OUTBREAK OF HEMORRHAGIC SEPTICEMIA IN FREE RANGE BUFFALO AND CATTLE GRAZING AT RIVERSIDE GRASSLAND IN MURSHIDABAD DISTRICT, WEST BENGAL, INDIA

An outbreak of Haemorrhegic Septicaemia among free ranging buffaloes and cattle reared at the natural grassland at the embankment and surrounding area of Bhagirathi river in 3 blocks of Murshidabad district of West Bengal, India was diagnosed by clinical symptoms, postmortem examination, bacteriological study and biochemical tests. Among 154 affected animals (2.16% of total animals at risk) buffalo were 85.71% and cattle were 14.28%. A total of 52 affected animals (33.76%) died before starting treatment. Among the dead animals, 86.53% was buffalo and 13.46% was cattle. The ailing animals were successfully treated with antibiotic, analgesic and corticosteroid. The epidemic was finally controlled by vaccination, restriction of animal movement and proper disposal of carcasses

THERAPEUTIC MANAGEMENT OF SARCOPTIC MANGE IN RABBIT WITH IVERMECTIN

Sarcoptic mange infected non-descriptive rabbits were successfully treated with Ivermectin @ 400 µg / kg body weight sub-cutaneously once weekly for 4 weeks resulted complete recovery within a month in Kalyani area, West Bengal, India

PCR AND ELOCTRON MICROSCOPY BASED DIAGNOSIS OF AN OUTBREAK OF HAEMORRHAGIC SEPTICEMIA IN BUFFALO AND ITS CONTROL IN A FARM OF WEST BENGAL, INDIA

An outbreak of Haemorrhagic Septicemia was investigated in Cattle Re-Settlement Project Farm, Ganganagar, North 24 Parganas, West Bengal, India in the month of December, 2013. Out of 102 nos. of buffalo, 25 animals were affected and 17 were died within 12 - 72 hours. The disease was diagnosed on the basis of history, clinical signs, post mortem findings, histopathological examination, bacteriological study, biochemical tests, biological test, PCR assay and finally by Electron microscopical examination. Antibiotic sensitivity test was done for the isolate. The ailing animals were successfully treated with antibiotic, analgesic and corticosteroid. The epidemic was finally controlled by therapeutic measures, immunization, restriction of movement of animals and proper disposal of carcasses

SERO-PREVALENCE OF BOVINE BRUCELLOSIS IN WEST BENGAL, INDIA: A 15 - YEARS STUDY

Bovine brucellosis is an important zoonotic disease caused by Brucella abortus. The distribution of bovine brucellosis in West Bengal has not been reported so far. Here, a longitudinal epidemiological study was conducted from April 2002 to March 2016 to determine the distribution, pattern and trend of bovine brucellosis in different organized and unorganized farms of West Bengal, India. Bovine serum samples were examined for identification of brucellosis by Rose Bengal Plate Test and indirect ELISA. Results envisaged that the prevalence of brucellosis is 11.12 times higher in organized farm (average 6.6%) compared to rural areas (average 0.6%) with overall prevalence was 3.9%. The highest and lowest level of sero-positivity was observed in 2015 and 2011 with 9.8% and 0.5% respectively. In reference to the year 2002, trend of brucellosis was decreasing up to 2013 in a fluctuating manner (odd ratio ranging from 1.7 to 2.3); however, it again increased in 2014 and 2015 with final decrease in 2016. In organized farms, highest (12.6%) and lowest (0.6%) level of prevalence was recorded in 2015 and 2011 respectively. In rural areas, the highest and lowest level of prevalence was observed in 2010 and 2008 with 1.8% and 0.15% respectively. Chi square statistics revealed that location of cattle (χ2 =713.8, df=1, p<0.001) and year of sample collection (χ2 = 468.6, df=14, p<0.001) contributed significantly to increasing or decreasing sero-positivity. A univariate logistic regression analysis also revealed that location of the animals either in organized farm or in rural areas and year(s) of sampling have statistically significant (p<0.001) effect on individual animal level sero-positivity. The results suggested that brucellosis is endemic and moderately distributed in different regions of West Bengal including Burdwan, Nadia, Paschim Medinipur, Murshidabad and Hoogly districts

