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PRINT: ISSN 2221-1896
ONLINE : ISSN 2223-0343
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Preliminary evidence of vertical transmission of
Theileria parva
sporozoites from ECF immunized cows to offspring in southern
Tanzania |
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Albano
O. Mbyuzi1,
*Erick V.G. Komba2,
Henry B. Magwisha3, Mohamed
R. Salum4, Elly M. Kafiriti5
and Lazaro J.
Malamla6
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1Veterinary
Investigation Centre, Southern zone, P.O. Box 186,
Mtwara,
Tanzania
2Department
of Veterinary Medicine and Public Health, Sokoine University of
Agriculture, P.O. Box 3021, Morogoro, Tanzania; 3Central
Veterinary Laboratory, P.O. Box 9254, Temeke, Dares Salaam, Tanzania
4Livestock
Research Centre, Naliendele, P.O. Box 509,
Mtwara,
Tanzania
5Agricultural
Research Institute, Naliendele, P.O. Box 509,
Mtwara,
Tanzania
6Lindi
Rural District Council, P.
O. Box 338, Lindi, Tanzania
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Abstract |
An investigation was conducted in southern
Tanzania
on East Coast fever (ECF) immunization using Infection and Treatment
Method (ITM). Two groups, each with 768 cattle were randomly allocated
from study farms. One group was subjected to ITM while the second to
acaricide application alone. ECF cases occurrence among study animals
and calves born to them were investigated. ECF immunization, treatment
records and herd dynamics were investigated from both farmers and
livestock personnel in addition to conducting structured interviews.
Samples were collected from suspect ECF cases and subjected to
microscopy. Retrospectively, 2795 cattle were immunized against ECF in
the years 2000 to 2009; whereas, during prospective investigation, 768
cattle were immunized. Questionnaire survey revealed that majority of
the respondents 154/156 appreciated the protection conferred to
immunized animals. However, a good number of them (135/156) complained
that calves born to immunized cows succumb to ECF early in life unlike
calves born to non-immunized animals. All interviewed livestock
personnel (n=12) reported occurrence of ECF in majority of calves born
to ECF vaccinated cows; and that most of the cases were detected in
calves below ten days. Livestock personnel further pointed out that the
response of such infected calves to treatment was poor. According to
them, recovery rates of treated calves born from ECF immunized cows
ranged from 21 to 60%. Five hundred and fifteen suspect ECF cases
occurred in study groups during this period. Majority of the cases
(431/515) were calves born to immunized cows, 247/431 being below ten
days of age. Some (320/515) of the suspect cases of ECF were subjected
to microscopy following Giemsa staining and 313/320 were confirmed by
detection of Koch’s blue bodies (KBBs) in lymph smears. Recovery rate of
ECF cases in calves born to ECF immunized cows was 46.6% for those below
ten days. The rate however increased with age to 100.0%. ECF calves born
to non-immunized cows had a recovery rate ranging from 80.0 to 94.7%
with the recovery rate increasing with age. In conclusion, ITM of the
live Theileria parva confers
a reasonable protection against clinical ECF to cattle. The method,
however, results in new born calf losses due to
Theileria parva infections
originating from immunized cows irrespective of vaccine lot numbers. The
vaccine thus needs further verification on its safety to the foetuses
and non-immunized animals that are kept together with immunized animals.
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Keywords:
Theileria parva;
infection and treatment method; Southern Tanzania;
Carrier state; Muguga cocktail |
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To cite this article:
Mbyuzi AO, EVG Komba, HB Magwisha, MR Salum, EM Kafiriti and LJ Malamla,
2013.
Preliminary evidence of vertical transmission of
Theileria parva sporozoites
from ECF immunized cows to off-springs in southern
Tanzania.
Res.
Opin. Anim. Vet. Sci., 3(4), 92-100. |
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