Piroplasmosis CRS

When raising pets, you need to know that from time to time they suffer from infectious diseases. Especially often cattle suffer from parasite bites in spring and autumn. One of the diseases – babesiosis of cattle, if you do not take care of prevention, can lead to the death of animals and a decrease in the productivity of the herd.

What is piroplasmosis

Piroplasmosis, or babesiosis, is a disease of cattle almost all over the world. In some sources, the disease is called Texas fever. The causative agent is piroplasm bigeminun, which is localized in erythrocytes. Parasites can be pear-shaped, oval, amoeboid, ring-shaped.

The causative agent of babesiosis in cattle enters the bloodstream of a cow through the bite of infected ticks. In one erythrocyte there are 1-4 parasites, sometimes more. At the beginning of the disease there are only single pathogens, then their number increases significantly.

The viability of the cattle piroplasm is preserved in the blood; outside this fluid, it dies after 2 days. The causative agent is able to rapidly affect the erythrocytes of the brain, kidneys, blood vessels. If you do not start timely treatment, then the defeat can range from 40 to 100%.

Spread of the disease

As a rule, cattle get sick with babesiosis (piroplasmosis) in those places where there are a large number of ticks (carriers of pathogens). They are not only in the Federation, but also in other countries. Outbreaks of piroplasmosis are recorded from time to time in the south of Our Country:

• in Crimea;
• in the North Caucasus;
• in Transcaucasia;
• in the Voronezh and Kursk regions;
• in the Central Asian republics.

The main carrier of babesiosis in cattle is the single-owner tick Boophilus calcaratus. Depending on the region, the insect gives 2-3 generations. That is why there may be as many outbreaks of piroplasmosis in cattle. The disease begins in early spring (April-May), summer (June), autumn (early August).

Animals that live in a certain area from birth, tolerate babesiosis more easily, as they develop immunity. But imported livestock can die. Old and tired cows are more difficult to tolerate the disease. If the animals are pregnant, they often have a spontaneous abortion.

To eradicate the source of cattle piroplasmosis, natural pastures must be treated with special preparations.

An outbreak is when a pathogen infects a large number of cattle in a given geographic area at one time or another of the year. If you do not start work on the treatment of animals, the disease can spread to other regions and even countries. The duration of an outbreak of piroplasmosis can last from several days to several years.

If at least one case of an infectious disease that is unusual for this area is recorded in the region, this is also considered an outbreak, which must be reported to the appropriate veterinary services. They examine the sick animal and take the necessary measures.

Symptoms of piroplasmosis

It is not so easy to determine the disease of cattle with piroplasmosis (babesiosis) at the initial stage. The fact is that the infection has a long incubation period (10-15 days), during which the number of erythrocytes affected by the pathogen increases significantly. This aggravates further treatment.

When the incubation period ends, an acute form of bovine piroplasmosis begins in young animals or adults of the herd, you need to correctly identify the symptoms and start timely treatment:

1. Babesiosis-infected cattle begin to lose their appetite, but the animals develop a high thirst for water.
2. In cows and calves, the body temperature rises sharply to 42 degrees, which is not so easy to bring down.
3. In animals affected by bovine babesiosis, weakness is observed, which can be determined by a decrease in the speed of movement, since the cows lie down for a longer time. It is very difficult to raise them, since cows and calves with piroplasmosis do not react to the appearance of the owner.
4. In a dairy herd that has become ill with piroplasmosis, milk production decreases or lactation completely stops.
5. Pregnant cows with bovine babesiosis may lose a calf.
6. Due to the increase in pulsation, the heartbeat quickens, heart problems may occur.
7. Veterinarians, examining sick animals, note the increased blood vessels of the mucous membranes. They first become whitish, then yellowness appears in them. Acute piroplasmosis of cattle is also characterized by hemorrhages on the mucous membranes.
8. It is difficult for animals to keep their heads in their usual state.
9. Often, cows and calves with babesiosis have watery eyes.
10. The causative agent of piroplasmosis in cattle is capable of disrupting the intestines in cattle. Animals have constipation or loose stools.
11. Changes occur with urine: it first turns pink, then becomes dark red. The color is due to the high content of destroyed red blood cells.
12. Babesiosis of cattle also affects other internal organs: kidneys, liver.

