IDENTIFICATION OF THEILERIA SPECIES (Theileria ovis and Theileria lestoquardi) BY PCR IN APPEARENTLY HEALTHY SMALL RUMINANTS IN AND AROUND MULTAN, SOUTHERN PUNJAB, PAKISTAN

Small ruminants (sheep and goats) in Asian agriculture system maintain a valuable biological and economical role. Theileriosis, a tick borne disease considered major deterrents in health and productive performance of small ruminants. Both domestic and wild small ruminants of tropical world are infected with Theileria species infection. Ticks and Tick-borne diseases caused annual loss of USS 7000million throughout the world. Two Theileria species Theileria ovis and Theileria lestoquardi are responsible for ovine theileriosis in Pakistan. Information about ovine theileriosis is limited and further research is needed to understand its epidemiology. In present study PCR assay was used to diagnose the prevalence of theileriosis and potential risk factors involvedin the spread of theileriosis in small ruminants from district Multan, Pakistan. Out of 300 collected blood samples of sheep and goats from different herds, PCR amplification revealed 17.0% samples positive or Theileria species infection while microscopy revealed only 3.7 % samples positive. Out of 51 positive samples, T. ovisandT. lestoquardi wasdiagnosed 60.8% and 35.2 % respectively while two animals (4.0%) had mixed infection of both Theilria species based on PCR. Theileriaspecies infection observed significantly (p<0.05) higherin sheep (24.66%) than in goats (9.33%). The prevalence of T. ovisand T. lestoquardiwas higher in sheep (14% and 9.4%) compared to goats (5.3% and 4.0%) while mixed infection of both species was found (1.33%) only in blood samples collected from sheep. The herds consisting sheep only and age of the studied animalswas found statistical significant (p < 0.05) for the spread of ovine theileriosis. The results revealed that PCR is sensitive and specific molecular tool for the investigation of ovine theileriosis and can be used for screening of piroplasms in small ruminants.