Epidemiology And Morphology Of Lungworm (Dictyocaulus Viviparus), And Its Associated Lung Pathology In Cattle And Buffaloes In Peninsular Malaysia

Bovine dictyocaulosis is an important parasitic disease of cattle and buffaloes and is caused by the lungworm, Dictyocaulus viviparus. The parasite is an important cause of lung infection especially in the temperate regions of the world. While the documentation on bovine lungworm is vast in the temperate, it is very sporadic and limited in the tropics. In Malaysia, a tropical country, the occurrence of lungworm infections in cattle and buffaloes has been anecdotal. The present study was carried out to detect the presence of lungworm infections in cattle and buffaloes, to determine the prevalence of lungworm infection in cattle and buffaloes, to identify the risk factors associated with bovine lungworm infection, to compare the morphology of egg, first stage larvae (L1) and adult stage of Malaysian bovine lungworm with those of D. viviparus from published reports and Sweden and to compare the histopathological lesions of lungs infected with Malaysian bovine lungworm and those of lungs infected with D. viviparus.A retrospective examination of available records and data was carried out to investigate the presence of lungworm infections in Peninsular Malaysia. Two studies were carried out to address the objective. In the first study, an investigation on lungworm disease outbreak in a beef breeding farm was conducted. It was found that the yearly lungworm-infection mortality rate within the seven-year period was 0.31%. Among the cases, more than half (67%) were male and 33% were females. Seventy-five percent of lungworm infection deaths occurred in calves between the ages of six and 12 months, and 25% occurred in cattle aged 12 to 19 months. Most of the deaths occurred in November (19%) and May (17%). In the second study, data of condemnation of lungs and reasons of condemnation between 1998 and 2004 was collected at the Department of Veterinary Services Headquarters in Kuala Lumpur. Parasitic lung condemnation from all slaughtered animals was 0.11%. The prevalence of parasitic infection in the lungs was found much higher in buffaloes than in cattle (t = -3.906, p = 0.002). A cross-sectional study was carried out in four large scale farms (Farms A, B, C and D) and three dairy smallholdings (Farm E) to detect and determine the prevalence of lungworm infection and to identify the risk factors. Blood and faecal sampling on each farm, except Farm E, was performed every two months for a period of seven months. Farm E was sampled only once. Questionnaires on individual animals, farm management and disease occurrence were developed and the data were collected at the time of blood and faecal sampling. Meteorological data was collected from the Climate Division, Malaysian Meteorological Service. The total blood and faecal samples collected from the farms were 602. Baermannisation was performed for parasitological diagnosis and enzyme-link-immunosorbent assay was conducted for serodiagnosis. The prevalence of lungworm infection based on baermannisation was 4.7%. The highest prevalence was found in Farm E. Using binary logistic regression analysis, gender and the interaction between monthly temperature and monthly rainfall were identified as the statistically significant risk factors for bovine lungworm infection. The likelihood of lungworm infection was about four times greater when the monthly rainfall was >100 mm and the monthly temperature was >27°C to 29.1°C than when the monthly rainfall was <100 mm and when the temperature was <27°C (p = 0.002). Female animals were about 2.9 times less likely to be infected than male animals (p = 0.01). Another cross-sectional study was carried out where 11 out of 25 abattoirs in Peninsular Malaysia were visited and slaughtered animals were examined. Animals slaughtered at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) mosque during festivals were also examined. Among the total of 283 lungs from 260 cattle and 23 buffaloes sampled, lungworm was found in three Kedah-Kelantan (KK) cattle (1.1%). The morphological evaluation of egg, L1 and adult worm of the Malaysian bovine lungworm were conducted by comparing with those of D. viviparus from published reports and Sweden. Histopathological lesions of infected lungs were also examined. Based on the morphology of the lungworm and the histopathological changes of the affected lungs, the Malaysian bovine lungworm is believed to be most likely D. viviparus.In conclusion, bovine lungworm infection in the Malaysian cattle and buffaloes can be detected and the prevalence is low. The disease occurrence was associated with the gender of the animals, and the climatic conditions. Based on the morphology of vi the lungworm and the histopathological changes of the affected lungs, the Malaysian bovine lungworm is believed to be D. viviparus

