Giardiasis in cattle: clinical assessment of giardia lamblia in cattle at Basrah, Iraq

Abstract

The aim of this study is for assessment cattle giardiasis clinically. It is first time study in type done in Iraq. It was conducted from September 2012 until May 2013 throughout it collected 1049 fecal samples from cattle of various ages and of both sexes, collected randomly from different areas of the northern Basrah. About 322 positive cases have been recorded in cattle and the infection rate was 30.6%. 241 cases out of 322 showed clinical signs while 81 infected cows did not show clinical signs which are asymptomatic. The clinical examination data showed variety of presentation among symptoms and signs. The percent of symptomatic type was higher than the percentage of asymptomatic giardiasis in cattle. The study reported symptoms such as diarrhea, foul smelling stool, and flatulence, loss of appetite, elevated temperature, constipation and emaciation in different proportions. Keywords: Giardia, Diarrhea, Asymptomatic, Cattle.

Detection of Giardia duodenalis in Cattle in Mosul City, Iraq

“…This study, total percentages of infection with Giardia spp.in fecal material of small intestine was 28%. These results were in agreement with that occurred in Babylon province's cows 24.5% and calves 35.5% [14] and with study of the Al-Saad and Al-Emarah, [15] in the northern Basrah on fecal samples of cattle 30.6%. Other studies which were conducted in the different parts of the world recorded varied percentages of infection with Giardia such as 10.4% in domestic ruminants [16] , 7.6% in the fecal samples from asymptomatic calves and cows in Denmark farms [17], 44.79% in dairy cattle of Chitwan, Nepoal [18],31.11% in cattle in Lahore [19].…”

“…Statistically, there were significant differences recorded between animals with and without diarrhea .Giardia has been recorded to cause diarrhea among humans, dogs, cats, calves and horses (Centers for epidemiology and animal health [24] Infected hosts may present with a broad spectrum of clinical signs ranging from asymptomatic carriage to acute or chronic diarrhea [25]. The result of this study was in agreement with Al-Saad and Al-Emarah [15] who showed that the presence of symptomatic type was higher than the percentage of asymptomatic giardiasis in cattle while Kakandelwa et al 2016 [22] showed the prevalence of Giardia was not associated with occurrence of diarrhea in the calves. Mahato et al [18] referred that the higher occurrence of Giardia was found in diarrheic animals compared to Quilez, [25] who showed that the infection rates of Giardia were higher in nondiarrheic than diarrheic calves.…”