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The increasing incidence of tick-borne diseases and the growing resistance to conventional acaricides underscore the urgent need for innovative and sustainable tick management strategies. This study investigates the potential of assembly and sex pheromones for the control of larval stages of Rhipicephalus sanguineus, the brown dog tick, which poses significant health risks to dogs. The ticks were collected from various canine hosts in Thrissur, Kerala and subjected to Petri-dish bioassays using vapour patches impregnated with synthetic assembly pheromone (AP) and sex pheromone (SP), both individually and in combination. The efficacy of these semiochemicals was assessed based on the attraction and clustering behaviour of unfed larvae and partially fed adult ticks over a 24-hour period. Results demonstrated a significantly higher attraction to AP-impregnated patches, with notable efficacy observed in causing tick aggregation, particularly beyond 30 min of exposure. While SP also showed potential in attracting ticks, the combination of SP and AP did not result in a synergistic effect. The study highlights the potential of using semiochemicals as an environmentally sustainable alternative to traditional acaricides, highlighting their role in integrated pest management strategies Keywords: Rhipicephalus sanguineus, adenine, guanine, xanthine, 2,6-DCP, Petri-dish bioassay

Schistosomosis is a prevalent zoonotic parasitic disease affecting both humans and animals on a global scale, with an estimated 165 million cattle and 200 million people impacted worldwide. Eventhough, serological methodologies designed for the identification of specific antibodies targeting parasitic antigens are esteemed for their high sensitivity, there are criticisms due to their incapacity to reliably indicate active infection, inability to correlate with the intensity of infection and lack of specificity. Enhancing the specificity of serological assays presents a significant challenge, primarily attributable to the identification and synthesis of specific antigens. In addressing these limitations, recombinant technology with specific immunogenic proteins as candidate antigens emerges as a viable alternative. In this study, induction of 22.6 kDa recombinant tegument protein of Schistosoma spindale was achieved using 0.6 mM concentration of IPTG at 37°C for four hours. Nickel chelating affinity chromatography was employed for protein purification, yielding maximum protein concentration at 75mM elution. Subsequently, the dialysis technique was employed to remove contaminants, while lyophilisation method was employed for protein concentration. The protein concentration post dialysis was measured at 0.220 mg/mL, while lyophilisation resulted in a concentration of 2mg/m Keywords: 22.6 kDa tegumental protein, Schistosoma spindale, dialysis, lyophilisation

Gastro intestinal parasite (GIP) infection is an economically important disease that affects cattle population worldwide and contributes to decreased productivity and profitability in the livestock sector. An important obstacle to the management of helminth infections in cattle is the failure of therapy owing to anthelmintic resistance. The present study is aimed to identify the predominant gastrointestinal strongyles in cattle of Thrissur district, Kerala and to determine the incidence of benzimidazole resistance against these gastrointestinal strongyles in organised cattle farms and small holder farmers’ herd. Coproculture studies revealed that predominant strongyle was Mecistocirrus spp. (29.75 per cent) followed by Haemonchus spp. (21.5 per cent) and Oesophagostomum spp. (13 per cent). The in vivo method of benzimidazole resistance detection by faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) with albendazole was done in three organised cattle farms and three small holder farmers’ herd. The per cent FEC reduction in three organised farms were 38, 55 and 85 per cent and that of small holder farmers’ herd ranged between 75 - 100. This study forms the first report of anthelmintic resistance in cattle in south India and the results indicated that benzimidazole resistance was highly progressed in organised cattle farms and in a progression state in small holder farmers’ herd that necessitates the judicial utilisation of anthelmintics for the parasite control.

Ticks are obligate blood sucking ectoparasites recognised globally as vectors of various pathogens, next to mosquitoes. The present study is conducted on brown dog ticks collected from naturally infested dogs in and around Thrissur district. Adult immersion test was performed and the parameters such as engorged tick weight, egg mass weight as well as tick mortality were recorded to derive the reproductive indices, percentage inhibition of oviposition and percentage mortalities. Non-linear regression analysis of the dose response data yielded the LC50 values at 95% confidence intervals and, the slopes and regression coefficients of the different parameters were also derived. The Resistance factors (RF) were calculated to categorise resistance levels into I, II, III and IV. Resistance to amitraz was detected at level II in tick isolates collected from Choolissery and Mundur, at level III and level IV in isolates collected from Mannuthy and Paravattani, respectively. Two isolates collected from Mannuthy were found to be susceptible. One way ANOVA of resistance levels revealed that the resistance levels III and IV were significantly different from that of susceptible and resistance level II. This is the first report on detection of amitraz resistance levels in dog ticks from south India calling for proper implementation of tick control strategies to prevent spread of amitraz resistance.

