tick-borne Pathogen Detection and Its Association with Alterations in Packed Cell Volume of Dairy Cattle in Thailand

Tick-borne diseases (TBDs) massively impact bovine production. In endemic countries, animals are often subclinically infected, showing no signs of the illness. Anemia is a hallmark of TBDs, but there is inadequate information on its presence in infected Thai cattle. In the present study, 265 cattle from four provinces in Thailand were surveyed to identify tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) and to evaluate the changes in the packed cell volume (PCV) values associated with detection. Microscopy and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were also compared for TBP detection. Babesia/Theileria/Hepatozoon was detected in 33.58% (89/265) of the cattle samples. Specifically, Babesia bovis (9/265), B. bigemina (12/265), Theileria orientalis (62/265), and Anaplasma marginale (50/265) were identified using species-specific assays. Significant decreases in the mean PCV levels were observed in cattle that were positive for at least one TBP (p Babesia/Theileria/Hepatozoon (p T. orientalis (p A. marginale (p = 0.049). The results of PCR and microscopy for the detection of TBPs suggested slight and fair agreement between the two detection tools. The present findings contribute to a better understanding of TBDs in the field and shall facilitate the formulation of effective control for TBDs in Thailand

Evaluation on the presence of Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, and Babesia spp. in goats (Capra hircus) in Cebu, the Philippines

Background: Tick-borne diseases are caused by a wide variety of viruses, pathogens, and diseases. Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, and Babesia spp. are among the most known tick-borne pathogens in Asia. In the Philippines, these pathogens were already reportedly present in dogs and large ruminants, but no study has been reported yet evaluating their presence in goats. Aim: The present study aimed to evaluate the presence of Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, and Babesia spp. in goats in Cebu, the Philippines. Materials and Methods: A total of 100 blood samples from goats were collected in Cebu, the Philippines. Profile of sampled goats including age, body score, and sex was obtained. Peripheral blood smear examination and DNA extraction were performed. Nested polymerase chain reaction assay was used to evaluate the presence of Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, and Babesia spp. Results: None of the samples were found positive with Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, and Babesia spp. infection. Conclusion: Tested goats were negative with Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, and Babesia spp. and calls for continuous surveillance of these pathogens due to the reported detection of these pathogens in other livestock animals in the area

Transient Transfection of the Zoonotic Parasite Babesia microti

The development of genetic manipulation techniques has been reported in many protozoan parasites over the past few years. However, these techniques have not been established for Babesia microti. Here, we report the first successful transient transfection of B. microti. The plasmids containing the firefly luciferase reporter gene were transfected into B. microti by an AMAXA 4D Nucleofection system. Twenty-four-hour synchronization, the 5&prime;-actin promoter, program FA100, and 50 &mu;g of plasmid DNA constituted the best conditions for the transient transfection of B. microti. This finding is the first step towards a stable transfection method for B. microti, which may contribute to a better understanding of the biology of the parasite

A Survey of Tick Infestation and Tick-Borne Piroplasm Infection of Cattle in Oudalan and S&eacute;no Provinces, Northern Burkina Faso

In this study, cattle farms located in Oudalan and S&eacute;no, two provinces in the Sahel region, northern Burkina Faso, were surveyed. Cattle owners were interviewed, cattle were examined for tick infestation, and ticks as well as blood samples were collected during the dry season (October). Blood DNA samples were tested for Babesia and Theileria infections using nested PCRs and sequencing. A total of 22 herds, 174 Zebu cattle were investigated at 6 different sites. Overall, 76 cattle (43.7 %) from 18 farms (81.8%) were found infested with ticks. Cattle in S&eacute;no, adult cattle (&gt;5 years) and those owned by the Fulani ethnic group were significantly (p &lt; 0.05) more likely to be tick-infested. A total of 144 adult ticks belonging to five species namely: Hyalomma impeltatum, Hyalomma impressum, Hyalomma rufipes, Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi, and Rhipicephalus guilhoni were collected from the animals. Piroplasms were detected in the blood DNA of 23 (13.2%) cattle. The cattle in S&eacute;no and adult cattle were significantly more likely to be piroplasm-positive. Five pathogens diversely distributed were identified. Theileria mutans (12/174), Babesia bigemina (5/174), Theileria annulata (3/174), and Theileria velifera (3/174) were detected for the first time in northern Burkina Faso, whereas Babesia occultans (1/174) was found for the first time in cattle in West Africa. The analysis of the sequences, including B. bigemina RAP-1a, T. annulata Tams1 genes, and the 18S rRNA genes of all the five protozoa, revealed identities ranging from 98.4 to 100% with previously published sequences. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 18S rRNA gene sequences located north Burkina Faso piroplasms in the same clade as isolates from Africa and other regions of the world. Notably, T. mutans sequences were distributed in two clades: the T. mutans Intona strain clade and the Theileria sp. (strain MSD)/ Theileria sp. B15a clade, suggesting the presence of at least two strains in the area. These findings indicate that the control of ticks and tick-borne diseases should be taken into account in strategies to improve animal health in the Sahel region