Savannah Veterinary Journal

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1 Savannah Veterinary Journal, 1(2018) Savannah Veterinary Journal Short Communication Prevalence of Anaplasma ovis and its effects on haematology of apparently healthy Sahel goats in Maiduguri, Nigeria: A Preliminary study a Igwenagu, E., *b Onyiche, E.T., c Abdullahi, U.F., d Maina, M.M., a Jatau, S.H., a Monguno, M.B. and b Kayeri, B.K. a Department of Veterinary Pathology, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Nigeria b Department of Veterinary Parasitology and Entomology, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Nigeria. c Department of Postgraduate, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Kuala, Terengganu, Malaysia. d Department of Veterinary Microbiology, University of Maiduguri, Nigeria. ARTICLE INFO Article history: Received: October 19, 2017 Received in revised form: March, 1, 2018 Accepted: March 4, Keywords: Prevalence Goats Anaplasma Haematology North-east Nigeria ABSTRACT Introduction: Anaplasma ovis is an intraerythrocytic rickettsial pathogen that causes clinical symptoms and huge economic losses in flocks. This study was designed to determine the prevalence and effects of Anaplasma ovis on the haematology of apparently healthy Sahel goats in Maiduguri. Methods: Blood samples were randomly collected from one hundred (100) Sahel goats from both farm and abattoir in the study area. Parasitological and haematological analyses were carried out on the collected samples using a standard technique. Results: Out of 100 goats sampled, seven (7) were positive with an overall prevalence of 7%. The prevalence was higher in the male 5 (5%) than in the female 2 (2%) with no significant association between sexes (p > 0.05). The haematological parameters of infected and uninfected goats were within normal range except for mean corpuscular volume (MCV) of infected goats. The MCV of infected and uninfected goats varied significantly (p < 0.05) while the packed cell volume, haemoglobin concentration, red blood cell count, white blood cell count, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration and mean corpuscular haemoglobin of infected and uninfected goats were not significantly (p > 0.05) affected. Significance: Natural infection in apparently healthy goats in Maiduguri was found not to have an obvious effect on the haematology of the infected animals. There is a need for prevention and control programs against this pathogen in the study area. This, when carried out, will improve the production potential of these animals and economic well-being of the 2018 Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ilorin, Nigeria. All rights reserved. Introduction The Sahel (West African long-legged) goat is widely distributed in Eastern and Western States of Northern Nigeria and has the ability to maintain its weight even in adverse conditions (Devendra et al., 1982). This characteristic makes them to be distinct. They have a small triangular head which is usually horned, while the colour is predominantly white with brown or black patches (Okorie, 1977). Sahel goats can utilize a variety of forages and crops to meet their nutritional requirements and can survive in a variety of ecological conditions (Oyeyemi, 2002). Goats, in general, are said to have the potential to contribute to an increasing demand for meat while their potential for milk production is being harnessed by a majority of owners who are domiciled in Nigerian rural communities (Arowolo and Bankole-Oye, 2014). Haemoparasitism continues to be the major constrains to livestock production in sub-saharan Africa (Okaiyeto et al., 2008). The effect of haemoparasitism in livestock is determined by the interactions between the parasites type present in the geographical area, parasites life cycles, the environment a- *Corresponding author Tel: address: eonyiche@yahoo.com nd farm management approach, and the host factors (Kivaria, 2006; Magona et al., 2011). Haemoparasites especially Trypanosomosis, Babesiosis and Anaplasmosis are of major impediments to livestock production in tropical countries (Urquhart et al., 1996). Some haemoparasite species are only evident when the host is undergoing a clinical response to infection, while other members of the same genera may be seen in blood smears from apparently healthy animals (Luckins, 1992). Infection with many of these heamoparasite species results in a state of preimmunity in which the host becomes a long-term often asymptomatic carrier thereby serving as a source of infection for the tick or insect vector (Young et al., 1988). The high incidence of haemoparasites in the tropics could be as a result of favourable environmental conditions that promote the survival and proliferation of the arthropod vectors responsible for the transmission of these parasites (Adejinmi et al., 2004). Adejinmi et al. (2004) reported anaemia as a reliable indicator for the severity of haemoparasitic infections. However, the effect of haemoparasites on the mean PCV is more deleterious in younger animals (Enwezor et al., 2009). Most blood protozoan parasites cause 53

