Molecular detection, infection rate and vectors of Theileria lestoquardi in goats from West Azerbaijan province, Iran

This study was aimed to determine the infection rate and vectors of Theileria lestoquardi in goats from West Azerbaijan province, Iran. A total of ۴۰۰ blood samples were collected from ۴۰ randomly selected flocks in the study area from June to September, ۲۰۱۴. Out of ۴۰۰ blood samples examined using microscopic examination, a number of ۱۴ goats (۳.۵۰%) were positive for Theileria spp., whereas ۲۵ goats (۶.۲۵%) yielded a specific T. lestoquardi SSU-rRNA fragment (۲۳۵ bp). The prevalence of theileriosis in goats estimated by semi-nested PCR was significantly higher than the prevalence estimated by microscopic examination of the blood smears. The prevalence of Theileria infection in different age and sex groups of goats was not significantly different. The highest and lowest prevalence of Theileria infection was in July (۱۲.۰۰%) and September (۲.۰۰%), respectively. A number of ۳۱۵ adult Ixodid ticks were also collected from naturally infested goats and they were characterized. Out of ۳۱۵ examined ticks, a number of ۳۷ ticks including Hyalomma marginatum (۶۵.۲۰%), Rhipicephalus turanicus (۴۴.۰۰%), and Dermacentor marginatus (۶۸.۷۰%) were infected by T. lestoquardi. Based on the obtained results, it was concluded that the semi-nested PCR assay based on SSU-rRNA gene is a valuable method for epidemiological investigation of caprine theileriosis. The results showed that H. marginatum, R. turanicus and D. marginatus can be considered as risk factor in the epidemiology of T. lestoquardi.

کلیدواژه ها:

Goat ، Iran ، Ixodid ticks ، Semi-nested PCR ، Theileria lestoquardi