Effect of various levels of dietary Jatropha curcas seed meal on rabbits infested by the adult ticks of Hyalomma marginatum marginatum I. Animal performance, anti-tick feeding and haemogram.

The goal of this study was to investigate the use of Jatropha curcas seed meal (JCSM) in different levels as acaricide in diet of rabbits experimentally infested by Hyalomma marginatum marginatum then determining animal performance, anti-tick feeding and its effects on haemogram of rabbits. Thirty healthy mixed-breed rabbits were randomly divided into five equal groups. The first group was kept as a control fed soya bean meal (20%) as a source of protein. Groups from the second to the fifth fed diets contained 2.5%, 5%, 7.5% and 10% of JCSM instead of soya bean meal as a source of protein, respectively. Feeding and watering were given freely throughout the study. Animal performance for treatment groups were recorded from the 1st week up to the 6th week. Then each group divided into two subgroups, and the ticks were introduced to all of one subgroup and the other kept as control, following them until dropped at the end of the 8th week for all groups of the experiment. Feeding and reproductive performance of the adult tick females were determined. Blood samples were collected and analysed for haematological examination at the 0, 6th and 8th weeks post-treatment from all animals. Result revealed that rabbits received diets containing 5%, 7.5% and 10% had significantly (P < 0.05) lower growth performance than control and 2.5% JCSM groups. Feed intake and body weight gain decreased with increasing the level of JCSM in the diet. The result of anti-tick feeding observed that the highest percentage (60-90%) of rejection was recorded in 10% of JCSM group then the other treated groups (20-30%). Egg mass and reproductive index per female were marked increase (P < 0.001) in groups 2.5%, 5% and 7.5% of JCSM. Macrocytic normochromic anaemia was development after 8 weeks of treatment, which changed to microcytic normochromic anaemia after challenge of ticks in groups received 5%, 7.5% and 10% JCSM. Leukopenia, neutopenia and lymphopenia were noticed (P < 0.05) in all treated groups which more drop in the group received 7.5% JCSM. Also, monocytosis was recorded in 7.5% and 10% JCSM groups. In conclusion, JCSM could be use in the treatment of ectoparasites at level less than 10% in diet. Further investigations should be done to detoxification the Jatropha seed meal to decrease the level of its toxicity.

Ovicidal effect of chitinase and protease enzymes produced by soil fungi on the camel tick Hyalomma dromedarii eggs (Acari:Ixodidae).

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of chitinase and protease enzymes produced by environmentally safe soil Fungi; Aspergillus sp. NRC 4/5H; Mucor sp. NRC 5; Trichoderma sp. NRC 4/56; Aspergillus sojae; Mucor ranosisinus; Aspergillus oryzae on embryo development of the camel tick Hyalomma dromedarii eggs. The experiment was carried out on the 7 day aged eggs. Concentrations of the chitinase and protease crude enzymes [1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 1:4 and 1:5 (v/v)] were prepared from six stock solutions whose concentrations were 5 units/ml each. The prepared chitinase and protease enzymes produced by soil fungi were tested in vitro study for eradication of ticks. Ovicidal effect of the chitin concentrations of extracellular lytic enzymes (chitinase) produced by Aspergillus sp NRC 4/5H, Mucor sp. NRC 5, Trichoderma sp. NRC 4/56 were tested on H. dromedarii eggs. The results showed that the ovicidal effect increased with increasing the chitin concentration in case of Mucor sp. NRC 5. The maximum inhibitory effect which ranged from 95.3 to 100 % was at concentrations ranging from 1:3 to 1:5 ml/ml, respectively. The results of protease enzymes produced by A. sojae, M. ranosisinus and A. oryzae revealed that, it is highly effective in all concentrations on H. dromedarii eggs. It is indicated that the chitinase and protease enzymes produced by fungal species could be used for biological control of the camel tick infestation to avoid the use of carcinogenic chemical.

Serological and molecular diagnostic surveys combined with examining hematological profiles suggests increased levels of infection and hematological response of cattle to babesiosis infections compared to native buffaloes in Egypt.

BACKGROUND: Babesiosis threatens the development of the cattle and buffaloes industries in Egypt and improved control is needed. The main objectives of this study are surveying the presence of bovine babesiosis in distinct selected bovine and buffalo populations in Egypt using novel molecular and previously validated serological methods, while also comparing the occurrence of hematological alterations among Babesia infected cattle and buffalos. METHODS: A total of 253 and 81 blood samples from apparently healthy cattle and buffaloes, respectively, were randomly collected from diverse locations in Egypt. All samples were tested for Babesia bovis and B. bigemina infection using blood film examination, competitive ELISA (cELISA) and PCR. Novel semi-nested and nested PCR assays for the detection of B. bovis and B. bigemina respectively, were developed and used to analyze DNA extracted from bovine and buffalo samples. Hematological profiles were studied using a hematological analyzer. RESULTS: Blood films examination revealed 13.8% and 7.4% Babesia infection rates in cattle and buffaloes, respectively. However, in cattle, the cELISA detected 32.8%, 21.3% and 10.7% infection rates with B. bigemina, B. bovis and mixed infection, respectively. In addition, cELISA identified 22.2%, 22.2% and 6.2% infection rates with B. bigemina, B. bovis and mixed infection, respectively in buffaloes. The semi-nested PCR assay showed that 15% of the tested samples were positive for B. bovis in cattle, but just 3% in buffaloes. Infections with B. bigemina were also found in cattle (32.4%), but not in buffaloes upon nested PCR analysis. Sequencing analysis confirmed the identity of the PCR amplicons and showed that Egyptian genotypes of B. bigemina and B. bovis highly resemble sequences previously deposited in GenBank. Hemograms performed on the sampled animals revealed macrocytic hypochromic anemia associated with reduced platelet counts in infected cattle with babesiosis. In addition, marked increases in total leukocyte and granulocytic counts and decreases in lymphocytic counts were found in infected cattle. In contrast, no such hematological anomalies were found in presumably Babesia-infected buffaloes. CONCLUSIONS: Frequent occurrence of babesiosis among apparently healthy bovines in Egypt, suggests the need for appropriately designed prevalence studies in this country. Infected bovine, but not buffalo, populations often present hematological disorders compatible with intravascular hemolysis and thrombocytopenia.