Optimization of In-House Indirect-ELISA & EITB Assays Employing Antigens for Serological Detection and PCR Assays for Molecular Detection of Porcine Cysticercosis.

Background: Porcine cysticercosis, caused by metacestodes of is an important neglected zoonosis. We evaluated the presence of anti-cysticercal antibodies and specific DNA in pig sera and blood samples respectively collected from Maharashtra, India.

Methods: A total of three antigens (Scolex Antigen (SA), Membrane Body Antigen (MBA) and Excretory-Secretory Antigen (ESA)) were prepared from metacestodes of and employed in an in-house developed indirect-IgG ELISA for serological screening of 1000 porcine sera samples at Department of Veterinary Public Health, Nagpur Veterinary College, Maharashtra, India.

Pathological and molecular identification of porcine cysticercosis in Maharashtra, India.

Porcine cysticercosis, caused by metacestodes of Taenia solium is an important emerging zoonotic disease with public health and economic significance. Pigs acquire the disease through consumption of Taenia solium eggs excreted by human tapeworm carriers. The present study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of porcine cysticercosis in Nagpur and Mumbai region of Maharashtra, India by P/M examination of carcasses followed by histopathology of affected organs in infected animals and molecular identification of cysts for confirmation.

Prevalence and Phylogenetic Analysis of Orientia tsutsugamushi in Rodents and Mites from Central India.

Orientia tsutsugamushi, the causative agent of scrub typhus in humans, is an obligate intracytosolic bacterium transmitted among animals and to humans by some species of larval trombiculid mites (chiggers) and is hosted mainly by rodents. In this study, we attempted detection of O. tsutsugamushi from blood and tissue samples of rodents trapped from different locations in Central India using PCR targeting the 56 kDa outer membrane protein gene and the 47 kDa high temperature transmembrane protein gene.

PCR diagnosis of tick-borne pathogens in Maharashtra state, India indicates fitness cost associated with carrier infections is greater for crossbreed than native cattle breeds.

Tick-borne pathogens (TBP) are responsible for significant economic losses to cattle production, globally. This is particularly true in countries like India where TBP constrain rearing of high yielding Bos taurus, as they show susceptibility to acute tick borne disease (TBD), most notably tropical theileriosis caused by Theileria annulata. This has led to a programme of cross breeding Bos taurus (Holstein-Friesian or Jersey) with native Bos indicus (numerous) breeds to generate cattle that are more resistant to disease.