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

Abstract

This study was aimed to determine the infection rate and vectors of <em>Theileria lestoquardi </em>in goats from West Azerbaijan province, Iran. A total of 400 blood samples were collected from 40 randomly selected flocks in the study area from June to September, 2014. Out of 400 blood samples examined using microscopic examination, a number of 14 goats (3.50%) were positive for <em>Theileria</em> spp<em>.</em>, whereas 25 goats (6.25%) yielded a specific <em>T. lestoquardi </em>SSU-rRNA fragment (235 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 <em>Theileria</em> infection in different age and sex groups of goats was not significantly different. The highest and lowest prevalence of <em>Theileria</em> infection was in July (12.00%) and September (2.00%), respectively. A number of 315 adult Ixodid ticks were also collected from naturally infested goats and they were characterized. Out of 315 examined ticks, a number of 37 ticks including <em>Hyalomma marginatum </em>(65.20%), <em>Rhipicephalus turanicus </em>(44.00%), and <em>Dermacentor marginatus </em>(68.70%) were infected by <em>T. lestoquardi</em>. 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 <em>H. marginatum</em>, <em>R. turanicus </em>and <em>D. marginatus </em>can be considered as risk factor in the epidemiology of <em>T. lestoquardi</em>.