Vet World Vol.17 September-2024 Article - 1
Research Article
Veterinary World, 17(9): 1955-1965
https://doi.org/10.14202/vetworld.2024.1955-1965
Prevalence of trypanosomiasis caused by Trypanosoma evansi (Kinetoplastea, Trypanosomatidae) in domestic ruminants from Southern Punjab, Pakistan
2. Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, Pakistan.
3. Ph.D. Program in Sciences mentioning Applied Molecular and Cell Biology, La Frontera University, Temuco, Chile.
4. Laboratory of Engineering, Biotechnology and Applied Biochemistry, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Science, La Frontera University, Temuco, Chile.
5. Department of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Natural Resources, Catholic University of Temuco, Temuco, Chile.
6. Nucleus of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Resources, Catholic University of Temuco, Temuco, Chile.
7. Collage of Veterinary Science, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, Pakistan.
8. School of Life Science and Technology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China.
9. Collage of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan.
10. College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China.
11. Department of Animal Nutrition, Cholistan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Bahawalpur, Pakistan.
12. Directorate of Agriculture Research Transfer Technology, Mastung, Balochistan.
13. Department of Basic Sciences, Higher Institute of Biotechnology of Sidi Thabet, University of Manouba, Manouba 2010, Tunisia.
14. Laboratory of Microbiology, National School of Veterinary Medicine of Sidi Thabet, University of Manouba, Manouba 2010, Tunisia.
Background and Aim: Trypanosomiasis, a parasitic infection caused by various Trypanosoma species, poses a significant threat to global livestock, affecting both human health and economic sectors. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of Trypanosoma evansi in Southern Punjab, Pakistan, focusing on key ruminant species, including camels, cattle, buffaloes, goats, and sheep.
Materials and Methods: A total of 240 blood samples, comprising 48 samples from each animal species (camel, cattle, buffaloes, goat, and sheep) were collected from three districts in Southern Punjab. The collected samples were subjected to thin smear microscopy, DNA extraction, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification. The molecular characterization was conducted using the TBR primer set, which targeted repeated satellite DNA regions and the cytochrome oxidase II gene of T. evansi.
Results: About 22.08% (53/240) of overall samples were positive for trypanosomiasis, with prevalence rates being 23.75% (19/80), 21.25% (17/80), and 21.75% (17/80) for districts Muzaffargarh, Lodhran, and Bahawalpur, respectively. 5.83% (14/240) of samples tested for T. evansi using PCR were positive in the districts of Muzaffargarh 7.50% (6/80), Lodhran 5.00% (4/80), and Bahawalpur 5.00% (4/80). Among the animals tested, camels had the highest positivity rate. The microscopic examination confirmed infection rates of 45.83% (22/48) for camels, 18.75% (9/48) for cattle, 8.33% (4/48) for buffaloes, 18.75% (9/48) for goats, and 18.75% (9/48) for sheep (p < 0.001). PCR results did not reveal substantial differences (p < 0.05) in prevalence: camels 12.50% (6/48), cattle 6.25% (3/48), buffaloes 0% (0/48), goats 8.33% (4/48), sheep 2.08% (1/48); while distinct disparities were detected district-wise: Muzaffargarh 23.75% (19/80), Lodhran 21.25% (17/80), and Bahawalpur 21.25% (17/80). The PCR results for these districts were insignificantly different: 7.50% (6/80), 5% (4/80), and 5% (4/80). The microscopic infection rate in camels from Bahawalpur was 56.30% (9/16). The microscopic analysis in Buffaloes reported a 6.30% (1/16) infection rate, but PCR results indicated no infections (0%) in any district. A significant difference (p < 0.001) in identifying Trypanosoma species was found between positively and negatively tested animals in both microscopic and PCR methods.
Conclusion: This study emphasizes the necessity of regularly using PCR-based screening for its superior sensitivity and specificity over traditional microscopy. The varying occurrence of trypanosomiasis among districts reflects the intricate nature of this diseases epidemiology in the region. Reducing economic losses from trypanosomiasis in Southern Punjab, Pakistan, requires targeted interventions, such as vector control measures and farmer education.
Keywords: domestic ruminants, microscopic examination, Pakistan, polymerase chain reaction detection, Trypanosoma evansi, trypanosomiasis.
How to cite this article: Tariq M, Badshah F, Khan MS, Ibáñez-Arancibia E, De los Ríos-Escalante PR, Khan NU, Naeem S, Manzoor A, Tahir R, Mubashir M, Ilyas M, Manzoor GA, and Ben Said M (2024) Prevalence of trypanosomiasis caused by Trypanosoma evansi (Kinetoplastea, Trypanosomatidae) in domestic ruminants from Southern Punjab, Pakistan, Veterinary World, 17(9): 1955-1965.
Received: 2024-03-21 Accepted: 2024-07-22 Published online: 2024-09-01
Corresponding author: E-mail:
DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2024.1955-1965
Copyright: Tariq, et al. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http:// creativecommons.org/ publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.
