DIAGNOSTIC STUDY OF BUXTONELLA SULCATA IN BUFFALOES IN MOSUL, IRAQ

DIAGNOSTIC STUDY OF BUXTONELLA SULCATA IN BUFFALOES IN MOSUL, IRAQ

T.M. AL-SAFFAR^*, A.F. AL-TAEE^**, E.D. HADI^* and E.G. SULEIMAN^**

^* Department of Internal and Preventive Medicine, ^**Department of Microbiology, Collge of Veterinary Medicine University of Mosul, Mosul-Iraq.

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                                             ABSTRACT

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Key words: Buxtonella sulcata, Buffaloes, Diagnosis

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INTRODUCTION

The ciliophora which inhabits in the rumen and colon of ruminants are most considered to be commonsals participating in digestion plant feed which could be confirmed by their common incidence (Fox and Jacobs, 1986), Buxtonella sulcata is a ciliate lives in cysts form in the environment while its vegetative form lives in the colon of cattle and described as parasites (Hong and Youn, 1995). In some cases the ciliates may be responsible for incidence of diarrheal symptoms (Tomczuk et al., 2005). Buxtonella sulcata can be cause of diarrhea in calves, since the  rate of diarrhea was detected higher in calves having Buxtonella sulcata cysts compared with calves without the cyst (Hong and Youn, 1995). Infection with Buxtonella sulcata  follows consuming cysts with fodder or drinking water (Tomczuk et al., 2005). The increased invasion of alimentary tract of dairy cows could be resulted in clinician disorders such as poor condition (Tomczuk et al., 2005). Many authors reported different perentage of infection. In different part of the world (Arslan et al., 2001; Casemore, 1991; Henriksen, 1977; Jimenez et al., 2007 and Wakers et al., 1999). In Iraq the infection with Buxtonella sulcata recorded only in cattle in Al-Qadissiyha and Mosul city with percentage were 47%, 24.16% respectively (Aayiz, 2005 and Al-Saffar et al., 2010). Buffalos (Bubalus bubalis) in Iraq are an important economical resource for rural citizens, but in the same time received little attention of veterinary care. Little information are available about Buxtonella sulcata infection in Buffaloes in Iraq and its association with diarrheal condition in these animals. The aim of this study was to isolate Buxtonella sulcata from buffaloes with diarrheal signs and the histopathological changes it induces in these animals.

MATERIALS and METHODS

One hundred buffaloes stool samples were collected from different regions of Mosul city and from intestinal tracts of slaughter buffalos in Mosul abattoir during the period from September 2011 to June 2012 for the detection of Buxtonella sulcata in these animals. These samples were subjected to gross and microscopic examination. Gross study was aimed  to evaluate stool consistency, microscopic examination include direct and concentration methods (sedimentation by tap water, 10% formalin and  by using ether –formalin) (Urquhart et al., 2003; Thienpont et al., 1974; Mollan and Saaid, 1982). Morphometric characterization of the parasites (trophozoites and cyst stage was also made (Fox and Jacobs, 1986; Rommel et al., 2000 and Aayiz, 2005). Histological study of colon sections were sectioned at 4-6 mµ and stained by hematoxylin and eosin stain (Luna, 1968).   

RESULTS

The results of this study revealed that the percentage of the total infection with Buxtonella sulcata were 35%, Trophozoites stage of the parasite were demonstrated in 4 animals (4%) while the cysts form in 31animals (31%) as shown in table (1).

Males of buffaloes show high percentage of infection (40%) than the female (30%), statistical analysis showed that no significant differences appeared between males and females Table (2). The group of animal aged 2-3years showed the highest rate of infection (63.63%) among all infected animals and the lowest rate at the age group 3years-and more and there was no significant differences appeared between all ages of animals.

The correlation between Buxtonella sulcata infection and consistency of faeces (diarrheal or normal) presented in table (4), from this table it was indicated that most of the infected animals (48.57%) were diarrheic while  in normal feces animal (27.69%) statistically analysis showed no significant differences between diarrheic and non diarrheic animals. Table (5) gives various intensity of infection according to the number of cysts in examined microscopic field, the highest rate of intensity in severe infection (5 cyst and more) were 47.5% in diarrheic animal and the low infection (one cyst) were (22.22%) in normal feces animals and there was significant differences appeared in intensity of infection in animals without diarrhea.

