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The first molecular investigation of Besnoitia besnoiti infections among cattle in Mosul, Iraq

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Abstract

Background

Bovine besnoitiosis (elephant skin disease) caused by Besnoitia besnoiti is a costly endemic disease in the Middle East, Asia, and tropical and subtropical Africa and is also emerging as a significant problem in Europe. This study is aimed at determining the prevalence of B. besnoiti in blood and skin biopsies of cattle as well as evaluating the risk factors associated with the infection among cattle in Mosul, Iraq.

Methods and results

To achieve this aim, four hundred and sixty apparently healthy cattle of different breeds, ages, and sexes were sampled from seven different locations in Mosul, Iraq. Blood and skin biopsies were carefully collected from each cattle, and these samples were subjected to molecular analysis. The detection of B. besnoiti was molecularly confirmed by the presence of 231 bp of ITS-1 in the rDNA gene of the protozoan. Besnoitia besnoiti DNA was present in 74 (16.09%; 95% CI = 13.01–19.72) and 49 (10.65%; 95% CI = 8.15–13.80) of the blood and skin biopsies, respectively, that were analyzed. Age, breed, and sex were significantly (p < 0.05) associated with the occurrence of B. besnoiti among cattle in the study area.

Conclusions

Findings from this study will serve as baseline data in the epidemiology, prevention, and control of the protozoan among cattle in Iraq.

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Data availability

No datasets were generated or analysed during the current study.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the cattle owners for granting us access to their cattle.

Funding

No funding was received for this study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Mosul, Mosul, Iraq

    Wasan Amjad Alobaidii

  2. Department of Animal Production Techniques, Northern Technical University, Mosul, Iraq

    Donea Abdulrazak Abdullah & Yahya Natiq Mohammed Alkatab

  3. Center of Technical Research, Northern Technical University, Mosul, Iraq

    Donea Abdulrazak Abdullah

  4. Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Kirkuk, Mosul, Iraq

    Shahad Abbas Ali

  5. Department of Veterinary Parasitology and Entomology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ilorin, PMB 1515, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria

    Shola David Ola-Fadunsin

  6. Department of Veterinary Parasitology and Entomology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria

    Fufa Ido Gimba

Authors
  1. Wasan Amjad Alobaidii
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  2. Donea Abdulrazak Abdullah
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  5. Shola David Ola-Fadunsin
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Contributions

Conceptualization: WAA; Data curation: WAA, DAA, YNMA, and SAA; Formal and statistical analyses: SDO and FIG; Funding acquisition: WAA, DAA, YNMA, and SAA; Methodology: WAA, DAA, YNMA, and SAA; Writing—original draft: SDO; Writing—review & editing: WAA, DAA, YNMA, SAA, and FIG.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shola David Ola-Fadunsin.

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Ethical approval

and/or informed consent

This work was performed in accordance with the guidelines of the Animal Care and Use Committee of the University of Mosul, Mosul, Iraq, with an ethical number (UM.VET.2020.03). The collection of blood samples and skin biopsies were carried out by veterinarians adhering to the regulations and guidelines on animal husbandry and welfare. Consent was sought and was willingly granted by the cattle owners before samples were collected.

All applicable institutional, national, and/or international guidelines for the collection of blood samples and skin biopsies from cattle were appropriately followed.

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The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest among them.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Alobaidii, W.A., Abdullah, D.A., Alkatab, Y.N.M. et al. The first molecular investigation of Besnoitia besnoiti infections among cattle in Mosul, Iraq. Mol Biol Rep 51, 585 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-024-09377-w

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