Serological and molecular diagnostic surveys combined with examining hematological profiles suggests increased levels of infection and hematological response of cattle to babesiosis infections compared to native buffaloes in Egypt

Abstract

BackgroundBabesiosis threatens the development of the cattle and buffaloes industries in Egypt and improved control is needed. The main objectives of this study are surveying the presence of bovine babesiosis in distinct selected bovine and buffalo populations in Egypt using novel molecular and previously validated serological methods, while also comparing the occurrence of hematological alterations among Babesia infected cattle and buffalos.MethodsA total of 253 and 81 blood samples from apparently healthy cattle and buffaloes, respectively, were randomly collected from diverse locations in Egypt. All samples were tested for Babesia bovis and B. bigemina infection using blood film examination, competitive ELISA (cELISA) and PCR. Novel semi-nested and nested PCR assays for the detection of B. bovis and B. bigemina respectively, were developed and used to analyze DNA extracted from bovine and buffalo samples. Hematological profiles were studied using a hematological analyzer.ResultsBlood films examination revealed 13.8 % and 7.4 % Babesia infection rates in cattle and buffaloes, respectively. However, in cattle, the cELISA detected 32.8 %, 21.3 % and 10.7 % infection rates with B. bigemina, B. bovis and mixed infection, respectively. In addition, cELISA identified 22.2 %, 22.2 % and 6.2 % infection rates with B. bigemina, B. bovis and mixed infection, respectively in buffaloes. The semi-nested PCR assay showed that 15 % of the tested samples were positive for B. bovis in cattle, but just 3 % in buffaloes. Infections with B. bigemina were also found in cattle (32.4 %), but not in buffaloes upon nested PCR analysis. Sequencing analysis confirmed the identity of the PCR amplicons and showed that Egyptian genotypes of B. bigemina and B. bovis highly resemble sequences previously deposited in GenBank. Hemograms performed on the sampled animals revealed macrocytic hypochromic anemia associated with reduced platelet counts in infected cattle with babesiosis. In addition, marked increases in total leukocyte and granulocytic counts and decreases in lymphocytic counts were found in infected cattle. In contrast, no such hematological anomalies were found in presumably Babesia-infected buffaloes.ConclusionsFrequent occurrence of babesiosis among apparently healthy bovines in Egypt, suggests the need for appropriately designed prevalence studies in this country. Infected bovine, but not buffalo, populations often present hematological disorders compatible with intravascular hemolysis and thrombocytopenia.

Transfected Babesia bovis Expressing a Tick GST as a Live Vector Vaccine

“…Presence of antibodies reactive with HlGST confirmed expression of the transfected protein during the infection. In addition, the production of antibodies against RAP-1 was also determined routinely for each animal using a cELISA [47,48]. Anti-RAP-1 antibodies were also detected starting at 12 days post-inoculation (Fig 8B).…”

“…A fragment of the GFP/BSD ORF transcript was amplified from the cDNA either with the primers Tracer-gfp-EcoIF and EcoRV-bsd-R and the GST transcript was amplified using GST-BamHI-SacII F and GST-PstI R primers (Table 2). Amplification of RAP-1 transcript, used as a wild-type and parasite-derived constitutive control, was performed with primers BoN-F and BoN-R [47] (Table 2). Products of RT-PCR were cloned into vector pCR TOPO 2.1 (Invitrogen) and sequenced.…”

“…A cELISA for the detection of B . bovis anti RAP-1 antibodies was performed using a kit provided by VMRD (Pullman, WA) on serum samples, as previously described [47,48]. cELISA was performed as described in [48].…”

Bovine Babesiosis and Anaplasmosis in some Cattle Farms in the Vina Division

“…According to them it would be wrong to associate it, exclusively, anemia in diseases transmitted by ticks in clinical diagnostics. According to Mahmoud et al (2015), the course of the disease transmitted by ticks in cattle, is to be considered in the investigation of the possible causes of anemia. Anemia is multifactorial and is not always of hemolytic origin.…”

Hematologic RIs for healthy water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) in southern Mexico

“…It could also explain the differences observed between the 4 farms used in our study. However, while significant differences in the hematologic profiles of Babesia ‐infected and uninfected cattle were reported, it appears that hematology profiles of Babesia ‐infected and uninfected water buffalo did not differ significantly …”