Journal of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (Jan 2009)
SUITABILITY OF TICI~C TISSUE STAINING FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF BABESIOSIS IN CATTLE
Abstract
In the present study, an attempt was made to identify the cattle with clinical or subclinical babesiosis by demonstrating the developmental stages of Babesia bigemina in the tissues of ticks collected from suspected animals. Ticks collected from 50 cattle presented at various Veterinary Hospitals of Thrissur and Ernakulam districts of Kerala and those belonging to University Livestock Farm, Mannuthy and Cattle Breeding Farm, Thumburmuzhi were subjected to study. Salivary glands, gut and ovaries were separated from the ticks and stained with methyl green pyronine. Considering the ticks as positive on detection of developmenfa! stages of the parasite in any of the three tissues, ticks from 27 (54 per cent) out of total 50 animals were interpreted as positive. Examination of tick tissues was found as effective for detecting the clinical and subclinica! forms of babesiosis in cattle and found as a suitable epidemiological tool.
