Seroprevalence of Besnoitia besnoiti in Assiut governorate, Egypt

Abstract

Background: Bovine besnoitiosis is a widespread disease caused by Besnoitia besnoiti with significant economic losses in cattle production. There is a lack of knowledge about it in Egypt. Aim: The current study was conducted to detect the seroprevalence of Besnoitia besnoiti in cattle and to find out the presence of the disease and the most important symptoms of besnoitiosis in cattle in Assiut governorate, Egypt. Methods: A total of 190 cattle from Assiut city and its different rural centers was examined clinically and serologically for the presence of B. besnoiti. Serological examination carried out by using indirect ELISA kit in serum (ID.Vet Innovative Diagnostics Louis Pasteur. Grabeis, France). The results were analyzed statistically using Chi-square test to assess association between seroprevalence and different parameters (age, sex, season, housing and health status). Result: Thirteen cattle were seropositive for B. besnoiti by ELISA and showed symptoms of Besnoitia besnoiti. Acute symptoms included fever, tachycardia, edematous swellings of intermandibular space and limbs with polyarthritis, diarrhea, rumenal atony and enlarged lymph nodes. The chronic symptoms included cough, mastitis, exophthalmia, cysts on sclera and conjunctiva, nodules in skin, alopecia and tick infestation. The overall seroprevalence of B. besnoiti was 22.1%. Regarding to sex, the seroprevalence was higher for females 34.6% than for males 6.97%. While, according to age susceptibility, the seroprevalence was highest (50.9%) with age ≥5years, followed by age >1year to [Open Vet J 2022; 12(5.000): 754-761]

Keywords

• assiut
• besnoitia besnoiti
• cattle
• egypt
• elisa