Bovine piroplasmosis: signs and parasitology, symptoms and treatment

Piroplasmosis (babesiosis) Cattle is a transmissible, acute disease caused by unicellular microorganisms, which are carried by ixodid ticks. The disease is seasonal. Outbreaks of infection are diagnosed mainly in the spring and summer. Cows of different age groups and breeds get sick. Piroplasmosis causes significant damage to the livestock industry, farms.

What is disease?

Piroplasmosis (Texas fever, chikhir, babesiosis) in cattle belongs to the group of blood parasitic natural focal seasonal infections.The disease is characterized by fever, damage to red blood cells, other blood cells, changes in the formula, blood pH, digestive, nervous disorders.

Piroplasmosis in cattle is caused by unicellular microorganisms Piroplasma bigemiria (Babesia bigemina) of the Babesiidae family. Bacteria are oval, pear-shaped or paro-pear-shaped, in which the parasites are connected to each other by thin ends at an acute angle.

The development cycle of babesia occurs with the participation of the main and intermediate hosts - ixodid, argasso ticks. After penetration into the body, babesias penetrate into erythrocytes, where they actively multiply by division or budding. The waste products of microorganisms (toxins) disrupt the structure of blood cells, causing their death, malfunctions of all systems and internal organs.

Important! Piroplasmosis affects all types of agricultural animals, small artiodactyls, wild animals (zebu, buffaloes), pets (cats, dogs), predators.

In the body of infected cows, Babesia remain active for 15-16 days. They quickly die, lose their virulence in the external environment. Babesiosis is registered in various climatic zones, especially in the southern, central regions of our country. Localized outbreaks of the disease are most often diagnosed during the period of activity of blood-sucking insects, in the warm season. From spring to the end of autumn, 2-3 outbreaks of piroplasmosis in cattle are noted in some regions.

Causes of the problem

Infection of cattle occurs if the animal is bitten by a tick whose saliva contains parasites. Babesia with blood flow spread throughout the body, penetrate into the cellular structures of the blood, tissues. The main localization of babesias is erythrocytes, leukocytes. In one erythrocyte, there can be 1-3 individuals of the parasite at the same time. The source of infection are infected, sick animals, latent carriers, ticks.The rapid spread of piroplasmosis is facilitated by high humidity, rainy weather, the lack of preventive treatments of forests, pastures from blood-sucking insects.

Weakened animals, young animals with weakened immune potential are at risk.

Symptoms of disease

Piroplasmosis in cattle occurs in acute, subacute, less often in chronic form. From the moment of infection until the first symptoms appear, it can take from several days to two to three weeks.

Important! The first clinical manifestations of babesiosis in cattle are noted by veterinarians 10-15 days after the start of the grazing period.

Signs of piroplasmosis in cattle:

• a sharp increase in temperature to 41-42 degrees, chills, fever;
• anemia, yellowness of mucous membranes;
• decrease in appetite, complete rejection of feed;
• weight loss;
• decrease, total absence of milk production;
• convulsions, muscle spasms;
• lack of gum;
• intestinal disorders;
• enlarged lymph nodes;
• increased thirst;
• change in blood pH.

Sick animals react inadequately to external stimuli. Attacks of apathy are replaced by outbreaks of aggression. Cows have nervous disorders. The secretory function of the gastrointestinal tract is impaired. Liver, spleen enlarged.

Hemorrhages are noticeable on the mucous membranes of the internal organs. The blood becomes watery and does not clot well. The permeability of blood vessels increases, which leads to the development of hemoglobinuria, anemia, and a change in the blood count.

In cows with piroplasmosis, the pulse quickens to 110-120 beats per minute. Breathing is frequent, shallow. Mucus, particles of undigested feed are noticeable in the feces. Urine on the 3rd-5th day acquires a dark brown hue. There are signs of severe intoxication of the body, dehydration.

Important! Piroplasmidoses can simultaneously occur with listeriosis, leptospirosis, francaiosis. Mixed infections exacerbate chronic, systemic pathologies, diseases of the cardiovascular system.