If timely treatment is not started, then adult cows or calves weaken, and after an extensive cerebral hemorrhage, as a rule, they die. Mortality from piroplasmosis can be 30-80%.

An autopsy allows you to understand what happened to the animals after infection with piroplasmosis:

1. Connective intermuscular tissues, tendons, mucous membranes of dead animals become yellow.
2. The blood is unable to clot because it is diluted.
3. There is a strong increase in the spleen, kidneys, liver.
4. The bladder contains red fluid.
5. The gallbladder is filled with thick and viscous bile, unable to be thrown into the stomach.
6. The heart muscle is most often enlarged by almost 2 times, there is swelling of the lungs and brain.

Course of the disease

To understand the essence of any disease, you need to know how it proceeds, what you need to pay attention to. As a rule, any pathogen has a certain incubation period, which then turns into an acute or chronic form.

The incubation period for the development of the disease

Piroplasmosis (babesiosis) of cattle begins from the incubation period. The stronger the immunity of the animal, the longer it is impossible to determine that it is sick. This period can last 10-15 days. Then comes the acute form.

Strong cows and bulls most often, if treatment for piroplasmosis of cattle is started in a timely manner, survive, but weakened, emaciated ones, as a rule, die. The development of the disease does not depend on breed and sex.

Particular attention should be paid to calves that are not yet 3 months old, since the symptoms of babesiosis are practically not observed in them. Young animals up to 1 year old are more susceptible to the causative agent of an infectious disease; if treatment is not started in time, no more than 50% of young animals survive.

Existing infections can aggravate the treatment and survival of cattle from piroplasmosis:

• brucellosis;
• leukemia;
• tuberculosis.

In these situations, the probability of death of cattle increases several times.

How does the infection occur?

The period in early spring, when cattle are driven out to pasture after winter sludge, coincides with the time ticks wake up from hibernation. It is at this time that insects are especially actively waiting for prey. Clinging to the wool of cattle with their paws, ticks infected with babesiosis slowly move along the body of the animal, looking for a place convenient for the bite.

When the operation is performed, parasites enter the bloodstream from an infected tick along with saliva. They immediately penetrate the erythrocytes and begin to multiply intensively.

First, in each erythrocyte there are 1-4 causative agents of bovine piroplasmosis, then their number increases sharply. The pests that appeared in the blood cells, along with them, quickly move throughout the animal’s body, affecting various internal organs, including the heart and blood vessels. As a result of the vital activity of the piroplasm, erythrocytes are destroyed.

Cattle infected with babesiosis during the incubation period and during the acute course of the disease continue to be sent for grazing. It is impossible to exclude repeated bites of ticks.

If even a healthy insect bites a cow, then it will receive a share of piroplasm and become dangerous. Having fed on the blood of animals, ticks fall off and lay eggs. In the next season, a new generation of ticks infected with bovine piroplasmosis will appear.

Diagnostics

To make the necessary diagnosis, it is necessary to conduct a clinical and pathomorphological study. For this, blood is taken for analysis in cattle and examined for the presence of piroplasms in erythrocytes. Rapid diagnosis and timely treatment will save the lives of animals.

As a rule, the destruction of 35-100% of erythrocytes is observed in the cattle that died from piroplasmosis.

Treatment of piroplasmosis in cattle

Upon detection of symptoms of the disease or after receiving the results of the study for the presence of piroplasm in erythrocytes, the animals must be separated from the rest of the herd. They will need enhanced and high-quality feeding. Also, animals are protected from stress, as they exacerbate the process of disease development.

Features of food

Clean water in cattle with babesiosis should be constantly available. In addition, cattle are fed with sour milk, various vitamins and microelements necessary for recovery are added. As a rule, veterinarians recommend copper sulfate, vitamin B12.

