PREVALENCE AND DETERMINANTS OF BOVINE BABESIOSIS IN SYLHET DISTRICT OF BANGLADESH

Abstract

Bovine Babesiosis is an endemic hemoprotozoan disease and occurs in cattle of several areas of Bangladesh including Sylhet. The determinants of this disease have not been explored extensively in this study area. So, the aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence and to identify the determinants of bovine babesiosis in cattle of Sylhet district by microscopic examination of Giemsa stained thin blood smears. Blood samples were collected randomly from selected 409 cattle of 64 cattle farms from 12 upazilas of Sylhet district during an eightmonth

period starting from October, 2014 through May, 2015. Animal and herd level information were collected from farmers record book and by interviewing farm owners by using a well-designed questionnaire. Prevalence was calculated as a proportion of infected cattle/farms in total number of cattle/farms tested. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify the determinants of bovine babesiosis. Overall animal level prevalence was 17.84% and farm level prevalence was 67.19%. The highest prevalence of bovine babesiosis at animal level was in Jaintapur upazila (36%) and the lowest at Golapganj (3.70%). Highest farm prevalence was found also at Jaintapur along with Gowainghat upazila (100%) and the lowest in Golapganj (20%). This study revealed that age of animal, tick infestation and uses of acaricide was significantly (p<0.01) associated with Bovine babesiosis. The results of this study identified some determinants of babesiosis which can be used for planning adoptive surveillance and control measures for bovine babesiosis. However, to explore other epidemiological indices like host and vector range, spread, spatial and temporal trends advanced serological and molecular techniques and investigation is necessary.