If you do not start emergency treatment of cows with piroplasmosis, the disease in 85-90% will lead to the death of animals.

How to diagnose piroplasmosis

Diagnosis of piroplasmosis is made on the basis of clinical manifestations, laboratory tests. For analysis, they take blood, feces, urine, outflow from the eyes, nose, tissue sections. The epizootological situation in the region, the data obtained from the autopsy of animal corpses are taken into account.

Important! To quickly identify piroplasmosis in cattle, to make a final diagnosis, they take material for PCR.

Veterinary parasitology also recommends differential diagnosis. It is necessary to exclude leptospirosis, anthrax, anaplasmosis, theileriosis, and other viral, parasitic infections that have similar symptoms with bovine piroplasmosis.

Treatment methods

If you suspect the infection of cattle with piroplasmosis or having diagnostic data on hand, it is necessary to start treating infected individuals as soon as possible, choosing the most effective methods. With piroplasmosis in cattle, complex therapy is carried out. Used in treatment:

• specific (etiotropic) drugs;
• complex antibiotics;
• cardiac glycosides, drugs that increase blood clotting;
• broad-spectrum antiparasitics.

The main therapy is supplemented with pathogenetic (symptomatic) medications that improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, normalize the functioning of internal organs, and contribute to recovery.

General recommendations

At the time of treatment, animals are provided with comfortable conditions. Sick individuals require rest, nutrition adjustment. The diet is supplemented with easily digestible juicy feed, B vitamins to normalize digestion. Cows are given whey, sour milk, preparations based on copper sulfate.

Cows suffering from piroplasmosis while grazing cannot be driven over long distances, so veterinarians treat and provide assistance to animals on the spot.When diagnosing piroplasmosis in cattle, sick individuals, regardless of the method of keeping (stall, pasture), are urgently isolated in order to prevent infection of he althy individuals. Placed in isolated boxes.

Important! All livestock undergo complex tests, express tests for the detection of piroplasms in the blood.

In livestock complexes, on farms, quarantine is introduced. The region with multiple outbreaks of the disease is declared unfavorable for this disease.

Special preparations

Good results are noted in the treatment of animals with piroplasmosis when using intravenous, s / c etiotropic drugs, such as: "Azidin" ("Berenil"), "Diamidin", "Hemosporidin", "Acaprin", " Trypansin", "Tripaflavin".

Dosage, frequency of use of drugs, duration of therapy is prescribed individually in each case, taking into account the degree of infection, stage of the disease, age, individual characteristics.

With atony of the proventriculus to stimulate the work of the proventriculus in cows, normalize secretory functions, veterinarians prescribe saline solutions (Glauber's s alt), oily light laxatives, vitamins B6, B3, B9, ichthyol, hellebore tincture, chamomile. Hematopoiesis is stimulated by intravenous administration of vitamin B12, 10% sodium chloride.

Possible danger

Even with timely treatment of piroplasmosis in cows after therapy, problems with the digestive tract are noted, periodically manifesting nervous disorders. After the end of therapy for several weeks, recovered animals can tolerate piroplasmosis. In regions unfavorable for babesiosis, constant monitoring of the general condition of animals is carried out for a year and a half.

Immunity

In ill animals, a non-specific, weakly stressed immunity is formed, which lasts for 6-9 months. The duration of immune protection depends on age, severity of the disease. Therefore, one should not exclude the possibility of re-infection of cattle with piroplasmosis.

Prevention

Timely application of preventive measures will help to prevent infection of cattle with piroplasmosis.

Prevention of piroplasmosis in cattle implies:

• systematic treatment of pastures with acaricidal and insecticidal agents;
• constant veterinary control over the state of the livestock during the pasture period;
• Creation of cultivated pastures free from ticks;
• monthly treatments of the entire livestock with acaricides, repellents.

In regions unfavorable for piroplasmosis, complex chemoprophylaxis is carried out using effective acaricidal agents and chemicals. To prevent babesiosis every 12-14 days, cows are injected with Azidine injection solution.

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