Vol. 10, Special Issue 11 (2021)

Author(s):
Pradeep Kumar, Ravi Kumar, Ramkaran and Sukhdeep Vohra

Abstract:
Trypanosomiasis caused by Trypanosoma evansi is the most widely distributed pathogenic, mechanically transmitted vector borne haemoprotozoan disease of domestic livestock and wild animals in India. In tropical countries like India the disease is also called as Surra and is transmitted through a non-cyclical method by biting flies such as a Tabanidae. The disease can affect almost all species of mammals but from economic and zoonotic point of view, trypanosomiasis is an important disease of cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goats, horses and camels. It is a potential killer of livestock and causes economic losses to the farmers in terms of morbidity, mortality, abortion, infertility, reduced milk yield and fever. The diagnosis of trypanosomosis depends upon series of tests viz. direct microscopic examination (wet blood film, stained blood smears), concentration methods (hematocrit centrifugation technique), animal inoculation (using rats or mice), detection of trypanosome DNA (DNA probes and polymerase chain reaction), serological tests like IFAT, ELISA, card agglutination tests, latex agglutination tests and immune trypanolysis tests. The various available tests for leptospirosis diagnosis have been explained in this article.