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This study was conducted to assess the pattern of changes and the relative value of acute phase proteins (haptoglobin (Hp), serum amyloid A (SAA), ceruloplasmin and fibrinogen) in bovine tropical theileriosis. The diseased group comprised 50 dairy Holstein cattle, 2-3 years old, naturally infected with Theileria annulata. Infected animals were divided into four subgroups with different parasitemia rates (<1%, 1-3%, 3-5%, >5%). As a control group, 20 uninfected cattle were also sampled. Blood samples were collected and all measurements were done using validated methods. There were significant differences in red blood cells (RBCs), packed cell volume (PCV), hemoglobin (Hb) and concentrations of Hp, SAA, ceruloplasmin and fibrinogen between healthy cattle and those infected with T. annulata with different parasitemia rates (P < 0.05). As the parasitemia rate increased in infected cattle, a significant decrease was observed in RBCs, PCV, and Hb. In contrast, with increase in the parasitemia rate, a significant increase in the mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), Hp, SAA, ceruloplasmin, and fibrinogen was evident. The optimal cut-off point was set by the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) method to >5.68 microg/ml for SAA, >0.16 g/l for Hp, >0.064 g/l for ceruloplasmin and >4.00 g/l for fibrinogen with corresponding 84% sensitivity and 100% specificity for SAA, 76% sensitivity and 100% specificity for Hp, 84% sensitivity and 80% specificity for ceruloplasmin and 40% sensitivity and 100% specificity for fibrinogen. SAA had the highest sensitivity and specificity and was diagnosed to be a suitable indicator of APPs changes in bovine theileriosis.

This study was carried out in two observational clinical studies. Study 1 comprised 50 adult crossbred cattle naturally infected by Theileria annulata. Infected animals were divided into 4 subgroups with different parasitaemia (<1%, 1-3%, 3-5% and >5%). Study 2 comprised 20 adult crossbred cattle naturally infected by Anaplasma marginale. Infected animals were divided into 3 subgroups with different parasitaemia (<10%, 10-20% and 20-30%). In study 1, a significant negative correlation (P<0.001) was observed between parasitaemia and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Positive correlations (P<0.001) were observed between parasitaemia and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and mean corpuscular fragility (MCF). In study 2 positive correlations (P<0.05) were observed among parasitaemia and MCF and LDH activity. SOD activity had a negative correlation with parasitaemia in cattle with parasitaemia lower than 10% but no significant correlation (P>0.05) was observed between SOD activity and parasitaemia in cattle with 10-20 and 20-30% parasitaemia. In comparison of both studies we came to the conclusion that in theileriosis as the severity of disease increased the anaemia, MCF and LDH activity increased and SOD activity decreased at any parasitaemia, but in anaplasmosis the anaemia, MCF and LDH activity increased at any parasitaemia but SOD activity decreased only in early but not in advanced stages of disease.

Safe alternative anticoccidial drug to chemical feed additives are herbal extracts, because they don't results to tissue residue and drug resistance. In order to evaluate the effects of herbal extracts to control avian coccidiosis, 180 one-day-old broiler chickens were randomly divided into nine equal groups, as follows: (1) Biarum bovei (2) Nectaroscordum tripedale( 3) Dorema aucheri (4) Cichorium intybus (5) Prangos ferulaceae (6) diclazuril (7) Artemisia absinthium (8) infected control (9) uninfected control (each contains two groups). Administration of herbal extracts and supplementation of diclazuril was began 2 days before challenge and lasted for the duration of the experiment. The chicks of all the groups except uninfected control group were inoculated orally with sporulated oocysts (3 × 10(3) oocysts of Eimeria tenella) on the day 22 of age. The criteria employed were: body weight, feed conversion ratio, blood in feces, survival rate, lesion scoring, number of oocyst output per gram feces and histopathological changes. For histopathological evaluation, on day 12 post inoculation three birds from each group were randomly selected and humanly sacrificed. N. tripedale and diclazuril revealed better results in terms of growth performance, lesion score, extent of bloody diarrhea and oocyst count as compared to other herbal extracts. The increase in the severity of lesions was observed in groups of D. aucheri, A. absinthium, B. bovei, P. ferulaceae, C. intybus, diclazuril and N. tripedale, respectively. In conclusion, the current study showed that herbal extracts were effective in control of coccidiosis caused by the E. tenella infection.

