Brian Lassen Eesti Maaülikool

Parasites are not “sexy” diseases! Do they cause any “real” problems?

agebb.missouri.edu/select/overview.ht m BCS Do parasites cause any real problems? Corruption as analogy

agebb.missouri.edu/select/overview.ht m BCS Do parasites cause any real problems? Corruption as analogy

agebb.missouri.edu/select/overview.ht m BCS Do parasites cause any real problems? Corruption as analogy When is everyones problem your problem?

Stress incl. infectious diseases Coccidia in cattle: Eimeria Cryptosporidium

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Cryptosporidium life cycle Macrogamont Acid-fast staining method Sporozoites

Eimeria and Cryptosporidium Overview EimeriaCryptosporidium Life cycleDirectDirect InfectsIntestineIntestine Infective stageOocystsOocysts Prepatent period15-24 days * 3-12 days Patent period2-11 days * 0 days Clinical signs“Diarrhoea (bloody)”“Diarrhoea”Reduced wt gainLoss of appetite * E. alabamensis, E. bovis, E. zuernii

Eimeria in Estonia 100% Vanus (kuud)‏ % - Eimeria spp. + Eimeria spp. Alar Karis (1987): National prevalence: 100% Sample prevalence: 35% (0-94%)‏

Eimeria in Estonia P = Pathogenic P P (P)‏ Alar Karis (1987)2007

Cryptosporidium in Estonia 86.7% Talvik and Daugschies (2004): Case study of calves with diarrhoea Eimeria and Cryptosporidium Mainly C. parvum (zoonotic)‏

Diarrhea is fairly common (17.4% of samples)‏ Diarrhea most common in youngest animals (25.6%), both pathogens Diarrhoea and coccidia Diarrhea in mainly 3-12 month old animals infected with Eimeria Diarrhea in older animals mainly infected with Cryptosporidium

Parasites are not “sexy” diseases! Why bother with coccidia? What does it cost? What is the best action? Do they cause any “real” problems?

Costs of Eimeria spp. to the dairy farmer Normal growth Altered growth (Eimeria)‏ Model (SimHerd)‏ Mortality Reduction in growth Global annual loss estimate by Fitzgerald 731 bill. US$ (1980)‏ 1,659 bill. US$ (2005)‏ Scenarios Worst case effects Best guess (status quo)‏ Low case effects

Costs of Eimeria spp. to the dairy farmer Ten year period. Herd size: 100. High infection and death risk.

Costs of Eimeria spp. to the dairy farmer 104,000 cattle in Estonia (2007) amounting to losses between million EEK/year (low-high estimate)‏ Treatment of all new calves (~90,000/year) with Toltrazuril products cost ~6.75 million EEK/year Globally 1,339,000,000 cattle in the world Losses: billion US$/year (Fitzgerald in 1980 currency: 346-1,385 bill. US$/year)‏ Prophylactic?Metaphylactic?Therapeutic?Prophylactic?

Actions to prevent coccidiosis Management! Removing sick animals Don't mix age groups Late turn out Pasture rotation (grazing)‏ Frequent cleaning <15 ºC in farm <80% humidity in farm(ventilation)‏ Slatted floors Low animal density Dormant period before reusing pens

The fast solution

Neospora caninum life cycle

Neospora caninum Reported abortions 2007: 845 (0.9%)‏ Reported stillbirths 2007: 6773 (7.0%)‏

Neospora caninum in Estonia Bulk milk samples 26% % 2008 N=65 N= % 2005 N= % N= Hurkova, L., Halova, D., Modry, P. The prevalence of Neospora caninum antibodies in bulk milk of dairy herds in the Czeck Republic: a case report Vet. Med. - Czeck, 12, Eihvalde, E., Keidans, P., Antane V. Serological examination of bulk milk samples to neosporosis in Lativa and comparison of cow's morphological composition of blood. The 2nd Scandinavian – Baltic Symposium for Parasitology Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, Rovaniemi, Finland: 31

Example Table 2: The cause of treatment time against gastro-intestinal parasites in small ruminant flocks in Norway Others* Dry period (non- lactating period)‏ 00.50Faecal egg count Clinical signs Experience/climatic conditions Sheep (n=628)‏ Dairy goats (n=201)‏ Non-lactating goats (n=29)‏ *housing time most common Other Weight of the heaviest animal Mean weight Visual appraisal of weight Individual weight Sheep (n=626)‏Goat (n=212)‏ Table 3: Estimation of the dose of anthelmintic used (%) in small ruminant flocks Treatment procedures against gastro-intestinal parasite infection in small ruminant flocks in Norway Atle V. Meling Domke1, Christophe Chartier2, Bjørn Gjerde3, Nils Leine4, Synnøve Vatn5, Olav Østerås3, Snorre Stuen1 1Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, Sandnes 2AFSSA Niort, France; 3Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, Oslo; 4Norwegian Goat Health Service, Oslo; 5Norwegian Sheep Health Service, Oslo Who do you consult when in doubt about treatment? 1. Neighbors 2. Family. My veterinarian

Diagnostic investigations in Estonia Rapid tests Not sensitive to infection intensity and species!

Individual samples! (min. info.: age)‏ Do I have eimeriosis? Species! Intensity! Diagnose

Climate Change and parasites Change in climate opens new opportunities for parasitic pathogens in areas they could previously not survive......but it is humans who introduce the new parasites! New habitats TourismImportNew hosts