Parasitological and Molecular Incidence of Trypanosoma Evansi in Dromedary Camels of Gujarat, India

Abstract

The present study was aimed to assess the incidence of T. evansi infections in camel in Saurashtra region of Gujarat, India, through microscopy and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods. Blood samples were collected from 192 camels, randomly. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of Field’s stain, Giemsa stain and RoTat1.2 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays for detection of T. evansi in blood samples was evaluated. T. evansi infection recorded in camels based on Field’s stain, Giemsa stain and RoTat1.2 PCR assays was 3.23%, 8.85% and 22.39%, respectively. Sensitivity of Field’s stain was 35.29% while PCR test had 100% sensitivity in comparison to Giemsa stain for the detection of T. evansi in blood samples. The analytical sensitivity of newly developed RoTat1.2 PCR assay was determined as 1.07 pg of purified whole blood genomic DNA. Epidemiologically, T. evansi was an important pathogen in camels of all age groups but more prevalent in adult animals and in monsoon season.