Epidemiological survey on porcine cysticercosis in Nay Pyi Taw Area,

Cross-sectional surveys were conducted to determine the prevalence and associated risk factors of Taenia solium cysticercosis in pigs within Nay Pyi Taw area, Myanmar. Meat inspection in three slaughterhouses, ELISA test, and questionnaire surveys were conducted in this study. Three hundred pigs were inspected in slaughterhouses and 364 pigs were randomly selected and examined from 203 households from three townships in Nay Pyi Taw area. The prevalence of porcine cysticercosis in meat inspection was 23.67% (71/300). Seroprevalence of T. solium cysticercosis in pigs in the study area was 15.93% (58/364). Significant associated risk factors with T. solium cysticercosis were gender (OR = 3.0; 95% CI = 1.7-5.4), increased age (OR = 2.3; 95% CI = 1.2-4.2), husbandry system (OR = 5.1; 95% CI = 2.4-11.2), feed type (OR = 16.9; 95% CI = 2.3-124.3), not using anthelmintics in pigs (OR = 11.9; 95% CI = 5.0-28.5), not using anthelmintics in owner (OR = 2.5; 95% CI = 1.4-4.4), no hand-washing before feeding (OR = 31.5; 95% CI = 4.3-230.9), and pork consumption of owner (OR = 37.4; 95% CI = 9.0-156.1) in the study area. This is the first report of porcine cysticercosis in Myanmar

Lungworm of cattle in Malaysia

Bovine lungworm Dictyocaulus viviparus is highly endemic in temperate regions. However, the occurrence of the lungworm has not been reported in any South East Asian country. The main aim of the present study was to detect the presence of lungworm in cattle in peninsular Malaysia and to examine the morphology of the parasite. A cross-sectional study was carried out in which 602 animals from four large scale government cattle farms and one dairy smallholder farm were sampled. In addition, 283 lungs from 11 abattoirs around the country were examined. Faecal samples were examined using the Baermann technique while post-mortem examination was performed on the lungs. Approximately 5% of faecal samples and 1% of lungs were positive for lungworm. Based on the morphology of adult lungworm, eggs and first stage larvae, Malaysian bovine lungworms were D. viviparus

Anthropogenic interferences lead to gut microbiome dysbiosis in Asian elephants and may alter adaptation processes to surrounding environments

Human activities interfere with wild animals and lead to the loss of many animal populations. Therefore, efforts have been made to understand how wildlife can rebound from anthropogenic disturbances. An essential mechanism to adapt to environmental and social changes is the fluctuations in the host gut microbiome. Here we give a comprehensive description of anthropogenically induced microbiome alterations in Asian elephants (n = 30). We detected gut microbial changes due to overseas translocation, captivity and deworming. We found that microbes belonging to Planococcaceae had the highest contribution in the microbiome alterations after translocation, while Clostridiaceae, Spirochaetaceae and Bacteroidia were the most affected after captivity. However, deworming significantly changed the abundance of Flavobacteriaceae, Sphingobacteriaceae, Xanthomonadaceae, Weeksellaceae and Burkholderiaceae. These findings may provide fundamental ideas to help guide the preservation tactics and probiotic replacement therapies of a dysbiosed gut microbiome in Asian elephants. More generally, these results show the severity of anthropogenic activities at the level of gut microbiome, altering the adaptation processes to new environments and the subsequent capability to maintain normal physiological processes in animals

Potential of ferritin 2 as an antigen for the development of a universal vaccine for avian mites, poultry red mites, tropical fowl mites, and northern fowl mites

