Serological and coprological analyses for the diagnosis of Fasciolagigantica infections in bovine hosts from Sargodha, Pakistan

Cost-benefit ratio of anthelmintic treatment and its comparative efficacy in commercial dairy farms

Intestinal parasitic infection is one of the major challenges in obtaining optimal production and maintaining the health and welfare of all animals including cattle and buffaloes. Anti-parasitic treatments appear to be a reliable countermeasure. However, the effectiveness and selection of suitable anthelmintics require situational assessments in a given locality. In the current study, the efficacy and impact of benzimidazole (albendazole) were assessed in a total of 400 (100 each) on the performance of buffaloes, buffalo-heifer, cattle, and cattle-heifers at two commercial dairy farms in the Province of Punjab, Pakistan. Additionally, the cost-benefit ratio was calculated by assessing the inputs (medication, feed, and labor cost) and outputs (milk and weight gain). The qualitative and quantitative examination of helminth eggs in each type of animal indicated a prevalence of 73.3, 78.3, 76.6, and 85.0% in cattle, cattle-heifers, buffaloes, and buffaloes-heifers, respectively. Specifically, a highest rate (10.0-13.3%) of Haemonchus sp. infection was only observed in cattle and heifers, while Fasciola sp. infections (10.0-11.6%) were the most often found species in buffaloes and heifers. The highest anthelmintic impacts (egg per gram of feces, p < 0.001) were observed on day 14 post-medication. Until 60 days of post-anthelmintic treatment, an average increase of 0.8 and 0.7 L in milk production per day in cattle and buffaloes, respectively while a total of 11.45 and 9.45 kg body weight were noticed in cattle-heifer and buffaloes-heifer, respectively. Cumulative cost-benefit analysis indicated a positive correlation between treated and non-treated animals. These findings reiterate the importance of anthelmintic drugs in reducing the impacts of parasites on the productivity, health, and well-being of an animal under high infection challenges.

Prevalence, risk factors, and infection intensity of fasciolosis in dairy cattle in Boyolali, Indonesia

Background and Aim: Fasciolosis is a significant problem in veterinary and public health, causing huge economic losses. Epidemiological studies of fasciolosis in dairy cattle in Indonesia are few and existing reports primarily focus on prevalence. This study aimed to determine the prevalence, risk factors, and infection intensity of fasciolosis in dairy cattle in Boyolali, Indonesia. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 400 dairy cattle from 72 household farms in eight subdistricts. Fecal samples (n=400) were examined using the Flukefinder® kit and the simple sedimentation technique was the gold standard for fasciolosis. In-person interviews using questionnaires collected data on farmers, farms, and animal characteristics. Chi-square and logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate the associated risk factors for fasciolosis, and p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The overall prevalence of fasciolosis in dairy cattle in Boyolali, Indonesia, was 16.50% (95% confidence interval [CI] 12.85-20.15) at the animal level (n = 400), whereas 40.28% at household farms (n = 72) level (95% CI 18.67-51.88). The relative sensitivity and specificity of the Flukefinder® kit compared with those of the gold standard were 79.49% and 92.52%, respectively, with a moderate agreement (kappa=0.59; p < 0.001). Fasciolosis was more likely in cattle originating from the Mojosongo subdistrict than from other subdistricts (odds ratio (OR)=5.28, 95% CI 1.22-22.94); from farms that did not process manure versus from those that did (OR = 3.03, 95% CI 1.43-4.71); and with farmers that had never attended extension programs compared with those who had (OR = 4.72, 95% CI 1.99-11.19). Studied cattle were mostly affected by light Fasciola spp. infections (92.4%, 95% CI 77.8-100%) followed by moderate (6.1%, 95% CI 0-22.2%) and heavy (1.5%, 95% CI 0-5.6%) infections. Conclusion: Fasciolosis is prevalent in dairy cattle in Boyolali, Indonesia. Control efforts should target the high-risk Mojosongo subdistrict, emphasize the importance of processing manure, and encourage farmers to attend extension programs. Flukefinder® is a practical on-site diagnostic kit for fasciolosis in Indonesian dairy farms. Parasite species identification and a malacological survey of intermediate hosts of Fasciola spp. in the farming environment are required for further research.

Prevalence of bovine fascioliasis in a new-emerging focus of human fascioliasis in BoyerAhmad district, southwest of Iran

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of fascioliasis in a population of cattle in a new-emerging focus of human fascioliasis in Boyer-Ahmad District, in the southwest of Iran, was investigated, using an ELISA system and coprological methods.

METHODS

Blood, as well as stool samples, were collected from 150 dairy cattle consisted of 82 (54.7%) males and 68 (45.3%) females, aged from 1 to 8 years, selected from different pastures. The stool samples were evaluated by direct wet mount microscopic examination as well as sedimentation methods. Moreover, modified Telemann was used for detecting of Fasciola eggs. Anti-Fasciola antibodies in the cattle sera samples were determined, using a Fasciola excretory-secretory antigen-specific ELISA.

