Seroprevalence of Babesia ovis in small ruminants in Siwa Oasis, Egypt

Hosein, H. I.; Ahmed, Samia A.; Ibrahim, F. A.; Abou-Elnaga, T. R.; Gebely, M. A.; Mahmoud, Mona A.

doi:10.21608/jvmr.2007.77888

Seroprevalence of Babesia ovis in small ruminants in Siwa Oasis, Egypt

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt 2

² Department of Veterinary Medicine, Infectious Diseases and Fish, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt

³ Department of Animal and Poultry Health, Desert Research Center, Cairo, Egypt

10.21608/jvmr.2007.77888

Abstract

Seroprevalence of Babesia ovis in sheep and goats was studied in Siwa Oasis between January 2002 and January 2003. A total of 240 blood samples were collected from 108 sheep and 132 goats for preparation of blood smears and for separation of serum samples and tested against B. ovis by using IFAT. B. ovis was detected in 55 (50.92%) and 59 (44.69%) blood smears examined in sheep and
goats, respectively. The overall prevalence of B. ovis infection was 71.3% in sheep and 68.2% in goat using IFAT. The seasonal prevalence of B.ovis peaked in both spring and summer as revealed by blood smear examination and IFAT. A total of 143 ticks were collected from 62 sheep and 81 goats during the study. The ticks examined were Rhipicephalus turanicus (75.52%) and Hyalomma anatolicum (24.48%).

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