The comparative efficacies of different conventional parasitological methods and nested PCR for diagnosis of bovine cryptosporidiosis in faecal samples were evaluated. Among the 100 samples collected from calves in and around Ludhiana Direct faecal smear staining technique revealed 25.0 % positivity for the oocysts of Cryptosporidium spp. with sensitivity and specificity of 68.12 and 92.98 %, respectively. Zinc sulphate solution floatation and saturated sugar solution floatation staining techniques showed sensitivity and specificity of 83.92 and 96.36; 81.03 and 98.14 %, respectively. Products of the primary PCR of Cryptosporidium spp. directed against small subunit (18S) ribosomal RNA when employed as template in nested PCR produced the amplicons of desired size (834 bp) in 47.0 % of the samples. Amplification of 834 bp fragment was also observed in positive control, while no amplification was observed in negative control. Results indicated PCR assays as highly sensitive and specific techniques for the screening of the samples for Cryptosporidium spp. but in developing countries and under field conditions where limited resources do not allow the application of PCR assays, concentration staining methods are recommended.

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Swine influenza virus (SIV) belongs to family Orthomyxoviridae and can cause acute respiratory infection in pigs. Several pandemic H1N1 human fatal influenza cases were reported in India. Though pigs are predisposed to both avian and human influenza virus infections with the potential to generate novel reassortants, there are only a few reports of SIV in Indian pigs. We conducted a serological survey to assess the status of H1N1 infection in pigs of various states in India, between 2009 and 2016. Based on Haemagglutination inhibition (HI) assay, seroprevalence rate of H1N1 virus ranged between 5.2% ( 2009) and 36.3% (2011). Widespread prevalence of antibody was observed in eastern Uttar Pradesh from 6.2 to 37.5% during the study period. Co-circulation of seasonal H1N1 virus along with pandemic H1N1 virus was indicated by the presence of specific antibodies against seasonal H1N1 virus in eastern part of Uttar Pradesh. Seroprevalence rate in pigs and influenza infection trend in human shows the possible spill over transmission of influenza to pigs from human. Hence, besides serological surveillance, continuous and systematic molecular surveillance should be implemented in pig population to reduce/ quantify the risk and emergence of pandemic influenza.

No abstract

The chronic nature of Jhone’s disease and prolonged incubation period of the agent often complicate the diagnosis of this disease. The present study was undertaken with an aim to compare fecal microscopy using Ziehl-Nielsen (ZN) staining method and Polymerase Chain Reaction assay for detection of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) in small ruminants. A total of 205 fecal samples of sheep and goat were first microscopically examined using ZN staining method and later tested for presence of MAP DNA through IS900 PCR. Win Episcope 2.0 software was used to determine agreement between the test assays. Of the total 205 fecal samples, 78 (38%) were positive by ZN staining method and 48 (23.4%) by IS900 PCR. Moderate level of agreement (0.517) was observed between the test assays. Restriction enzyme analysis of DNA amplicons from IS1311 PCR revealed that all positive samples belonged to Bison type MAP strain. Single predominant strain (Bison type) among all ruminants indicates its ability to infect multiple host species, possibility of interspecies transmission and endemic co-circulation.