Prevalence of Theileria mutans in swamp buffalo

P. Ramakrishnan and O. Abas Mazni

Abstract

To determine the prevalence of Theileria mutans  in swamp buffalo, 52% out of 219 non-emaciated swamp buffaloes were found to be infected with this haemoprotozoa. There was no significant difference between the infected and uninfected buffaloes for all haematological parameters, mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration values. However, out of 49 blood samples collected from emaciated buffaloes at the same site, 63.26% of the animals, were found to be infected with this haemoprotozoa. In this group of animals haematological parameters, mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration values were significantly lower (p <0.05) in the infected animals as compared with the uninfected buffaloes. In addition, the proportion of infected animals was also found to be significantly higher (p <0.05) than the uninfected animals in the group of emaciated animals. This study shows that the T. mutans  probably become more pathogenic when the swamp buffaloes are weak and in poor body condition.

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