Treatment

Most often, ordinary livestock owners do not have veterinary knowledge, so there is no need to self-medicate animal babesiosis. After examination and blood tests, the specialist prescribes special drugs:

1. Sterile solution “Trypanblau”. It is prepared in single doses and administered intravenously immediately after preparation. The dosage must be taken carefully. The fact is that a large amount of the drug causes the rapid decay of parasites. But the decay product returns to the blood again and leads to intoxication of the body. According to the instructions, 1 g of Trypanblau is required for 0,005 kg of live weight of cattle in order for the animal to recover smoothly.
2. Since piroplasmosis causes problems with the heart and digestive system, heart drugs and laxative solutions are needed to restore them.
3. “Trypaflavin”, “Flavacridin”. A 1% solution of drugs is calculated as follows: 1 g is enough for 0,004 kg of live weight. If the state of health of cattle worsens, specialists inject 2 times a day after 4 hours, inject the drug intravenously.
4. “Hemosporidine”. This 2% solution is injected under the skin 2 times a day, then take a break for a day. For 1 kg of weight – 0,5 mg.
5. “Piroplasmin” – 5% solution is used similarly.
6. “Azidine”. This 7% solution is administered subcutaneously, intramuscularly. The dose per 1 kg of live weight is 3,5 ml.
7. “Berenil”. This preparation is intended for administration to young or dairy cows. There is no negative effect on the mammary glands, milk can be drunk and given to calves, since the substance is excreted after 24 hours. A 7% solution is calculated in this way: for every 10 kg, 0,5 ml of the product is required. Injected under the skin or into a muscle.

Recovered cattle acquire non-sterile immunity, the duration of which is 4-12 months after treatment. Animals do not get sick again, as antibodies are formed in the blood.

Forecast

Owners of personal subsidiary farms or farms should use cultivated pastures where there are no ticks for grazing animals. If it becomes necessary to move cattle to a new place where there is a possibility of infection with babesiosis, then work should be planned for the winter period, when the insects are sleeping.

If the transfer is scheduled for the summer, then the animals must be treated 3 times with special acaricidal preparations with a break of 5 days. For this you can use:

• sevin
• arsenic sodium;
• chlorophos.

As soon as an outbreak of piroplasmosis has been noted, prophylactic injections are carried out for all animals on the farm. They are injected with “Berenil” or “Tripansin”.

Land reclamation and agrotechnical measures help to protect cattle from piroplasmosis. It is also recommended to have several sites in order to graze cattle in one place for no more than a month.

Dogs and other farm animals that find themselves in a pasture infected with babesiosis can bring ticks on their fur, which then crawl onto cows and calves.

Preventive measures

Since bovine piroplasmosis is a dangerous disease, mass destruction of animals can be avoided if prophylaxis is carried out:

1. If ticks are found on pastures, then there is no need to drive cattle to them. It is better to take advantage of the cultural areas in which special processing was carried out.
2. If it becomes necessary to move the herd to another pasture, then the skin of the animals must be treated with acaricidal preparations and the entire population, without exception, “Berenil” should be administered.
3. Pasture should be changed at least 21-30 days.
4. The territories adjacent to the farm are treated with anti-tick drugs.

Mass infection of cattle with piroplasmosis can lead to death if appropriate preventive measures are not taken. And if the animals are sick, then treatment should be started from the moment the first symptoms are detected.

Is piroplasmosis dangerous for humans?

Bovine babesiosis can occur in humans, but is very rare. It’s all about different pathogens. Therefore, contact with infected cows is not harmful:

1. A person can safely clean the stalls, clean the animals, milk and feed.
2. Dairy products also do not pose a danger, since it is impossible to become infected with cattle babesiosis from them.

But since the treatment of cattle for babesiosis, it is necessary to limit the consumption of milk, since drugs can adversely affect human health. As soon as the animal is cured, milk, sour cream, cottage cheese can be included in the diet.

Conclusion

Babesiosis of cattle is an infectious disease that can lead to the death of animals. Unfortunately, the owners of private backyards do not have the opportunity to change grazing areas or treat pastures with special preparations. Moreover, in recent years, ticks have significantly expanded their habitat.

That is why the owners of household plots to prevent the disease of cattle with piroplasmosis (babesiosis) are recommended to treat animals with acaricidal agents several times a season. They can be purchased at veterinary pharmacies.