IntroductionPoultry red mites (PRMs, Dermanyssus gallinae), blood-sucking ectoparasites, are a threat to the poultry industry because of reduced production caused by infestation. In addition, tropical fowl mites (TFMs, Ornithonyssus bursa) and northern fowl mites (NFMs, Ornithonyssus sylviarum) are hematophagous, distributed in various regions, genetically and morphologically close to PRMs, and cause similar problems to the poultry industry. Vaccine approaches have been studied for PRM control, and several molecules have been identified in PRMs as candidates for effective vaccine antigens. The development of an anti-PRM vaccine as a universal vaccine with broad efficacy against avian mites could improve the productivity of poultry farms worldwide. Molecules that are highly conserved among avian mites and have critical functions in the physiology and growth of mites could be ideal antigen candidates for the development of universal vaccines. Ferritin 2 (FER2), an iron-binding protein, is critical for the reproduction and survival of PRMs and has been reported as a useful vaccine antigen for the control of PRMs and a candidate for the universal vaccine antigen in some tick species.Method and resultsHerein, we identified and characterized FER2 in TFMs and NFM. Compared with the sequence of PRM, the ferroxidase centers of the heavy chain subunits were conserved in FER2 of TFMs and NFMs. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that FER2 belongs to clusters of secretory ferritins of mites and other arthropods. Recombinant FER2 (rFER2) proteins from PRMs, TFMs, and NFMs exhibited iron-binding abilities. Immunization with each rFER2 induced strong antibody responses in chickens, and each immune plasma cross-reacted with rFER2 from different mites. Moreover, mortality rates of PRMs fed with immune plasma against rFER2 from TFMs or NFMs, in addition to PRMs, were higher than those of control plasma.DiscussionrFER2 from each avian mite exhibited anti-PRM effects. This data suggests that it has the potential to be used as an antigen candidate for a universal vaccine against avian mites. Further studies are needed to access the usefulness of FER2 as a universal vaccine for the control of avian mites

Management and Control of <em>Eimeria</em> Infection in Goats

Coccidian parasites of the genus Eimeira cause coccidiosis in farm animals, which develop in both the small and the large intestines. Coccidiosis is a major economic concern in many livestock, especially in young animals, as a result of losses caused by clinical infection (diarrhea) and subclinical (poor weight gain in particular) and the required treatment costs. Herein, we summarize geographical distribution of Eimeria parasites, their life cycle, pathogenesis, clinical signs, economic losses due to coccidiosis, diagnosis, recent information on control and prevention, and anticoccidial drugs for Eimeria infection in goats. With regard to poverty alleviation in most developing agricultural countries, it is important to maintain and develop goat-related industries. Proper management should be used to prevent losses and reduce the productivity from coccidiosis in young animals by: reducing the level of environmental contamination by infectious oocysts; minimizing stress; and avoiding overcrowding

First detection of

Coccidiosis is of great economic importance in many farm animals. This study involved analysis of 280 faecal samples collected from 12 traditional goat farms from Nay Pyi Taw area, Myanmar. Faecal samples were examined by the flotation method and concentrated oocysts were identified on the basis of morphological characters. Of 280 faecal samples examined, 168 (60.0%) were positive for Eimeria oocysts. Three different Eimeria species were identified and their positive detection rates in the herd were: E. arloingi (25.4%), followed by E. hirci (20.7%) and E. christenseni (13.9%). Identifications were confirmed by 18S rDNA and COI sequences. 18S rDNA sequences showed 100% homology with, respectively, E. christenseni reported from Australia, E. arloingi reported from Australia and Iran, and E. hirci from Australia. COI sequences of E. christenseni, E. hirci, and E. arloingi, respectively, exhibited 98.9%, 98.4%, and 98.5% similarities with those reported from Australia. This is the first report of Eimeria infection in Myanmar goats

Molecular detection of Dirofilaria immitis and its Wolbachia endosymbionts in dogs from Myanmar

Heartworm disease in dogs and cats caused by Dirofilaria immitis continues to be a major clinical issue globally. This study focused on dogs suspicious of having tick-borne diseases (TBD) brought to a clinic and a veterinary teaching hospital in Myanmar. Blood samples were collected and initially screened using SNAP® 4Dx® Plus test kit. All dog blood samples were subjected to conventional PCR to detect both Dirofilaria spp. (cox1 gene) and Wolbachia spp. (16S rDNA) infections. Infection with D. immitis was detected in 14 (28.0%) of 50 examined samples, while the detection rate of TBD causative agents, including Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Ehrlichia canis, was 26.0% (13/50) and 26.0% (13/50), respectively, as determined by ELISA rapid test. In this study, D. immitis infection was moderately but significantly correlated with TBD infections (Pearson’s r = 0.397, P = 0.008). Comparative sequence and phylogenetic analyses provided molecular identification of D. immitis in Myanmar and confirmed the identity of its Wolbachia endosymbiont with Wolbachia endosymbionts isolated from D. immitis, Rhipicephalus sanguineus and Aedes aegypti. The present study contributes to our understanding of the coexistence of D. immitis and Wolbachia endosymbiosis in dogs, and the findings may benefit the future prevention and control of dirofilariasis in dogs