Bovine besnoitiosis (Besnoitia besnoiti) in an Irish dairy herd

Abstract

Bovine besnoitiosis, caused by the apicomplexan protozoan parasite Besnoitia besnoiti, was diagnosed in an Irish dairy herd. This is the first diagnosis of besnoitiosis in Ireland or the UK and the most northerly European outbreak yet described. The diagnosis occurred following a farm investigation in June 2015 into an unusual dermatological problem that had been ongoing since 2010. On an annual basis, 1-2 per cent of cows in the herd exhibited clinical signs, including skin thickening, alopecia, weight loss and poor performance. Others displayed pyrexia, limb oedema, respiratory distress and reduced milk yield. Histopathological examination of skin revealed granulomatous and eosinophilic dermatitis, with characteristic intradermal protozoal cysts, consistent with cutaneous besnoitiosis. Follow-up serological testing and clinical examination of cattle (n=228) on the farm found that 68 per cent (144/212) were seropositive for B. besnoiti In addition, 51 per cent (117/228) had characteristic scleral conjunctival cysts and 68 per cent (134/198) had vulval cysts. Postmortem examination of a severely affected animal revealed typical gross and histopathological lesions of B. besnoiti infection. These results confirmed endemic infection with B. besnoiti The identification of this exotic disease highlights the importance of veterinary surveillance at both local and national level, particularly in relation to emerging diseases.

Serological dynamics and risk factors of Besnoitia besnoiti infection in breeding bulls from an endemically infected purebred beef herd

“…In some areas of Spain, Portugal and France, the disease is considered endemic; moreover, foci of infection have been reported in Germany, Switzerland, Hungary, Croatia and, more recently, in Belgium and Ireland (Mehlhorn et al, 2009, Cortes et al 2014, Vanhoudt et al 2015, Ryan et al 2016. In Italy, outbreaks of BB have been diagnosed in the northern and central regions (Manuali et al 2011, Mutinelli et al 2011, Gentile et al 2012, Gollnick et al 2010, Gazzonis et al 2014) and a serological survey was carried out in southern Italy (Rinaldi et al 2013).…”

Besnoitiosis: An Emerging Parasitic Disease in Yaks (Bos grunniens) and Tibetan Sheep (Ovies aries) on the Qinghai Tibetan Plateau, China

“…The current study herein is aimed to report the prevalence of besnoitiosis in yaks (1.10%), which is in line with previous studies. Although the seropositive results of B. besnoiti in yaks in China is less in other countries including Jordan (6.0%) (Talafha et al, 2015), France (5.1%) (Waap et al, 2014); and Korea (3.4%) (Lee et al, 2017); however, it is much lesser with the bovine in Ireland (68%) (Ryan et al, 2016) and Italy (22.7%) (Gazzonis et al, 2014). The seroprevalence of besnoitiosis infection in Tibetan sheep was 3.21%, which was in concomitant with the results reported in sheep (4.68%) in Spain (Gutiérrez-Expósito et al, 2017).…”

“…The infected yaks and Tibetan sheep may contaminate this parasitic disease to other animals (Gutiérrez-Expósito et al, 2016). Bloodsucking arthropods and mucosal contact by licking among the animals have been demonstrated the ways of transmission of these protozoans (Ryan et al, 2016). Until now, neither effective treatment nor safe vaccine is available; so, culling of the animals was employed as the best way to deal with infected animals (Waap et al, 2014).…”

From the mainland to Ireland – bovine besnoitiosis and its spread in Europe

“…Similarly, in the outbreak reported by Ryan and others (2016) the pathognomonic scleral conjunctival tissue cysts were detected in 51 per cent of cattle, with a 68 per cent intra-herd seroprevalence rate.…”

“…Another typical feature of an endemic situation, also described by Ryan and others (2016), is the detection of mild clinical signs that mainly consisted of the presence of tissue cysts in the sclera conjunctiva and/or vestibulum vaginae. Clinical signs are more severe in recent outbreaks of the disease, where oedema occurs in the jowls and limbs, and scleroderma and hyperkeratosis, alopecia, crusting on the feet and udders, limping, weight loss and orchitis are observed (Fernández-García and others 2010, Gollnick and others 2015).…”