Epidemiology, Clinical Signs, and Risk Factors Associated with Theileriosis in Australian Cattle (2006–2022)

For over a decade, bovine anaemia caused by <i>Theileria orientalis</i> Ikeda has been a significant disease in the Australian cattle industry. In this study, we conducted a spatial and temporal analysis of theileriosis in Australia using historic data from submissions to the New South W...

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Main Authors: Emily Onizawa, Cheryl Jenkins
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-03-01
Series:Pathogens
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/13/3/253
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author Emily Onizawa
Cheryl Jenkins
author_facet Emily Onizawa
Cheryl Jenkins
author_sort Emily Onizawa
collection DOAJ
description For over a decade, bovine anaemia caused by <i>Theileria orientalis</i> Ikeda has been a significant disease in the Australian cattle industry. In this study, we conducted a spatial and temporal analysis of theileriosis in Australia using historic data from submissions to the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI) from 2006 to 2022, where herd history, clinical signs, and PCR results were available. Since the first detections of bovine theileriosis in the Sydney area in 2006, the disease spread north- and southward and is now endemic to the southeast coast of Australia, closely mirroring the distribution of the principal vector <i>Haemaphysalis longicornis.</i> Across all years, the prevalence of the Ikeda genotype was 88%, while the prevalence of the benign Chitose and Buffeli genotypes was 55% and 38%, respectively. The majority of submissions were from beef cattle in coastal NSW, with anaemia, fever, jaundice, abortion, and lethargy the most frequently reported clinical signs. Transportation was identified as the major risk factor for disease. Until 2015, the majority of cases were reported in adult cattle, while in later years, calves made up the majority of cases, most likely due to the widespread acquisition of immunity in adults. Calves were significantly more likely to present with diarrhoea, lethargy, and anaemia, and to suffer mortality, while adults were significantly more likely to present with jaundice. Instances of abortion were observed to be significantly associated with beef cattle. The relationship between the level of parasitaemia and anaemia revealed a strong negative correlation for all animals examined.
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spelling doaj.art-051f396f95ef45ff8bc2b179ce2566532024-03-27T13:58:57ZengMDPI AGPathogens2076-08172024-03-0113325310.3390/pathogens13030253Epidemiology, Clinical Signs, and Risk Factors Associated with Theileriosis in Australian Cattle (2006–2022)Emily Onizawa0Cheryl Jenkins1NSW Department of Primary Industries, Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, Menangle, NSW 2568, AustraliaNSW Department of Primary Industries, Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, Menangle, NSW 2568, AustraliaFor over a decade, bovine anaemia caused by <i>Theileria orientalis</i> Ikeda has been a significant disease in the Australian cattle industry. In this study, we conducted a spatial and temporal analysis of theileriosis in Australia using historic data from submissions to the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI) from 2006 to 2022, where herd history, clinical signs, and PCR results were available. Since the first detections of bovine theileriosis in the Sydney area in 2006, the disease spread north- and southward and is now endemic to the southeast coast of Australia, closely mirroring the distribution of the principal vector <i>Haemaphysalis longicornis.</i> Across all years, the prevalence of the Ikeda genotype was 88%, while the prevalence of the benign Chitose and Buffeli genotypes was 55% and 38%, respectively. The majority of submissions were from beef cattle in coastal NSW, with anaemia, fever, jaundice, abortion, and lethargy the most frequently reported clinical signs. Transportation was identified as the major risk factor for disease. Until 2015, the majority of cases were reported in adult cattle, while in later years, calves made up the majority of cases, most likely due to the widespread acquisition of immunity in adults. Calves were significantly more likely to present with diarrhoea, lethargy, and anaemia, and to suffer mortality, while adults were significantly more likely to present with jaundice. Instances of abortion were observed to be significantly associated with beef cattle. The relationship between the level of parasitaemia and anaemia revealed a strong negative correlation for all animals examined.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/13/3/253<i>Theileria orientalis</i> Ikedabovine anaemiadistributionAustralia<i>Haemaphysalis longicornis</i>
spellingShingle Emily Onizawa
Cheryl Jenkins
Epidemiology, Clinical Signs, and Risk Factors Associated with Theileriosis in Australian Cattle (2006–2022)
Pathogens
<i>Theileria orientalis</i> Ikeda
bovine anaemia
distribution
Australia
<i>Haemaphysalis longicornis</i>
title Epidemiology, Clinical Signs, and Risk Factors Associated with Theileriosis in Australian Cattle (2006–2022)
title_full Epidemiology, Clinical Signs, and Risk Factors Associated with Theileriosis in Australian Cattle (2006–2022)
title_fullStr Epidemiology, Clinical Signs, and Risk Factors Associated with Theileriosis in Australian Cattle (2006–2022)
title_full_unstemmed Epidemiology, Clinical Signs, and Risk Factors Associated with Theileriosis in Australian Cattle (2006–2022)
title_short Epidemiology, Clinical Signs, and Risk Factors Associated with Theileriosis in Australian Cattle (2006–2022)
title_sort epidemiology clinical signs and risk factors associated with theileriosis in australian cattle 2006 2022
topic <i>Theileria orientalis</i> Ikeda
bovine anaemia
distribution
Australia
<i>Haemaphysalis longicornis</i>
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/13/3/253
work_keys_str_mv AT emilyonizawa epidemiologyclinicalsignsandriskfactorsassociatedwiththeileriosisinaustraliancattle20062022
AT cheryljenkins epidemiologyclinicalsignsandriskfactorsassociatedwiththeileriosisinaustraliancattle20062022