Anaplasmosis is a fatal infectious disease affecting small ruminants all over the world. Haematological analysis and therapeutic evaluation of anaplasmosis were done in clinically affected goats from Thrissur district, Kerala in this study. A total of 100 blood samples from clinically affected goats were collected and microscopically examined using Field’s staining technique for anaplasmosis which revealed 50 per cent positivity. Infected goats showed significant (p

Gastro-intestinal strongylosis is a major parasitic infection in caprine causing reduced performance, irreversible damage and death, which eventually leads to huge economic loss to the producers. The use of anthelmintics as a simple, effective and quick control method against the parasitism by the farmers has been rampant since decades. But its indiscriminate and undue usage invariably paved way to the development of anthelmintic resistance in parasites. It is high time that control strategies are designed so as to utilise chemotherapy appropriately at the time that coincide with heavy incidence of strongylosis. In the present study, a total of 109 goats, comprising of 58 Malabari and 51 Attappady Black goats from an organised farm were screened for the incidence for strongyle infection. The infection was found to be very high throughout the monsoon seasons in Kerala (June to October) with 94.86 ±1.47 per cent. Majority of the animals exhibited very heavy infection with faecal egg count of (FEC) >1500 during the study period. On coproculture, Haemonchus contortus was found to be the most predominant strongyle followed by Oesophagostomum spp. and Trichostrongylus spp.

Anaemia and thrombocytopenia are the common clinical features of blood parasite infection in dogs. Blood parasites previously identified in dogs in Kerala were Babesia gibsoni, Babesia canis vogeli, Ehrlichia canis and Trypanosoma evansi. A two-year old female Labrador Retriever was brought to the University Veterinary Hospital, Mannuthy, Thrissur, with a complaint of anorexia for the past two weeks. A thorough clinical examination did not give any evidence of involvement of other body systems, except for a splenomegaly which was confirmed by radiography. The dog was negative for microfilaria and intestinal parasites. Haematological findings revealed moderate anaemia and thrombocytopenia. Anaemia was classified as non-regenerative based on reticulocyte count. Blood smear was positive for basophilic intra-erythrocytic inclusions suggestive of small babesia and basophilic inclusions in platelets suggestive of morula of Anaplasma spp. Species-specific PCR on whole blood genomic DNA-showed specific amplification for B. gibsoni and A. platys organisms and negative for B. canis vogeli, E. canis and T. evansi. The present study reports a case of non-regenerative anaemia due to B. gibsoni and A. platys co-infection in a dog and its successful therapeutic management. This is the second report of A. platys infection in dogs in Kerala, India.

Toxoplasmosis, is a cosmopolitan zoonotic parasitic infection prevalent throughout the world affecting all warm blooded animals and man. A total of 72 serum samples from goats belonging to the organised,unorganised and small holder farms that had aborted recently or had a history of abortion were collected from the central districts of Kerala viz., Palakkad, Thrissur and Ernakulam. The samples were subjected to indirect Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) for the detection of IgG antibodies of Toxoplasma gondii. Factors predisposing to the prevalence of infection such as age, grazing behaviour and stage of gestation were also taken into account during the study. Out of 72 serum samples examined, 31(43 per cent) were negative, 13 (18 per cent) were weakly positive and 28 (38.88 per cent) were highly positive. A higher prevalence was noticed in goats above four years of age, in those with regular grazing behaviour and in those that had aborted in the second stage of gestation. District-wise prevalence revealed relatively higher prevalence in Ernakulam district (62.5 per cent) compared to Thrissur (56.09 per cent) and Palakkad (53.33 per cent), even though the difference was not statistically significant.

The study evaluated deltamethrin resistance in Rhipicephalus sanguineus and Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus tick populations of Kerala in India, using larval packet test (LPT). Dose response data were analysed by the probit method, the LC50 and LC95 of deltamethrin against ticks were determined by applying regression equation analysis to the probit-transformed data of mortality. In R. sanguineus, 50 per cent of isolates were found resistant at discriminating dose (600 ppm) by larval packet test. The p value obtained upon regression analysis was < 0.05 and was considered as significant. A majority of R. (B.) microplus were found to be susceptible to deltamethrin. However, these susceptible isolates survived doses which were twice the recommended doses (1.25 ppm – 100 ppm). The p value of isolates except isolate 1 and 5 were < 0.05 and statistically significant. The results highlight acaricide resistance to be one of the reasons for the alarming prevalence of tick-borne haemoparasites in Kerala and demand urgent interventions to ameliorate the resistance by alternate control strategies.

A total of 80 snails collected from three habitats viz., uncultivated paddy fields, permanent water bodies and catchment area of dams in Palakkad district of Kerala were screened for presence of echinostome infection. The collected snails were identified morphologically as Indoplanorbis exustus and Lymnaea luteola. Indoplanorbis exustus was found to be the most predominant snail species followed by L. luteola with a prevalence rate of 57.5 and 42.5 per cent, respectively. The prevalence rate of snails was higher in uncultivated paddy fields followed by permanent water bodies and catchment area of dams. Overall prevalence of echinostome infection in snails was found to be 11.2 per cent. Prevalence of infection in I. exustus constituted 13 per cent while that in L. luteola was nine per cent. Dissection of positive snails revealed intra molluscan stages like sporocyst.

