Clinico-Pathological Studies on Theileriosis in Cattle

The present study was conducted to study the clinical profile, hemato-biochemical, post mortem and histopathological changes along with molecular detection of theileriosis in cattle. Out of 290 suspected cases, 40(13.79 %) cattle were found to be positive for theileriosis. Age-wise prevalence was higher in animals above 12 months (65 %) of age. Breed-wise and sex-wise prevalence was highest (45 %) in Holstein Friesian females. The important clinical signs observed in theileriosis affected cattle were fever, pale, papery white or icteric mucous membranes, swollen lymph nodes and tick infestation. Hemato-biochemical changes were marked anaemia, thrombocytopenia, elevated levels of serum hepatic and renal biochemical parameters in affected animals. Blood smear examination of affected cattle revealed the presence of pleomorphic intra-erythrocytic piroplasm stages of Theileria annulata and Theileria orientalis including mixed infection (T. annulata + T. orientalis) in few cases. These cases were also confirmed by PCR. The characteristic post-mortem lesions were pale, icteric or papery white mucous membranes, swollen oedematous or haemorrhagic lymph nodes, splenomegaly, punched out ulcers in abomasum and hepatomegaly with icteric discoloration. Histopathology revealed multiple haemorrhagic ulcerations and necrosis of mucosal epithelium of abomasum, lymphoid depletion in lymph nodes and hepatocellular degeneration. Overall percent positivity of theileriosis was 13.79 % among cattle population in and around of Udgir city of Maharashtra involving either alone one pathogen or mixed infections of Theileria annulata and Theileria orientalis.