Molecular prevalence of and in recently calved female cattle from Phayao, Thailand.

BACKGROUND AND AIM

and , the zoonotic protozoa responsible for toxoplasmosis and trypanosomiasis, are significant threats to the productivity and financial stability of livestock farming. can be transmitted horizontally through ingestion of fecal oocysts and through arthropod vectors. In addition, both species can be transmitted from mother to fetus through the placenta. This study aimed to assess the molecular prevalence of and transplacental-transmitted protozoans and to identify the epidemiological risk factors in recently calved female cattle across Phayao, Thailand.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We collected 106 bovine placentas from beef and dairy cow full-term pregnancies in Phayao, Thailand. and DNA were detected using targeted B1 gene and expression site-associated gene (ESAG) species-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR), respectively.

RESULTS

Forty-three placentas were positive for B1 PCR, whereas only one was positive for ESAG PCR, resulting in an overall prevalence of transplacental-transmitted protozoan infection of 41.5% (44/106). The prevalence of and was 40.6% (43/106) and 0.9% (1/106), respectively. No significant correlation was found between infection and various risk factors, including locality, age, and cattle type.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of transplacental-transmitted protozoan infection was high among female cattle in Phayao, Thailand, whereas the prevalence of infection was notably lower. Although the conventional modes of transmission differ between these two parasites, the transplacental transmission of and especially may play a crucial role in the persistence of these protozoan species in this area.