Publications by authors named "Ravindran Reghu"

The increasing population of dogs and changes in the climatic conditions have resulted in the emergence and re-emergence of vector-borne diseases in canines. These vectors borne diseases in canines pose a diagnostic challenge to the field veterinarians because of co-infections with several pathogens. Comprehensive data on the prevalence of haemoparasites and haemorickettsiales in pet and community owned dogs from south India are scant.

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Haemotropic mycoplasmas (haemoplasmas) are obligate epierythrocytic bacteria that infect a wide range of vertebrate hosts. The molecular characterisation of  organisms in dogs has not previously been attempted from India. Hence, in the present study, the molecular characterisation of  spp.

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Economic importance of ticks for both humans and animals is significant primarily because of their involvement in disease transmission. The continuous use of synthetic chemical acaricides on animals and/or in the environment has resulted in the emergence of resistant tick populations. Consequently, there is a compelling need to explore newer natural alternatives that can address their adverse effects effectively.

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Amblyomma integrum is a large gooseberry sized longirostrate tick (when fully repleted) found in India and Sri Lanka. In Kerala (India), this tick is commonly found in the forest and its fringe areas frequently infesting deer and hence it is locally known as "maan chellu / maanunny" (deer tick). In the present study, molecular characterisation and phylogenetic analysis of A.

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Canine babesiosis, caused by Babesia gibsoni is one of the most significant tick-borne illnesses across the world. Light microscopy as well as polymerase chain reaction may fail in the diagnosis of disease when the level of parasitaemia is very low during subclinical and chronic cases. The serological techniques using a recombinant protein will be useful for the accurate and sensitive surveillance of the disease, especially in chronic cases.

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Ticks are hematophagous ectoparasites of economic consequence by virtue of being carriers of infectious diseases that affect livestock and other sectors of the agricultural industry. A widely prevalent tick species, () , has been recognized as a prime vector of tick-borne diseases in South Indian regions. Over time, the use of chemical acaricides for tick control has promoted the evolution of resistance to these widely used compounds through metabolic detoxification.

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Transovarial transmission (TOT) is an efficient vertical transmission of pathogens that is observed in many arthropod vectors. This method seems to be an evolutionarily unique development observed only in Babesia sensu stricto (clade VI) and Rickettsia spp., whereas transstadial transmission is the common/default way of transmission.

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The prevalence of canine babesiosis due to Babesia gibsoni has increased throughout the world including in southern India. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based molecular characterization of B. gibsoni in dogs of Kerala, south India, targeting three specific genes viz.

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Ticks of the genus Rhipicephalus infesting cattle are the primary animal pests responsible for the annual economic loss of billions of dollars. Due to the morphological resemblance among the members of the Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) genus, species identification is very difficult. In this study, the adult R.

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This study aimed to investigate the presence of pathogens in the engorged ticks infesting domestic cattle, their ova, and unfed larvae. The engorged female ticks infesting domestic cattle of Wayanad district of Kerala, south India were collected and kept for oviposition. The dead females after the complete oviposition, their egg masses, and unfed larvae were screened for the presence of various pathogens by specific PCRs.

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Chemical acaricides are widely used for the effective control of ticks in India. The synthetic pyrethroids, are one of the most popular chemical acaricides with selective neurotoxic potential. Flumethrin is a type II synthetic pyrethroid used extensively in veterinary practice in India.

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Babesia gibsoni, the causative agent of canine piroplasmosis, is a tick-borne intraerythrocytic protozoan parasite predominantly reported in Asian countries. The present study aimed at genotypic characterization of B. gibsoni isolates prevalent in dogs in Kerala, a southern state of India.

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Purpose: Toxocara canis is a common intestinal nematode parasite of dogs with recognized zoonotic potential in tropical countries. The purpose of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of anti-T. canis antibodies in two target dog populations: household and community-owned, distributed over three distinct geographical regions of India.

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Prostaglandins are a group of important cell-signaling molecules involved in the regulation of ovarian maturation, oocyte development, egg laying and associated behaviors in invertebrates. However, the presence of prostaglandin E (PGE), the key enzymes for PGE biosynthesis and its interference by drugs were not investigated previously in the ovary of ticks. The present study was undertaken to assess the modulation of the PGE-mediated pathway in the eclosion blocking effect of flumethrin and terpenoid subfraction isolated from in ticks.

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Amitraz, a member of the formamidine pesticide family, commonly used for ectoparasite control, is applied as a dip or low-pressure hand spray to cattle and swine, and the neck collar on dogs. Data on amitraz were generated mainly on laboratory animals, hens, dogs, and baboons. The data on the toxicity and disposition of amitraz in animals and its residues in the milk are inadequate.