The morphological study and main characteristic features of the parasites were shown in Fig. 1,2 that the parasites appear with cyst form usually circular and varying in sizes from 60-68.6x60-68.8mµ and the average (62.09mµ) while the trophozoites usually ovoid shape and varying in size from about (84-127.4x68.6-84mµ), surrounded by cilia and containing central nucleus with cytostom in the anterior end and a number of nutrition vacuoles in the cytoplasm. Histopathological changes accompanied with the Buxotanella sulcata infection was characterized by the presence of trophozoites and cysts in the lumen of the colon (Fig 3,4). Mucoid epithelium degeneration, necrotic sloughing of the intestinal epithelium and submucosal glands with sever hyperplasia of the intestinal mucosa, inflammatory cells infiltration and mild haemorrhage were observed (Fig 5,6,7). Hyperplasia, elongation, necrosis and sloughing of the villi with sever mucosal and submucosal inflammatory cells infiltration (8,9).

Table 1: Percentage of Buxtonella sulcata infected buffaloes

Table 2: Percentage of Buxtonella sulcata infection in buffalo in relation to their sex

     No significant differences between males and females (p>0.05)

Table 3: Percentage of Buxtonella sulcata infection in buffalo in  relation to their age

   No significant association between percentage of infection and ages

Table 4: Percentage of buffalo infected with Buxtonella sulcata with or without diarrhea

    No significant differences between animal with and without  diarrhea

Table 5: Infection intensity with Buxtonella sulcata in buffaloes

a , b different letters in each raw refer to significant variation (P<0.05) 

* Low infection 1cyst\HPMF

**Moderate infection 2-4cysts \HPMF

*** High infection 5 cyst and more \HPMF

DISCUSSION

The protozoan parasites living in gastrointestinal tract of agricultural animals participate in symbiotic digestion of food stuffs with their hosts. (Tomczuk    et al., 2005). Any change in the microenvironment of the gastrointestinal tract may predispose to the change in the living manner of these parasites to those that secret  digestive enzymes, thereby negatively affecting the intestinal epithelium of the host. Buxtonella sulcata is one example for this conversion upon microenvironment change in the host gastrointestinal tract. Colon infection of this protozoan parasites in buffaloes resemble that of Balantidiasis and Entamebiasis in ruminants (Rommel et al., 2000; Skokotarczak, 1997 and Al-Kennany et al., 2009), causing diarrhoea, inflammation and ulcerative lesions. Our results of the samples gathered from buffaloes with or without diarrhoea, showed that the total percentage of infection was 35% with trophozoites (4%), and cysts (31%). When we compared our results with others, it appeared that our results were more than that reported in Banklaore in cattle of (17%); those found by (Mamatha and Souza, 2006) of (12.6%) and (20.5%) for cattle and buffaloes respectively; in Turkey with
(9,5%) in calves (Altug et al., 2006), those reported here in Mosul province by (Al-Saffar et al., 2010) of (24.1%). In the other hand our results were less than those reported by (Aayiz, 2005) in cattle  in Al-Qadissiyha province with cyst (47%) and  infection of 71.8% in Danish cattle (Henriksen, 1977) while  the prevalence which reported in Germany has been range from zero-73% (Wakers et al., 1999). In this study many factors appeared to affect the percentage of infection with this protozoan parasite like age, since  animals aged 2-3 years had the highest rate of infection of 63.63% over the rest of the studied ages. It could be said that progress in age may add immunity to the animals against the parasites (Urquhart et al., 2003). Another factor is the health status, especially with those suffered from diarrhoea having a significant higher percentage of infection and being 48.57%, compared with non-diarrhoeal animals with infection of 27.69% (Tomczuk et al., 2005; Altug et al., 2006; Al-Saffar et al., 2010 and Aayiz, 2005). A third relationship was recorded to the favour of cysts number and intensity of infection (Tomczuk et al., 2005 and Al-Saffar et al., 2010). It should be stressed that gender has no effect on the percentage of infection with Buxtonella sulcata. Our results were  in agreement with  the line of (Tomczuk et al., 2005), who revealed that this protozoan parasite infection could results in GIT damage, which correlated with the virulence of parasite, host susceptibility, sensitivity to infection, microenvironment of the parasite, location in the GIT, and the secondary bacterial infection. Another study referred to what mentioned above and stressed on the change of the parasite microenvironment in the GIT especially pH changes. Parasite infection is usually results in profound damage in the GIT, lining leading to inflammatory process, as it is evident in the histopathological sections in colon (Urman and Kelly, 1968).

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