The article describes the culture of microfilaria of Brugia spp. for the extraction of excretory-secretory protein. The microfilariae were separated from the various components of canine blood using HiSep™ LSM by gradient centrifugation method. The microfilariae were cultured in RPMI-1640 media and incubated at 37°C. The spent media was collected at 12 hour intervals, filtered, pooled and stored at -50°C. Protein estimation was done by Bradford’s method. The excretory-secretory protein produced can further be used in diagnostic tests.

Poultry farming is the most organized and economically viable sector in animal agriculture. As sub-lethal AF is a constant threat to broiler industry and produces immunosuppression, birds would be more prone to coccidiosis even under reduced infective dose. So it is important to study the response of sub-infectious dose of coccidia in an immunecompromised state. The susceptibility of broiler chicks to sub-infective dose of sporulated oocyst of Eimeria tenella in sub-lethal aflatoxicosis was revealed by significant alterations in serological parameters.

Bivitellobilharzia nairi is a poorly understood trematode belonging to the family Schistosomatidae that has a profound impact on its host species, the elephant. The pernicious effects of the different life stages of this parasite can often be fatal. The first reports of schistosomosis in African and Asian elephants were published by Vogel and Minning (1940) and Mudaliar and Ramanujachari (1945), respectively. The morphologies of ova and adult helminths of B.nairi, the schistosome affecting Indian elephants (Elephas maximus indicus) have been described in detail by Rao and Hiregaudar (1935), Sundaram et al. (1972), Chandrasekharan (1989), Islam (1994) and Vimalraj et al. (2012). According to Bhoyar et al. (2014), the infection remains subclinical in most cases and is only discovered upon post-mortem examination. More recently, Devkota(2015) found that Bivitellobilharzia spp. infects both, captive and wild Asian elephants. Karawita et al. (2015) claimed to report the first death of an Asian elephant due to caecocolic intussusception on account of schistosomosis

Oestrus ovis is a larviparous protelean fly whose larvae parasitize the nasal cavities and adjoining sinuses of sheep and goats. It is primarily a widespread infestation of sheep and rarely occurs in goat, camel, deer, reindeer, elk and ibex (Lapage, 1956; Das and Bhatia,1994). The larvae elicit clinical signs of cavitary myiasis seen as seromucous or mucopurulent nasal discharge, frequent sneezing, incoordination and dyspnoea (Madhu et al., 2014). The migratory larvae may also penetrate and erode dorsal turbinate bones, frontal sinuses and occasionally the skull bones thereby entering into the cerebral cavity, causing false gid (Taylor et al., 2007). In India prevalence of O. ovis has been reported in several places (Chhabra and Ruprah, 1976 ; Jagannath et al., 1989 and Allaie et al., 2016). Myiasis has medical and public health significance if the incidental host is man (Sreejith et al., 2010). The present paper describes the occurrence of nasal myiasis from crossbred Malabari goats for the first time in Kerala and its successful medical management.

Use of phytopesticides has many advantages over conventional chemical insecticides and is receiving worldwide attention as an alternative means of pest control. Preliminary studies were conducted to assess the lousicidal activity of alcoholic extracts of Allium sativum bulbs. In vitro study was carried out on the goat louse, Damalinia caprae using filter paper method. It was found that these crude extracts caused cent percent mortality of adult lice at a concentration of 100 mg/ml at 32 h post- exposure whereas at 50 mg/ml, the same mortality was observed at 48 h postexposure. It is opined that further purification studies and in vivo trials are needed to ascertain the active ingredients responsible for the insecticidal properties of garlic juice extracts.

Mesenteric worm count technique was employed to study the prevalence of intestinal schistosomosis among cattle and buffaloes slaughtered in Thrissur. Of the forty eight mesentery samples processed, 45.4 percent animals carried Schistosoma spindale infections with a significant proportion harbouring moderate infections. Long term chronic infections cause significant production loss to the herd. Prevalence of the disease was very high when compared to the existing reports based on faecal egg detection techniques. The study emphasises the need for developing alternate field level diagnostic tests for schistosomosis.

Concurrent infections of pigeon malaria and avian malaria were detected in pigeons by blood smear examination. The affected birds exhibited symptoms of droopiness, anorexia, weight loss, anaemia and torticollis. Pigeon fly infestation due to Pseudolynchia canariensis, was also noticed in the lofts. Postmortem examination of a dead bird revealed congestion of liver, kidney and intestine along with hepatomegaly and splenomegaly. Affected birds were treated with parenteral administration of Chloroquine which resulted in complete recovery and clinical cure. The present communication reports a concurrent outbreak of Fig. Schizonts of Plasmodium sp. and gamonts of Haemoproteus columbae in the erythrocytes (arrow) Haemoproteus sp. and Plasmodium sp. infection in pigeons and its successful control.

Ornithonyssus bursa, the "tropical fowl mite" is an important acarine parasite that attacks poultry and occasionally man. Ornithonyssus bursa cause anaemia and considerable injury to the skin and is reported for the first time from Kerala. Its morphology, morphometry and treatment using deltamethrin are described.