title: Detection ofTheileria annulatacarriers in Holstein-Friesian (Bos taurus taurus) and Sistani (Bos taurus indicus) cattle breeds by polymerase chain reaction in Sistan region, Iran.
abstract: Theileria annulatais common in tropical and subtropical regions especially in Iran and causes great economic losses in cattle industry. In Iran the epidemiological aspects of bovine theileriosis in different breeds of cattle is poorly understood. The aim of present study is comparison of the number ofT. annulatacarriers in the two major cattle breeds (Holstein-Friesian and Sistani) in Sistan of Iran by giemsa and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods. During winter 2013, 160 native cattle, from the two major breeds in Sistan, with the mean age of more than one year and without typical clinical symptoms of theileriosis were selected. At first, a thin layer smear was held from their ear sublime vein blood for Giemsa staining method. In order to do PCR assay, jugular vein blood sample of each cow was taken. The PCR employs primers specific for the 721-bp gene fragment encoding the 30-kDa major merozoite surface antigen ofT. annulata. By PCR method, 38 (47.5 %) Holstein blood samples and 22 (27.5 %) Sistani blood samples had DNA ofT. annulataand considered positive (The correlation was significant at values of P < 0.05). By checking 160 blood smears with light microscope and lens × 100, only 10 samples (6.25 %) were positive forT. annulata. Statistical comparison between PCR and smear method showed that the PCR method is more sensitive and accurate in comparison to Giemsa staining method to diagnose the asymptomatic carriers ofT. annulata.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zabol, Zabol, Iran.
authors.forename: Hamidreza
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Majidiani
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zabol, Zabol, Iran.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nabavi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zabol, Zabol, Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ganjali
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Hygiene & Quality Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zabol, Zabol, Iran.
authors.forename: Dariush
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Saadati
keywords: Asymptomatic carriers; Holstein; PCR; Sistani; Theileria annulata