Giardia duodenalis Infection in Dairy Cattle of Assam, India

Abstract

To determine the prevalence of Giardia duodenalis infection in dairy cattle present in Assam, India, a total of 1176 numbers of faecal samples of cattle comprising 535 numbers of faecal samples of calves and 641 numbers of faecal samples of heifers were screened for one year using Formol-Ether technique and zinc sulphate (33%) floatation method. The overall prevalence of infection in cattle was 17.94%. Age-wise infection rate was 13.45 and 21.68% in calves and heifers, respectively. Season-wise highest infection was recorded during monsoon (30.90%) followed by pre-monsoon (21.97%), post-monsoon (5.50%) and winter (4.45%). Infection was higher among the diarrhoeic (83.41%) than non-diarrhoeic (16.58%) animals. The prevalence of G. duodenalis infection in cattle of Assam has significance because it infects a wide range of hosts, including humans worldwide and responsible for causing diarrhoea.

Prevalence and associated risk factors of giardiasis in buffalo calves of nomadic communities, Jammu and Kashmir, India

“…In large ruminants (cattle and buffaloes), the infection of Giardia in diarrhoeal calves is most commonly reported at the age of 1-6 months while in non-diarrhoeal calves, it is in the age of 6 months -1 year (Singh et al, 2008). Giardiasis in large ruminants with high prevalence rate may be of great concern in the areas having shallow hand pumps, pounds, canals, potentially leading to contamination of water (Das et al, 2015).…”