2 anaemia by inducing erythrophagocytosis. However, haemoparasites have generally been shown to cause destruction of red blood cells resulting in anaemia, jaundice, anorexia, weight loss and infertility (Adejinmi et al., 2004; Enwezor et al., 2009). Anaplasma ovis is an arthropod-borne rickettsial pathogen that induces anaemia in sheep and goats following invasion and replication within erythrocytes (Dantas-Torres and Otranto, 2017). Experimental inoculation of goats with A. ovis has been shown to induce a disease characterized by depression, anorexia, fever, and progressive anaemia (Yasini et al., 2012). A. ovis infections in goats have been reported throughout the world including Nigeria (Akinboade et al., 1986; Friedhoff, 1997; Hashemi-Fesharki, 1997; Hornok et al., 2007; Liu et al., 2012; Jatau et al., 2011) and natural arthropod vectors which serve as mechanical transmitters have also been described (Kocan and Stiller, 1992; Ogo et al., 2012; Dantas-Torres and Otranto, 2017). However, the extent of infection and the loss of livestock productivity remain poorly understood (Ndung u et al., 1995). Clinical reports of infections in tropical and subtropical countries where goats are an important source of meat, milk, and manure for subsistence farmers, suggest that the disease may be widespread and of economic importance (Shompole et al., 1989). Since, a high prevalence of infectious diseases that cause anaemia, which markedly decreases meat and milk yield, would represent a constraint to improved productivity (Ndung u et al., 1995), Therefore, a preliminary study was undertaken in the year 2015 to determine the prevalence of Anaplasmosis and its effect on the haematology of apparently healthy Sahel goats in Maiduguri, North Eastern Nigeria. Materials and methods Study area Borno State with Maiduguri as its capital lies between latitude 10.2 o N and 13.4 o N longitude 9.8 o E and 14.4 o N with an area of 69,436 sq. km located in the North eastern corner of Nigeria sharing borders with Niger to the North, Chad to the Northeast and Cameroun to the East (Musa and Pindar, 2005). It has an estimated area of 70,898 km 2 and a population of about 2,596,589 with Sahel vegetation in the North and a Sudan Savanna in the South (Udoh, 1981). The majority of the inhabitants of Borno State are farmers, animal rearers or fishermen (El-Yuguda et al., 2007). Sample collection Blood were collected from 100 Sahel goats of both sexes and different ages during the months of March and April, Simple random sampling technique was adopted in the study. Seventy (70) samples were collected from the Maiduguri Metropolitan abattoir and thirty (30) from the animal farm of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Maiduguri, consisting of forty six (45) males and fifty four (55) females. About 5ml of blood were collected from jugular vein of the goats from the farm and the abattoir into ethylenediaminetetra acetic acid (EDTA) bottles (Medi Scan, China) and the samples were transported to the Clinical Pathology and Protozoology Laboratories, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maiduguri for haematological and parasitological analyses within one hour of collection. Sample preparation A drop of blood was placed on a grease free glass slide and a thin and thick blood smear was prepared from each blood sample, air-dried, fixed in methanol for 2-3 minutes, stained in 10% Giemsa s stain and rinsed in buffered water according to Jain (1986). The smears were examined at 100 magnification (oil immersion) on a Microscope (Olympus, Japan). Hematologic parameters The Packed Cell Volume (PCV), Haemoglobin (Hb) concentration, Red Blood Cell (RBC) and White Blood Cell (WBC) were determined in each goat blood sample according to the procedures described by Brar et al. (2000). Then Red Blood Cell indices Mean Capsular Volume (MCV), Mean Capsular Haemoglobin (MCH) and Mean Capsular Haemoglobin Concentration (MCHC) were calculated according to Jain (1986). Statistical analysis Positive samples were expressed using simple percentages. Association of sex with prevalence of A. ovis was tested using chi square. The haematological parameters of infected and noninfected goats were analysed using student t-test. All analysis was carried out using GraphPad Prism Version 4. Significant level was set at (p < 0.05). Results The result of the prevalence of Anaplasma ovis in goats according to sex is presented in Table 1. The overall prevalence is 7 (7.0%) out of 100 goats examined. The prevalence was more in the male 5 (11.1%) out of 45 male goats examined, while 2 (3.6%) prevalence was recorded in the female out of 55 examined. No significant association was observed between sexes. The result of the haematological parameters of infected and uninfected goats to Anaplasma ovis is presented in Table 2. Significant difference (p = 0.01) between the infected (Figure 1) and uninfected was observed for the MCV while no significant differences were observed for the RBC (p = 0.05), WBC (p = 0.58), Hb (p = 0.77), PCV (p = 0.24), MCH (p = 0.77) and MCHC (p = 0.78). The mean MCV value was significantly higher in infected ± 5.84 (fl) than uninfected ± 0.51 (fl) goats. The mean RBC value for uninfected ± 0.28 (10 6 /µl) was higher than the infected ± 1.45 (10 6 /µl), while the mean WBC count for the uninfected ± 0.14 (10 3 /µl) was slightly lower than that of the infected ± 0.41 (10 3 /µl). In addition, the mean Hb concentration for the infected 8.83 ± 0.48 (g/dl) was lower than that of the uninfected 9.45 ± 0.13 (g/dl). Similar trends were observed for the PCV, MCH and MCHC (26.14 ± 1.50; ± 0.37, 6.59 ± 1.93; 7.65 ±0.17 and ± 0.12; ± 0.05) respectively, of infected and uninfected goats. 54