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Azithromycin is a macrolide antimicrobial agent of the azalide group with a broad spectrum of activity against gram-negative and gram-positive bacterial organisms. Tolfenamic acid is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug of the fenamate group, which is used extensively in humans and animals due to its anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipyretic properties. There is dearth of literature on any type of drug interaction between azithromycin and tolfenamic acid in any species, including human beings and alteration of its pharmacokinetics by fever.

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In the present study, 111 blood samples were collected from apparently healthy cats belonging to four districts of Kerala, southern India, and they were investigated for the presence of hemoparasites and hemoplasmas by light microscopic examination and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The microscopic examination of the Giemsa-stained blood smears did not reveal any parasites/organisms. However, PCR followed by nucleotide sequencing could detect 10 (9.

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Article Synopsis
  • - Humans have historically utilized various plant parts for preventing and treating illnesses, with many plants containing beneficial secondary metabolites known for their biological activities, such as antitumor and anti-inflammatory effects.
  • - The study focuses on Pamp. (Compositae), a plant used in southern India for controlling pests, particularly assessing the acaricidal activity of its ethanolic leaf extract against ticks, which are known to spread serious diseases and negatively impact livestock production.
  • - Chemical tick control methods face challenges like high costs and environmental risks, making plant-based formulations a promising alternative, with prior research supporting the efficacy of various medicinal plants in combatting ectoparasites.
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The objective of the present study was to detect the chosen nucleotide DNA or RNA sequences of the pathogens in ticks of domestic and wild animals of Kerala, South India based on molecular techniques. Among 602 ticks collected, 413 were from bovines (cattle and buffalo), 26 from goats, 101 from dogs and 62 from wild animals. Amblyomma integrum, Am.

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In the present study, the cytotoxic effects of amitraz, an octopamine receptor agonist on the reproductive system of engorged adult females of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus were assessed using histology, electron microscopy and octopamine beta (OCTβ) receptor transcriptional expression analysis. Adult immersion test (AIT) was performed by immersing the fully engorged female ticks for 2 min in different concentrations of amitraz (200, 250, 300, 350 ppm). Amitraz at the dose of 300 ppm, caused an adult tick mortality of 16.

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Background: We aimed to focus on the ixodid ticks parasitizing wild mammals and reptiles from Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, Western Ghat, southern India.

Methods: The taxonomic identification of ticks collected from wild mammals and reptiles was performed based on the morphology of adults.

Results: We revealed eight species of ticks including, , () , () , () , () , () , and s.

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Article Synopsis
  • Ticks and tick-borne diseases (TTBDs) cause significant economic losses in India's livestock sector, with annual control costs reaching approximately $498.7 million, highlighting the impact of diseases like babesiosis, theileriosis, and anaplasmosis on cattle health.
  • The study conducted molecular characterization of field isolates of Babesia and Anaplasma species from 199 healthy adult female cattle in Kerala, discovering infections through microscopy and genus-specific PCR, leading to identification of Babesia bigemina and Anaplasma marginale, among others.
  • Phylogenetic analysis indicated two populations of Babesia circulating in infected cattle, revealing genetic diversity, while Anaplasma isolates were grouped with global strains, marking this research as
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The canine and zoonotic dirofilarioses are arthropod-borne parasitic infections caused by nematodes of the genus Dirofilaria, infecting canines, felines and humans throughout the world. Dirofilaria repens was considered as the most common cause of human dirofilariosis in Kerala. In the present study, molecular characterization of Dirofilaria isolates causing dirofilariosis in humans, dogs and jackal from Kerala, South India was undertaken by performing sequence and phylogenetic analysis based on cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene.

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The present study compares the in vitro efficacy of four chemical acaricides, viz. amitraz, coumaphos, deltamethrin and lindane, against Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus and Haemaphysalis bispinosa ticks based on adult immersion tests. Amitraz, at 350 ppm, elicited 29.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the effects of insecticides deltamethrin and amitraz on the reproductive cells of fully engorged female Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus ticks using ultrastructural analysis.
  • It discovered that untreated ticks' ovaries had oocytes at various developmental stages, characterized by distinct cell membranes and structures, while degenerative changes began five days post-engorgement.
  • Deltamethrin caused more severe damage to oocytes compared to amitraz, leading to changes such as wrinkling, nuclear membrane inconsistencies, and mitochondrial swelling.
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