Investigation of Risk Factors Associated with the Frequency of Antibodies against Babesia bovis and Babesia bigemina in Cattle in Southern Mozambique | chapter 10 | Research Aspects in Agriculture and Veterinary Science Vol. 2

 Babesiosis in cattle is a disease caused by Babesia spp., a protozoan spread by ticks of the Ixodidae family, and is a major economic concern in the tropics. It is spread by ticks of the species Rhipicephalus microplus, Rhipicephalus decoloratus, Rhipicephalus everts everts, and Hyalomma marginatum rufipes in Mozambique, and is primarily caused by B. bigemina and B. bovis. The disease is characterised by high rates of morbidity and mortality in tropical and subtropical climates, and it is widespread in southern Mozambique, where beef cattle imported from neighbouring countries make up the majority of livestock. Gender, age, and geographic origin were investigated as risk factors for serological prevalence and molecular diagnostic of B. bigemina and B. bovis in beef cattle in Maputo, Gaza, and Inhambane, southern Mozambique, using an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (i-ELISA) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A total of 809 and 240 blood samples from cattle were obtained at random and examined by i-ELISA and PCR at the same time. By i-ELISA, the overall prevalence of B. bigemina and B. bovis was 71.8 percent (n = 581) and 76.6 percent (n = 620), respectively, and by PCR, 11.3 percent (n = 27) and 37.1 percent (n = 89). According to the age and geographic origin of the samples, there was a significant difference in the two illnesses. The findings of this study provide significant information on the epidemiology of B. bigemina and B. bovis infection in beef cattle in the examined region, which can be used by domestic livestock management to plan future disease control actions.

 

Author (S) Details

António A. M. Tembue

Centro de Investigação e Desenvolvimento em Etnobotânica (CIDE), Rua da Igreja casa Zero, Vila da Namaacha, Maputo, Mozambique.

Cleber O. Soares

Embrapa Gado de Corte, Área de Sanidade Animal, BR 262 Km 4, Caixa Postal 154, Campo Grande, MS 79002-970, Brazil.

Adivaldo H. Fonseca

Curso de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Veterinárias, Instituto de Veteri-nária, Universidade Federal Rural de Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ), Seropédica, RJ 23890-000, Brazil.

View Book :- https://stm.bookpi.org/RAAVS-V2/article/view/4090