Veterinary Research Institute, Peradeniya 20400, Sri Lanka
Kalaichelvan Nizanantha
Department of Farm Animal Production and Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya 20400, Sri Lanka
Ngigi Noel Muthoni Mumbi
National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-Cho, Obihiro 080-8555, Hokkaido, Japan
Isuru Sachintha Kothalawala
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya 20400, Sri Lanka
Sampath Madusanka
National Livestock Development Board, No. 40, Nawala Road, Narahenpita, Colombo 00500, Sri Lanka
Department of Farm Animal Production and Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya 20400, Sri Lanka
Hemal Kothalawala
Veterinary Research Institute, Peradeniya 20400, Sri Lanka
Thillaiampalam Sivakumar
National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-Cho, Obihiro 080-8555, Hokkaido, Japan
Naoaki Yokoyama
National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-Cho, Obihiro 080-8555, Hokkaido, Japan
The clinical implications of Theileria sp. Yokoyama, a recently identified Theileria species in cattle, remain uncertain. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the anemia status in cattle infected with Theileria sp. Yokoyama. Blood samples were collected from 206 cattle across seven Veterinary Ranges in Sri Lanka and analyzed for red blood cell (RBC) indices, including hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit, and RBC counts. Additionally, DNA was extracted from the samples and screened with a newly developed Theileria sp. Yokoyama-specific PCR assay targeting the cytochrome b gene. The PCR results revealed that 60 (29.1%) of the surveyed cattle tested positive for Theileria sp. Yokoyama, with 47 (78.3%) of them being co-infected with other hemopathogen species. Our findings revealed that the cattle breeds, management systems, and tick infestations are potential risk factors for the Theileria sp. Yokoyama infection. Next, we evaluated the anemia status among the surveyed cattle based on the RBC indices. We found that all non-infected cattle were non-anemic. By contrast, anemia was observed in 15 Theileria sp. Yokoyama-infected cattle, including 3 singly infected (anemia rate 3/13, 23.1%) and 12 co-infected cattle (12/47, 25.5%). Our findings suggest that Theileria sp. Yokoyama causes anemia in infected cattle.
