Immunological Response of Black Bengal Goats to Haemonchus contortus Dominant Acquired Gastrointestinal Nematode Infection
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.48165/ijvsbt.21.1.07Keywords:
Gastrointestinal nematodes, Goats, Haemato-biochemical, ImmunologicalAbstract
Goat farming is severely affected by gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs) infection, which is most commonly prevalent and leads to huge production and economic losses. In the present study, total 261 Black Bengal goats, in the age group of 6 months to 2 years, were coprologically screened by flotation technique. The faecal egg count (FEC) per gram (EPG) of faeces was estimated by modified McMaster Technique and pooled faecal samples were cultured to identify dominant GINs. Based on FEC, 90 goats were categorized in to 3 groups; highly infected (EPG > 600), low infected (EPG < 200), non-infected (EPG=0) group and blood samples from selected animals were collected for estimation of haemato-biochemical and immunological parameters. Results revealed that H. contortus was dominant nematode from coproculture with 58% L3 population. The highly infected group had significantly (p<0.01) lower values of Hb, PCV, PEC than the low infective and non-infective groups. Serum protein, albumin and globulin concentrations were reduced significantly (p<0.01) in both the infected groups compared to the non-infected group. FAMACHA score was found to be significantly (p<0.01) higher in the highly infected group than the low infected group. The H. contortus specific serum IgA values were comparatively higher than IgG values (p<0.01) in highly infected group than low infected group. Study revealed that GINs infections cause alterations in haemato-biochemical profile leading to development of pathological condition. IgG may be crucial in lowering the intensity of GIN infection in goats, but research is needed to determine the role IgA in GIN immunity in goats, as it was higher in the group with the highest infection level.Downloads
References
Ahmad, M., & Ansari, J.A. (1989). Effect of haemonchosis on haematology and non-specific phosphomonoesterase activities in sheep and goats. Helminthologia, 26(4), 295-302.
Ahmed, A., Dar, M.A., Bhat, A.A., Jena, B., Mishra, G.K., & Tiwari, R.P. (2015). Study on haemato-biochemical profile in goats suffering from gastrointestinal parasitism in Jaipur district of Rajasthan. Journal of Livestock Science, 6, 52-55.
Amarante, A.F.T., Bricarello, P.A., Huntley, J.F., Mazzolin, L.P., & Gomes, J.C. (2005). Relationship of abomasal histology and parasite-specific immunoglobulin A with the resistance to Haemonchus contortus infection in three breeds of sheep. Veterinary Parasitology, 128(1-2), 99-107.
Baker, R.L., & Gray, G.D. (2004). Appropriate breeds and breeding schemes for sheep and goats in the tropics. RA Sani, GD Gray, RL Baker (Eds.), In: Worm Control for Small Ruminants in Tropical Asia, Monograph no. 113, Australian Centre for International Agriculture Research (ACIAR), Canberra, Australia, 63-75.
Bambou, J.C., de la Chevrotière, C., Varo, H., Arquet, R., Kooyman, F. N., & Mandonnet, N. (2008). Serum antibody responses in Creole kids experimentally infected with Haemonchus contortus. Veterinary Parasitology, 158(4), 311-318.
Bordoloi, G., Jas, R., & Ghosh, J.D. (2012). Parasitological and haemato-biochemical response to Haemonchus contortus infection in Garole sheep. Indian Journal of Animal Sciences, 82(4), 359-362.
Cardia, D.F.F., Rocha-Oliveira, R.A., Tsunemi, M.H., & Amarante, A.F.T. (2011). Immune response and performance of growing Santa Ines lambs to artificial Trichostrongylus colubriformis infections. Veterinary Parasitology, 182(2-4), 248-258.
Chirkena, K., Getachew, S., Beyene, G., & Dinede, G. (2016). Haematological parameters of sheep: An aid in the diagnosis of gastrointestinal (GIT) and respiratory diseases. Natural Sciences, 14(5), 97-102.
Dawkins, H.J.S., Windon, R.G., & Eagleson, G.K. (1989). Eosinophil responses in sheep selected for high and low responsiveness to Trichostrongylus colubriformis. International Journal for Parasitology, 19(2), 199-205.
de la Chevrotière, C., Bambou, J.C., Arquet, R., Jacquiet, P., & Mandonnet, N. (2012). Genetic analysis of the potential role of IgA and IgE responses against Haemonchus contortus in parasite resistance of Creole goats. Veterinary Parasitology, 186(3-4), 337-343.
Hassan Basri, B.N.H. (2019). The response of Boer goats to natural and deliberate gastrointestinal nematode infection.PhD Thesis. University of Glasgow.
Jas, R., & Ghosh, J.D. (2009). Economic impact of gastrointestinal nematodosis in sheep: Enhanced meat production by anthelmintic treatment. Indian Journal of Animal Sciences, 79(8), 3-5.
Kaplan, R.M., Burke, J.M., Terrill, T.H., Miller, J.E., Getz, W.R., Mobini, S., Valencia, E., Williamson, M.J., Larsen, M., & Vatta, A.F. (2004). Validation of the FAMACHA eyecolor chart for detecting clinical anaemia in sheep and goats on farms in the southern United States. Veterinary Parasitology, 123(1-2), 105-120.
MAFF. (1986). Manual of Veterinary Parasitological Laboratory Techniques. HM Stationery Office, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, London, p. 14-15.
McBean, D., Nath, M., Kenyon, F., Zile, K., Bartley, D. J., & Jackson, F. (2016). Faecal egg counts and immune markers in a line of Scottish Cashmere goats selected for resistance to gastrointestinal nematode parasite infection. Veterinary Parasitology, 229, 1-8.
Miller, J.E., & Horohov, D.W. (2006). Immunological aspects of nematode parasite control in sheep. Journal of Animal Science, 84(13), E124-E132.
Pal, G.K. (2006). Textbook of Practical Physiology. 2nd edn., Orient Blackswan.
Palmar, D., Chandra, D., Prasad, A., Singh, E., Kaur, N., & Nasir, A.(2019). Haemato-biochemical alterations in sheep due to experimentally induced Haemonchus contortus infection. International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences, 8(5), 2371-2376.
Pernthaner, A., Cole, S.A., Morrison, L., Green, R., Shaw, R.J., & Hein, W.R. (2006). Cytokine and antibody subclass responses in the intestinal lymph of sheep during repeated experimental infections with the nematode parasite Trichostrongylus colubriformis. Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology, 114(1-2), 135-148.
Sharma, D.K, Chauhan, P.P.S., & Agrawal, R.D. (2000). Haematological changes in experimental haemonchosis in Barbari goats. Journal of Animal Science, 70(4), 353-355.
Soulsby, E.J.L. (1982). Helminths, Arthropods and Protozoa of Domesticated Animals. 7th edn., Bailliere Tindall.
Sweeney, T., Hanrahan, J.P., Ryan, M.T., & Good, B. (2016). Immunogenomics of gastrointestinal nematode infection in ruminants – breeding for resistance to produce food sustainably and safely. Parasite Immunology, 38(6), 569-586.
Van Wyk, J.A., & Mayhew, E. (2013). Morphological identification of parasitic nematode infective larvae of small ruminants and cattle: A practical lab guide. Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research, 80, 539.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Indian Journal of Veterinary Sciences and Biotechnology
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
