Title: Antioxidants as an adjunct therapy in clinical management of babesiosis in cattle: A novel approach

Authors: RM Shinde, AU Bhikane, BW Naraladkar and PS Masare

Source: Ruminant Science (2019)-8(1):93-100

Cite this reference as: Shinde RM, Bhikane AU, Naraladkar BW and Masare PS (2019). Antioxidants as an adjunct therapy in clinical management of babesiosis in cattle: A novel approach. Ruminant Science 8(1):93-100.

Abstract

Babesiosis is an economically important and commonly encountered haemoprotozoan disease of cattle in India. Out of 1205 clinical cases of cattle, 24 animals were found clinically positive for babesiosis, indicating an overall hospital prevalence of 1.99 per cent. The disease was found to be more prevalent in male indigenous cattle above four years of age during summer. The babesiosis affected cattle exhibited anorexia, weakness, haemoglobinuria, anaemia, jaundice, rise in body temperature (102.8±0.41oF), tachycardia (84.16±2.94/min) and rapid respiration (29.95±1.97per min). Haematologically significant decrease in haemoglobin (6.71±0.57 g/dl), packed cell volume (20.37±1.45%) and total erythrocyte count (4.64±0.41× 106/µl) with a non-significant decrease in total leucocyte count and platelet count was noticed. On serum biochemical analysis, serum total (3.35±0.32 mg/dl), direct (1.27±0.16 mg/dl) and indirect (1.98±0.06 mg/dl) bilirubin, serum urea nitrogen (30.98±1.03 mg/dl) and serum creatinine (1.47±0.04 mg/dl)) values were found significantly higher in affected animals as compared to healthy cattle. Urine analysis revealed significantly decreased pH (7.47±0.24) and increased specific gravity (1.02±0.02) with bilirubinuria. Post-mortem examination showed pale-icteric carcass, hepatomegaly, distended gall bladder, splenomegaly, blackish kidneys and coffee coloured urine in the bladder. Therapeutic trials were conducted on 24 clinical cases of babesiosis in cattle divided into 2 treatment groups Viz. Group A  (Diminazene diaceturate alone) and Group B (Diminazene diaceturate and Vit. E plus Selenium) comprising 12 animals each. The overall recovery rate was the same in both treatment groups (91.67%), but the recovery was faster in diminazene diaceturate with Vit. E and selenium treated group (2.33±0.54 days) as compared to those treated with diminazene diaceturate alone (3.16±0.57 days). Thus it is concluded that the Vit E plus selenium therapy can be used as an adjunct therapy for the management of oxidative stress induced intravascular haemolysis in babesiosis in cattle.

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