The epidemiology of paramphistomosis of sheep (Ovis aries L.) in the north west temperate Himalayan region of India

Abstract

An epidemiological study with the objective to assess the prevalence of paramphistomosis in association with season, age, sex and breed was carried out in naturally infected sheep over a period of two years from February 2005 to January 2007. Gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and faecal examination were conducted monthly to monitor the seasonal occurrence of paramphistomosis. 793 sheep were examined in the first year, out of which 7.06% were positive for Paramphistomum infection. In the second year, 740 animals were investigated and 7.7% were infected. The overall prevalence of paramphistomosis was 7.3% with a mean of 56.50 +/- 0.50 and 95% confidence interval (CI) (lower bound: 50.1469; upper bound: 62.8531). The prevalence of paramphistomosis through GIT examination (P = 0.593) was 7.6% at 95% CI (lower bound: -19.1186; upper bound: 57.1186) and the prevalence through faecal examination (P = 0.884) was 7.2% at 95% CI (lower bound: 5.7345; upper bound: 69.2655). Generally, season and age were the factors found to have a significant influence on the risk of paramphistomosis in sheep. The highest infection was found in the summer season (P < 0.005); lower age groups (P < 0.005) in males and in migratory (Bhakarwal) breed (P >or= 0.005). Winter, adult animals, females and local breed reported low infection. The present study will be of great significance to understand the epidemiology of gastrointestinal helminthes of sheep initially in the resource poor communities of Himalayan region and will definitely be helpful to devise appropriate control strategies for paramphistomosis.

Prevalence and pathological study of Paramphistomum infection in the small intestine of slaughtered ovine

“…Most infections of adult fluke are harmless although large number of flukes can cause a chronic ulcerative rumenitis with ruminal papillae atrophy (Love and Hutchinson 2003).The immature forms of P. cervi caused more severe damage in the duodenal tissue, whereas the mature form inflicted mild tissue damage in the rumen of the experimental kids. In present study, prevalence of Paramphistomosis in sheep was at 0.2 % average yearly, somehow throughout a year was between 0 and 2.4 %, which is much lesser than that recorded in Heilongjiang Province in People's Republic of China (Wang et al 2006), in Maiduguri in Nigeria (Biu and Oluwafunimilayo 2004), is similar to Himalayan region of India (Tariq et al 2008) and to that found in the Fars province of Iran (Moghaddar and Khanitapeh 2003). The highest prevalence of Paramphistomum spp.…”

“…Rangel-Ruiz et al (2003) from Tabasco, Mexico reported that the sheep primarily were affected throughout the rainy and windy seasons, during summer, autumn and in the beginning of the winter (Rangel-Ruiz et al 2003). Tariq et al (2008) reported that highest ovis infection was in summer and the lowest in winter. In the North West temperate of Himalayan area of India a similar study demonstrated the severity and intensity of infection, reaching to its maximum in late summer and autumn season in drier months.…”

“…In the North West temperate of Himalayan area of India a similar study demonstrated the severity and intensity of infection, reaching to its maximum in late summer and autumn season in drier months. They also emphasize that the low prevalence in winter could be attributed to harsh snowy winter conditions during which the whole valley remains snow covered and there are no chances of fresh infection due to non-availability of intermediate snail hosts (Tariq et al 2008). The lowest prevalence in winter (November to December) with the prevalence rate of 0.49 % and highest prevalence during monsoon and postmonsoon (July to October) (8.06 %) followed by in summer (March to June) (2.92 %), were recorded in domestic ruminants as well by Hassan et al (2005) (Hassan et al 2005).…”

Immunoaffinity chromatographic analysis for purification of specific diagnostic antigens of Paramphistomum epiclitum

“…In subtropical and tropical areas, the infection leads to economic losses related to mortality and low productivity (Spence et al 1996;Kilani et al 2003). Paramphistomosis, caused by a group of amphistome species, in cattle has a wide range of geographic distribution and is prevalent in several states of India including Punjab (Chhabra et al 1972;Hassan et al 2005) and Kashmir valley (Tariq et al 2008).…”

Immunodiagnostic potency of homologous antigens for natural Paramphistomum epiclitum infection in small ruminants in plate and paper enzyme linked immunosorbent assay

“…In India, 20 species were described and classified by Dutt (1980) in ruminants but the predominant species are Paramphistomum epiclitum, Gigantocotyle explanatum, Gastrothylax crumenifer, Cotylophoron cotylophorum and Fischoederius elongatus, with prevalence rate of 3-70% in different states (Hassan et al, 2005;Tariq et al, 2008;Swarnakar et al, 2014).The adult stages generally have low pathogenicity while the pathological changes induced by the immature stage in the gastro-intestinal (GI) tract of the ruminant are responsible for severe economic losses (Singla et al, 1998;Silvestre et al, 2000).…”