Molecular Detection and Differentiation of Theileria lestoquardi, T. ovis and T. annulata in Blood of Goats and Ticks in Kermanshah Province, Iran

BACKGROUND

This study was carried out to identify Theileria spp. infections in goats and ticksin Kermanshah Province, western Iran from May-Sep 2015.

METHODS

For differentiation of different Theileria spp. both blood and tick samples were examined by nested PCR-RFLP.

RESULTS

Light microscopy of blood smears revealed Theileria spp. infection in 22 (5.5%), while 68 (17%) of blood samples were positive using nested PCR. Out of 68 positive samples, 85.3% (58/68) and 11.7% (8/68) were respectively positive for Theileria ovis and T. lestoquardi. Mixed infection was detected in 3% (2/68) cases. Overall, 420 ixodid ticks belong to seven different hard ticks species were collected from goats. Rhipicephalus turanicus 112 (26.7%), R. sanguineus 95 (22.6%), R. bursa, 91(21.7%), Hyalomma anatolicum, 55(13.1%), H. excavatum 27(6.4%), H. marginatum, 22(5.3%) and Dermacentor marginatus, 18(4.2%) were the main tick species infesting goats. The PCR products obtained from ticks were subjected to the differentiation of Theileria species. Respectively, 2 and 8 pools of H. marginatum and R. turanicus salivary glands were infected with T. ovis and T. lestoquardi. In addition, T. annulata and T. lestoquardi infection weredetected in three pools of H. anatolicum.

CONCLUSION

This is the first report of goats and collected ticks to Theileria spp infection in Iran. The results suggest that T. ovis has a higher prevalence than T. lestoquardi. It is also postulated H. marginatum, R. turanicus and H. anatolicum might play an important role in the field as a vector of Theileria spp in this area.

Prevalence of renal lesions in slaughtered cattle in Shiraz, Iran, and detection of Leptospira in them by nested PCR-RFLP

Renal diseases in cattle are frequently not recognized due to the subclinical conditions. Some species of Leptospira are the main cause of infectious agents that damage the kidneys and lead to abortion and economic losses in cattle and are also of major concern in the public health. This study was aimed to assess the prevalence of renal lesions of slaughtered cattle in the Shiraz abattoir and to determine the correlation between rejected kidneys and infection with Leptospira using nested PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) techniques. Out of 1000 inspected animals, 205 (20.5 %) revealed the renal lesions. Chronic nephritis (7.5 %), white-spotted kidney (7.3 %), and petechial hemorrhage (3.5 %) were the most prevalent forms of the lesions. A direct correlation between increasing the age and significant increase in the rate of lesions was also observed (P = 0.03). Using nested PCR-RFLP assay, 40.8 % of the tested kidneys were turned to be infected to the pathogenic species of Leptospira. The risk of infection of the kidneys with white spot to pathogenic species of Leptospira (53.8 %) was more than that of the kidneys with other lesions (25.0 %) (P = 0.014). The odd ratio indicates that the kidneys with white spot lesions are likely to be infected with pathogenic species of Leptospira, five times greater than other lesions. This study showed that renal lesions especially white-spotted kidney, which were considerably associated with Leptospira in slaughtered cattle in Shiraz, were very high. This is important in terms of public health and in particular, increases the risk of transmission of disease to human specially in the high-risk careers including farmers, veterinarians, and abattoir workers.

Comparison of three methods for the detection of Angiostrongylus vasorum in the final host

Angiostrongylosis is potentially fatal parasitic nematode infection affecting dogs which can be difficult to diagnose. In recent years several microscopical, serological and molecular detection methods have been developed, however there are few studies that have compared the relative performance of these methods. Screening necropsy material from an opportunistic sample of 140 foxes (82 of which were considered to be infected with Angiostrongylus vasorum), indicated sensitivities of 84.1% for dissection and visual examination of plucks, 69.5% for nested PCR of an 18S rRNA fragment and 76.8% for a canine A. vasorum antigen detection test (IDEXX Angio Detect) of tissue fluid samples respectively. Agreement between the tests ranged from 45.6 to 79.7%. A novel nested PCR-RFLP for the detection and identification of canid lungworm spp. is described.

Clonal types of Toxoplasma gondii among immune compromised and immune competent individuals in Accra, Ghana

There are three major clonal lineages, types I, II, and III, of Toxoplasma gondii known to cause human toxoplasmosis worldwide. Toxoplasma gondii infections have, however, not been genotyped in Ghana. This study detected the clonal types infecting immune compromised and immune competent individuals in Accra, Ghana. Blood samples were obtained from 148 HIV seropositive pre-antiretroviral therapy individuals (0 ≤ CD4(+) T-cell count/μl blood ≤ 200) at the Fevers Unit and 149 HIV seronegative apparently healthy blood donors at the blood bank, all of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. Genomic DNA was extracted and multilocus genotyping conducted by nested PCR-RFLP analysis using GRA6, SAG3, and BTUB gene markers. Among the HIV seropositive participants, 54.7% (81/148) were T. gondii DNA positive for any of the markers. Out of the 81, 42.0% (34) were positive for SAG3 only, 30.9% (25) for GRA6 only, 24.7% (20) for both SAG3 and GRA6, and 2.5% (2) for SAG3, GRA6, and BTUB. Overall, 93.8% of the positives were of clonal type II, 1.2% type I, while 4.9% (4) were atypical or mixed types (I and II). In the healthy blood donors, prevalence of T. gondii DNA positivity was 3.4% (5/149) by SAG3 and/or GRA6; among them, 60.0% (3/5) were type I, and the remaining 40.0%, type II. This study showed a relatively high prevalence of active T. gondii infections in immune compromised patients and low prevalence in immune competent individuals in Accra. Type II was highly prevalent. Detection of T. gondii in blood donors raises public health concerns and screening for T. gondii should be considered.