Ovine malignant theileriosis is a fatal disease that is characterized by severe progressive anemia. In order to elucidate the underlying mechanisms involved in anemia, this study was designed to assess the antioxidant status and erythrocyte oxidative injuries in Iranian fat-tailed sheep that suffered from malignant theileriosis. The infected animals (infected group), composed of 50 Iranian sheep about 1-2 years old, naturally infected with Theileria sp., were divided into three subgroups according to parasitemia rates (<1%, 1-3%, 3-5%), and ten non-infected animals were also selected as the control group. Blood samples were taken and hematological parameters, the activities of antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and catalase, erythrocyte osmotic fragility, and serum concentrations of some trace elements (copper, iron, zinc, manganese, and selenium), were measured. As an index of lipid peroxidation, the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) was also determined. According to the results, a significant decrease in red blood cell (RBC) count, packed cell volume, the activities of SOD, GPX, and catalase (P <0.001), and also serum concentrations of Cu, Zn, Mn, and Se (P < 0.05) were evident in the infected sheep. In contrast, significantly increased levels of MDA and erythrocyte osmotic fragility (P < 0.001) as well as serum concentration of iron (P < 0.05) were recorded in the infected animals. The significant decrease in antioxidant enzyme activities and substantial elevated levels of lipid peroxidation and erythrocyte osmotic fragility associated with the increase in parasitemia indicate increased exposure of RBCs to oxidative damage. Also, it appears that disturbed antioxidant defense mechanisms can promote the development of anemia in ovine theileriosis.

Sarcocystis species have a two-host life cycle, with carnivores as definitive hosts and herbivores as intermediate hosts (Soulsby 1982). Species of the genus Sarcocystis are widely distributed parasites of mammals and birds (Neva and Brown 1994). Goat breeding has an important role in many areas of the world, not only for meat and milk production but also to make use of the natural pasture on mountains which is unsuitable for other species. There are three reported species of Sarcocystis in domestic goats: Sarcocystis capracanis, Sarcocystis hircicanis and Sarcocystis caprafelis (also referred to as Sarcocystis moulei). S capracanis and S hircicanis produce microscopic sarcocysts, while S caprafelis produces macroscopic cysts. S capracanis is the most pathogenic species in goats, causing fever, weakness, anorexia, weight loss, tremors, irritability, abortion and death (Dubey and others 1989). There are no reports on the prevalence of Sarcocystis species in goats in Iran. Several attempts have been made to study the prevalence of Sarcocystis species in slaughtered goats in various countries,

Among the 16 species of Eimeria from goats, Eimeria arloingi and Eimeria ninakohlyakimovae are regarded as the most pathogenic species in the world and cause clinical caprine coccidiosis. E. arloingi is known to be an important cause of coccidiosis in Iranian kids. Molecular analyses of two portions of nuclear ribosomal DNA (internal transcribed spacer1 (ITS1) and 18S rDNA) were used for the genetic characterization of the E. arloingi. Comparison of the sequencing data of E. arloingi obtained in the present study (ITS1: KC507793 and 18S rDNA: KC507792) with other Eimeria species in the GenBank database revealed a particularly close relationship between E. arloingi and Eimeria spp. from the cattle and sheep. The phylogram based on the ITS1 sequences shows that the E. arloingi, Eimeria bovis, and Eimeria zuernii formed a distinct group separate from the other remaining Eimeria spp. in cattle and poultry. In pairwise alignment, 18S rDNA sequence derived from E. arloingi showed 99% similarity to Eimeria ahsata with differences observed at only three nucleotides. This study showed that the ITS1 and 18S rDNA gene are useful genetic markers for the specific identification and differentiation of Eimeria spp. in ruminants.