Prevalence and chemotherapy of babesiosis among Lohi sheep in the Livestock Experiment Station, Qadirabad, Pakistan, and environs

Abstract

A total of 310 blood smears were collected from sheep of the Livestock Experiment Station, Qadirabad, Sahiwal district, Pakistan, and surrounding areas. The samples were examined microscopically and 30 (9.67%) were positive for babesiosis. The animals were divided into two groups (A and B) for chemotherapy. Group A sheep were treated with diminazene diaceturate while group B animals received imidocarb dipropionate. Drug efficacy was determined by negative blood smear examination. Diminazene diaceturate effectiveness against babesiosis was 80% while that of imidocarb dipropionate was 100%. Hematological studies revealed a significant decrease in hemoglobin concentrations and hematocrit values for Babesia-positive animals compared to healthy controls.

Haemolytic disease in sheep attributed to a Babesia lengau ‐like organism

“…Furthermore, the treatment with imidocarb dipropionate, a drug with proven efficacy against other Babesia strains, was effective. Similar efficacy for this drug has been found in other countries for other Babesia strains (McHardy and others 1986, Rashid and others 2010). Both B lengau‐ and B lengau ‐like organism detected seem to differ from other Babesia species described so far; in general, a great discrepancy seems to exist among various Babesia species.…”

“…In sheep, the disease can present as an acute haemolytic crisis or as chronic wasting (Rashid and others 2010). Babesia ovis , Babesia motasi and Babesia crassa are considered the possible causes of ovine babesiosis (Ferrer and others 1998).…”

“…Acute haemolytic disease can be observed in chronic copper poisoning (Roubies and others 2008), theileriosis (Zaeemi and others 2011), anaplasmosis (Stuen and Longbottom 2011), leptospirosis (McKeown and Ellis 1986), Clostridium perfringens A infection (Lewis 2007) and babesiosis (Friedhoff and Liebisch 1978, Rashid and others 2010); B ovis , B motasi and B crassa are considered as the most common causes of ovine babesiosis (Ferrer and others 1998), though in Greece B ovis is the most commonly reported (Papadopoulos and others 1996, Theodoropoulos and others 2006).…”

Case report on babesiosis associated pre-hepatic jaundice in a malabari goat

“…Even though, several anti-hemoprotozoal drugs can be used against babesiosis in goats, diminazene aceturate is the drug used worldwide due to its efficacy, availability and cost effectivenesss ( Taylor et al, 2007 ). In sheep, diminazene aceturate and imidocarb dipropionate were effective 80% and 100%, respectively in eliminating parasitemia ( Rashid et al, 2010 ). In cattle, sheep and goats, use of combination of diminazene aceturate and oxytetracycline was found to be more effective than either of the drugs used alone ( Saini and Sankhala, 2015 , Ijaz et al, 2013 ).…”

Therapeutic Amelioration of Severely Anaemic Local Kashmiri Goats Affected with Babesiosis

“…Lower A: G ratio in Babesia affected animals may be due to decreased levels of albumin in anaemic animals (Coles et al, 1980). The cases were detected in the peak summer season and may be due to more prevalence of ticks during the season (Rashid et al, 2010;Al-Mahmudet al, 2015;Rather et al, 2015). The main vector involved in transmission was Haemaphysalis (Figure 1) as has been reported earlier (Friedhoff, 1997;Guan et al, 2002).…”