3 Table 1. Prevalence of Anaplasma ovis in goats according to sex in Maiduguri Sex Number examined Positive n (%) Negative n (%) df p-value Male 45 5 (11.11) 40 (88.89) Female 55 2 (3.64) 53 (96.36) Total (7) 93 (93) p < 0.05 is significant Table 2: Haematological parameters of infected and uninfected goats to Anaplasma ovis in Maiduguri. Parameter RBC WBC Hb PCV MCV MCH MCHC (10 6 /µl) (10 3 /µl) (g/dl) (%) (fl) (pg) (g/dl) Uninfected 12.85± 0.28 a 10.37± 0.14 a 9.45± 0.13 a 27.78± 0.37 a 22.49± 0.51 a 7.65± 1.17 a 34.02± 0.05 a Infected ± 1.45 a 10.67± 0.41 a 8.83± 0.48 a 26.14± 1.50 a 28.43± 5.84 b 6.59± 1.93 a 33.81± 0.12 a Columns with dissimilar superscripts are significant different (p < 0.05). Figure 1. Anaplasma ovis infected red blood cells Discussion As a preliminary study, some limitations associated with this study were the small sample size obtained and non-detection of other blood or gastrointestinal parasites which could influence the blood picture readings. However, our results represent important findings on the occurrence of anaplasmosis in apparently healthy Sahel goats in Maiduguri, Northeast Nigeria. Haemoparasitism is one of the major constraints to livestock productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa, hence its prevalence and control is very important (Ademola and Onyiche, 2013). The prevalence of haemoparasites vary from region to region and various factors determine the occurrence of the tick-borne diseases (TBDs) including age, sex, breed, tick density, season, geographical area and management (Kivaria, 2006; Magona et al., 2011). The overall prevalence of 7 (7.0%) for anaplasmosis in this study is comparable to previous reports from other investigators. Assoku (1979) and Arunkumar (2010) reported a prevalence of 9.0% and 9.2% in goats in Ghana and India respectively. This contradicts the finding of Ukwueze and Kalu (2014) on the prevalence of haemoparasites in Red Sokoto goats slaughtered in Umuahia, Abia state Nigeria where a higher prevalence of 16.8% was reported. The low prevalence of haemoparasites recorded could be due to the regular use of chemoprophylaxis and acaricides by small scale farmers or the diagnostic method used, which was based on the identification of Anaplasma ovis on Giemsa stained blood smears. This method is less sensitive in the detection of carriers with low levels or no evidences of parasitaemia (Jalali et al., 2016; Nasreen et al., 2016). Thus the prevalence of Anaplasma ovis in the study area 55

4 is likely much higher than that detected in this study (Atif et al., 2012; Jalali et al., 2016). The prevalence was higher in the male Sahel goats than in the female. This observation is at variance with that observed by Ademola and Onyiche, (2013) who reported a higher prevalence of haemoparasites in female than in males. Although, this study only focused on Anaplasma ovis unlike in the other study that looked at other haemoparasites including Trypanosomes and Onchocerca. The severity of infection of the parasite in the infected animals was moderate. This is obvious by a slight change in the haematological parameters between the infected and uninfected. The change was not clinically significant to pose a threat to the lives of the infected animals. The haematological parameters of the infected and uninfected animals were within the reference range for Sahel goats (Jain, 1986; Egbe-Nwiyi et al., 2015) except for MCV which was higher than the normal range. Although, anaplasmosis can cause intra and extra vascular haemolytic anaemia (Okaiyeto et al., 2008; Nasreen et al., 2016), it is likely the infection is still mid-way between the pre-patent and acute phases since no obvious clinical changes was observed in the haematological parameters. This agrees with the findings of Arunkumar (2010) but disagrees with the findings of Osaer and Goossens (1999) and Nasreen et al. (2016) who reported decreases in all blood parameters in goats found infected with Anaplasmosis. Conclusion The result of this study indicates the presence of anaplasmosis in Sahel goats in Maiduguri. Flock owners should ensure tick control by regular deticking by use of acaricides. Furthermore, regular consultation with veterinarian for regular treatment of their flock to prevent undesirable effects in the health of their animals is advisable. 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