Clinicopathological Indications of Resilience of Swamp Buffaloes to Infection with Fasciola gigantica
Fasciolosis caused by Fasciola gigantica is a common disease among livestock such as swamp buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) in rice-producing areas in humid tropical regions. It causes a significant reduction in meat and milk production, growth rate, fertility and draught power in infected animals (Dargie, 1987). However, the extent to which infection adversely affects the production of infected animals depends on several factors, among which is the breed of susceptible animals. Different breeds of animals and individuals within the same breed manifest varying responses and resilience to infection (Spithill et at., 1999). For instance, differences in response to infection with F. gigantica were seen in Bali, Ongole and buffalo calves in terms of weight gain (E. Wiedosari, personal communication, 1997). This information demonstrates breed differences in response to F. gigantica infection and shows that swamp buffaloes are more resilient than cattle to F. gigantica. The clinicopathological responses of swamp buffaloes naturally infected with F. gigantica were evaluated in this study to determine whether these parameters would indicate resilience to natural infection with parasites.
Comparative studies of resistance on Indonesian Thin Tail (ITT) sheep, St. Croix, merino and the crossbreed of ITT and St. Croix, against the infection of Fasciola gigantica
resistance is heritable. In order to re-evaluate this evidence, 20 ITT sheep were infected with 350 metacercariae of F. gigantica and for comparison, 10 St. Croix sheep, 10 Merino sheep and 20 crossbred of ITT x St. Croix sheep were also infected with the same dose of metacercariae. The results showed that ITT sheep was highly resistant than the other breed, whereas St. Croix and Merino sheep were susceptible. 60% of the crossbred were as resistant as ITT sheep and the other 40% were as susceptible as the St. Croix sheep. Thus, it is proposed that there might be a hereditary resistance factor such as a dominant gene which inducing the mechanism of resistance in ITT sheep, and there is some indication that IgG2 might act as a blocking antibody that interferes the mechanism of resistance. Key words : ITT sheep, Fasciola gigantica , genetic resistance, dominant gene
THE EFFECT OF A MIXED NEMATODE INFECTION ON THE SITE OF PLASMA PROTEIN ABSORPTION IN THE SMALL INTESTINE
Absorption of albumin across the whole small intestine was high (0.87) and occurred mostly distal to the site of intestinal parasitism in both parasitized and control animals. This helps to explain why intestinal parasitism has no effect on protein absorption from the small intestine. Key words: Sheep, nematode, plasma loss, albumin absorption