RESULTS

Anti-Fasciola antibodies were detected in 64 (42.4%) of the subjects by ELISA. Out of 64 seropositive cases, 29 (45.3%) were female and 35 (54.6%) were male. No significant association was found between sex and seropositivity to fascioliasis. Considering the age of the cattle, the highest prevalence of fascioliasis (23%) was found in the 5-year old age group. However, the difference between the age of the cattle and seropositivity to fascioliasis was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Fasciola eggs were not detected in fecal samples of any of the studied cattle, while Paramphistomide, as well as Dicrocoelium dendriticum eggs, were detected in 6 (4%) and 17 (11.3%) of the subjects, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Findings of the current study provide basic information about bovine fascioliasis in a new focus of human fascioliasis in Iran, which is needed for effective control of this parasitic infection in such areas.

Assessing the performance of a Fasciola gigantica serum antibody ELISA to estimate prevalence in cattle in Cameroon

BACKGROUND

Cattle rearing in Cameroon is both economically and culturally important, however parasitic diseases detrimentally impact cattle productivity. In sub-Saharan Africa bovine fasciolosis is generally attributed to F. gigantica, although understanding of Fasciola species present and local epidemiology in individual countries is patchy. Partly limited by the lack of representative surveys and understanding of diagnostic test perfromance in local cattle populations. The aims of this paper were to determine the Fasciola species infecting cattle, develop a species specific serum antibody ELISA, assess the performance of the ELISA and use it to assess the prevalence of F. gigantica exposure in two important cattle-rearing areas of Cameroon.

RESULTS

A random sample of Fasciola parasites were collected and were all identified as F. gigantica (100%, CI:94.0-100%, n = 60) using RAPD-PCR analysis. A F. gigantica antibody ELISA was developed and initially a diagnostic cut-off was determined using a sample of known positive and negative cattle. The initial cut-off was used as starting point to estimate an optimal cut-off to estimate the best combination of sensitivity and specificity. This was achieved through sampling a naturally infected population with known infection status (cattle slaughtered at Bamenda abattoir, North West Region (n = 1112) and Ngaoundere abattoir, Vina Division, Adamawa Region (n = 776) in Cameroon). These cattle were tested and results analysed using a Bayesian non-gold standard method. The optimal cut-off was 23.5, which gave a sensitivity of 65.3% and a specificity of 65.2%. The prevalence of exposure to F. gigantica was higher in cattle in Ngaoundere (56.4% CI: 50.2-60.0%) than Bamenda (0.6% CI: 0.0-1.4%).

CONCLUSION

Fasciola gigantica was identified as the predominant Fasciola species in Cameroon. Although the sensitivity and specificity F. gigantica antibody ELISA requires improvement, the test has shown to be a potentially useful tool in epidemiological studies. Highlighting the need for better understanding of the impact of F. gigantica infections on cattle production in Cameroon to improve cattle production in the pastoral systems of Central-West Africa. This paper also highlights that non-gold standard latent class methods are useful for assessing diagnostic test performance in naturally-infected animal populations in resource limited settings.

Seroprevalence of Fasciolagigantica infection in bovines using cysteine proteinase dot enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

Aim:

The objective of the present study was to know the seroprevalence status of Fasciola gigantica infection in cattle and buffaloes using cysteine proteinase (CP) antigen in dot enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) format under field conditions.

Materials and Methods:

As per the standard protocol, the sera were collected from the blood of 112 cattle and 38 buffaloes of coastal areas of Navsari district, South Gujarat, India. The indirect ELISA was performed on the strip of nitrocellulose paper blotted with 1 µl of CP antigen, to detect F. gigantica seropositive animals.

Results:

The native CP of F. gigantica revealed a single visible band on 10% sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. There was no any noted cross-reaction between the selected antigen and sera of Gastrothylax crumenifer-infected animals in ELISA. Out of 150 screened bovines, the sera of 47 (31.33%) were found to be reactive in dot-ELISA, with a prevalence rate of 31.25% and 31.58% in cattle and buffaloes, respectively. The seropositive bovines with heavy, moderate, and light level of infection were 44.68%, 34.04%, and 21.28%, respectively (p<0.05 between heavy and light; p>0.05 between moderate and heavy or light). The share of F. gigantica seropositive and negative animals was 31% and 69%, respectively. The optical density at 450 nm of pooled sera of seropositive bovines with heavy, moderate, and light reactivity in plate-ELISA was significantly higher with field or reference ­negative sera.

Conclusion:

The CP-based dot-ELISA can be useful for field veterinarians for quick and timely isolation of the animals requiring urgent flukicide therapy.