An epidemiological study of gastrointestinal nematode and Eimeria coccidia infections in different populations of Kazakh sheep

Abstract

This is an epidemiological study on the gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) and Eimeria coccidia infections in Kazakh sheep and the F1 and F2 generations of Kazakh × Texel sheep crosses. A total of 7599 sheep fecal samples were collected from the Zhaosu County and Nilka County in Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture in the four seasons-spring, summer, autumn, and winter of 2019. The parasite causing the infection was identified by the saturated saline floating method, and the infection intensity was calculated by the modified McMaster method. SPSS19.0 was used to evaluate the differences in the fecal egg count (FEC) of for GIN and the fecal oocyst count (FOC) value of for coccidia per sample. The results showed that there were nine types of sheep GIN infections and Eimeria coccidia in these two counties of Ililocations, with the dominant parasite species of Haemonchus contortus, Trichostrongylus spp., and Ostertagia spp as the predominant parasites in the sheep. Most of the GIN and coccidia infections in these two regions were mild and moderate. The mean log (FEC) of GIN infection in the Zhaosu area was significantly higher than that in the Nilka area, whereas the mean log (FOC) of coccidia infection in Zhaosu was significantly lower than that of Nilka. The mean log (FEC) of GIN infection in the four seasons was the highest in spring, followed by in summer, then in autumn, and the lowest in winter. The mean log (FOC) of coccidia infection was the highest in spring, followed by in autumn, and was the lowest in summer and winter. The mean log (FEC) of GIN infection and log (FOC) of coccidia infection of Kazakh sheep was significantly higher than the F1 generation, which was then significantly higher than the F2 generation of summer. A positive correlation was found between the EPG and OPG levels in the sheep. These results showed that the GIN and coccidia infection intensities of the F1 generation sheep of Kazakh ×Texel crosses were significantly lower than that of Kazakh sheep paving the way for marker-based resistance selection.

Small Ruminants Coccidiosis in High Altitude Region of Iran

“…The incidence of coccidiosis was higher in yearling sheep and those under 6 months of age than in adults, which was consistent with other findings [3,15,16,17,21] but contradicted Al-Saadoon and Al-Rubai (2018) conclusion [10]. Silva et al (2012) have believed that acquired immunity is the main reason for decreasing oocytes excretion in adult sheep [22], however, rams may shed more oocysts during the breeding season in response to high testosterone levels.…”

“…In contrast, Constable et al (2016), Yakhchali and Rezaei (2010), and Yakhchali and Zareei (2008) believe that oocyst excretion is higher in late autumn and throughout the winter. Yan et al (2021) also stated that the intensity of coccidia infection was lower in semi-arid, semi-humid, and cold areas with long winters and short summers than in similar areas with higher annual average temperatures and lower average precipitation [3]. The central Zagros region is a mountainous, semi-humid and cold region with average rainfall which its southern counties are warmer than others.…”

“…Constable et al (2016) and Keeton and Navarre (2018) believe that overcrowding in winter and other stressors (weaning, weather, transportation, other diseases, and so forth), nutrition, and genetic susceptibility, increase the occurrence of coccidiosis. Seasonal variation rules in its prevalence, according to Saratsis et al (2011) and Yan et al (2021) studies [1,3]. This intracellular parasite is host specific, and mixed infections with various pathogenic and/or nonpathogenic species can occur at any time during an animal's life, with younger animals being more vulnerable [2,4,5,6].…”

Positivity Rate Investigation and Anthelmintic Resistance Analysis of Gastrointestinal Nematodes in Sheep and Cattle in Ordos, China

“…Consequently, our understanding of the parasite regulation and dynamics of many parasite species remains relatively rudimentary [ 9 ]. Currently, anthelmintic resistance has been reported in China [ 10 ], the United States [ 11 ], New Zealand [ 12 ], Mexico [ 13 ], Australia [ 14 ] and Brazil [ 15 ]. However, there is no complete alternative to anthelmintic therapy; it is therefore necessary to utilize chemotherapeutic treatments to control GINs.…”

Prevalence of gastrointestinal helminths in ruminants in Ukraine: a 5-year meta-analysis

“…(68.5%) and Ostertagia spp. (48.9%) (Yan et al, 2021). Numerous publications confirm the circulation of the causative agent of haemonchosis in China (Britton et al, 2016;Hoberg & Zarlenga, 2016).…”