DETECTION OF RABIES VIRAL ANTIGEN IN CATTLE BY RAPID IMMUNOCHROMTOGRAPHIC DIAGNOSTIC TEST

In recent years, improved quality, accuracy and speed for diagnosis of rabies has been adopted for rabies control strategies in developing countries. In field condition, rapid immunochromtographic diagnostic test (RIDT) is a true requirement for rapid epidemiological surveillance of rabies. In the present study, a total of ten numbers of rabies suspected cattle brain sample form different parts of West Bengal, India were examined through RIDT. The results revealed that one sample was found to be positive. The test was established as powerful screening tool for rabies with high sensitivity and specificity. Thus, RIDT can be employed as a reliable and quick approach for diagnosis and control of rabies under field condition

PREVALENCE OF BOVINE HERPES VIRUS - 1 IN ORGANIZED FARMS OF WEST BENGAL, INDIA

Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis, caused by Bovine Herpesvirus-1 (BoHV-1) maintains latency in trigeminal nerve ganglia of bovine. The sero-positive bull infected with BoHV-1 secretes the virus through semen intermittently, when the immune system is compromised. Sera from bulls housed at different bull stations were analyzed using gE protein specific IDEXX Kit, which showed 78.69% positivity. Each batch of semen from sero-positive bull was investigated further for presence of virus in semen by Real Time-PCR technique for validation of presence of virus in the frozen semen doses using gB specific primers and probe, which showed 0.968 % semen batches positive. This study showed that despite high sero prevalence in bull, the semen excretes very negligible amount of the virus indicating the subtypes circulating in farms of West Bengal, India is assumed to be respiratory type

MICROBIOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF BOVINE FROZEN SEMEN SAMPLES IN WEST BENGAL, INDIA

A total number of 860 French mini straws (0.25 ml) of frozen semen from 215 bulls from three different farms namely frozen semen bull station (FSBS), Harighata Farm (98), FSBS, Salboni (93) and Sperm Station, Beldanga (24) were evaluated for bacterial load by standard plate count (SPC) technique using soyabean casein digest agar and 1% plain agar media. Following incubation at 37°C for 72 hrs average colony forming unit (CFU) was estimated and bacteria were identified. Different micro-organisms identified in frozen semen samples were Staphylococcus spp., Micrococcus spp., Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas spp., Corynebacterium spp., Proteus spp., Klebsiella spp., Bacillus spp. other than Bacillus anthracis and Streptococcus spp. Several of these bacteria have been identified in association with breeding failure in cattle and warrants precautionary and preventive measures for successful breeding program

SERO-PREVALENCE OF BOVINE LEPTOSPIROSIS IN SOUTH ANANDAMAN ISLANDS, INDIA

A total of 108 blood serum samples of bovine were collected from different regions of South Andaman to Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (RDDL, ER, Kolkata) for sero-prevalence study of bovine leptospirosis. All the sera samples were tested by Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT) against eight serovars of Leptospira spp. Out of 108 serum samples tested, 75(69.44%) were serologically positive. The most prevalent serovars were Automnalis (53.70%) followed by Sejroe (28.70%) and Hardjo (22.22%). This study suggests that bovine may have a role in maintaining Autumnalis serovar of Leptospira as reservoir in Anandaman and Nicobar Islands

A clinico-epidemiological study of childhood herpes zoster

Herpes zoster (HZ) is a viral infection believed to be caused by the re activation of varicella zoster virus (VZV) or human herpes virus type 3 (HHV 3) that persists in the posterior nerve root ganglion. HZ is rarely reported in the pediatric age group with an intact immunity. Past infection with VZV and immunization with chickenpox vaccine are key markers in the onset of varicella zoster in children. Our aim was to study the clinicoepidemiological pattern of HZ infection in children aged less than 12 years and to start an early management to prevent long term complications. A prospective observational study over a total duration of 2 years was conducted in a tertiary hospital, and all children less than 12 years of age with diagnosed HZ were included in the study. A total of 39 children were diagnosed to have pediatric HZ infection during the study period. The children were followed up over 4 weeks post diagnosis and were treated with oral acyclovir therapy along with symptomatic management. All children had an uneventful benign course, and their siblings and close pediatric contacts were also screened for the development of HZ or chickenpox during the incubation period. All children were screened for an underlying immunodeficiency and two cases of HIV co infection were detected. HZ is a rare disease in childhood. Varicella in early childhood is a risk factor for HZ in both immunocompromised and immunocompetent children. The appearance of HZ in a young child does not always imply an underlying immunodeficiency or malignancy, but the children should be screened for immunodeficiency. In general, the prognosis is good in healthy children