Microscopic Detection of Theileria Infections in Cattle from Different Regions of District Shangla, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Abstract

Theileriosis is a protozoan disease of cattle transmitted by ticks, which is a cause of fever, anemia, lymphadenopathy, decreased milk production and death. Tropical theileriosis (Theileria annulata) is found in South Asia and East Coast fever (Theileria parva) is primarily found in eastern, central, and southern Africa. The information about theileriosis in cattle is sparse in Shangla District, KPK. To determine the occurrence and prevalence of Theileria infection in cattle at the district level of Shangla using microscopic examination, and to identify risk factors associated with Theileria infection. The methods used were a cross-sectional study. Sample blood was taken from 400 numbers of cattle. Thin blood smears were stained with Giemsa and examined for intra-erythrocytic piroplasms, and lymph node smears from clinical cases were examined for Koch's blue bodies. The data collected were age, sex, breed, ticks, management, and season and were analysed using chi-square and logistic regression. The overall prevalence of Theileria infection was 23.8% (95/400; 95% CI 19.8–28.2). Prevalence was found to be higher in crossbred/exotic cattle (OR 2.28), animals infested with ticks (OR 4.34; 95% CI 2.62–7.18; P < 0.001), and in summer (OR 4.50 vs winter), and was not significantly different between tehsils (P = 0.161). Theileriosis is a significant health problem of cattle in Shangla. Molecular confirmation of species and tick control are suggested.