New article: Systemic acute phase proteins response in calves experimentally infected with Eimeria zuernii

Abstract
Acute phase proteins (APPs) have been demonstrated to be useful in evaluating general health stress and diseases in cattle. Serum amyloid A (SAA) and haptoglobin (Hp) are APPs that are produced during inflammation, and likely play a role in host immunological defence against Eimeria infection and the associated intestinal tissue damage. We investigated the involvement of SAA and HP in an experimental study, including three groups of calves: a control group (group 0, n=11), and two groups infected with either 150,000 or 250,000 Eimeria zuernii oocysts (group 1 (n=11) and group 2 (n=12), respectively). The calves were monitored for 28 days and data was collected on oocyst excretion, faecal score, animal weight, and SAA and Hp serum concentrations. Generalized linear mixed models showed that the clinical symptoms, indicated by an increase in the number of oocysts in the faeces and severe diarrhoea, manifested at patency for group 1 and 2. Serum Hp and SAA levels also increased during this period. Hp appeared to be a more sensitive marker than SAA, and differences between groups 1 and 2 were observed only for Hp. Linear regression models showed a negative association between weight gain and Hp concentrations, calculated as the area under the curve (AUC) during the overall experimental period and the patency period. A similar result was seen for SAA only during the patency period. This result supports the assumption that reduced weight gain due to E. zuernii infection is an immunologically driven process that involves an increase in APPs. A random intercept regression model of oocyst shedding groups showed that calves shedding 1-500 oocysts had reduced concentrations of Hp, indicating that a different immunological reaction occurs during mild shedding of E. zuernii oocysts than during more intensive shedding. A similar model was used to examine associations between faecal scores and Hp concentrations for each group. Group 2 calves with haemorrhagic diarrhoea displayed higher Hp levels than calves in that group with lower faecal scores, which may be in response to an increased demand for Hp in the repair process as a result of haemolysis. APPs seem to play an important role in determining the course of E. zuernii infection in calves, which may enhance our understanding of the immunological reaction and development of this disease.

Full article: 
Lassen B, Bangoura B, Lepik T, Orro T. Systemic acute phase proteins response in calves experimentally infected with Eimeria zuernii. Vet Parasitol. 2015 Sep 15;212(3-4):140-6. doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2015.06.024. Epub 2015 Jul 8.

New article: Seasonal recovery of Eimeria oocysts from soil on naturally contaminated pastures

Abstract
Though Eimeria is an important parasite of cattle, research is lacking on how the parasite persist in the pasture soils. In this study, feces samples were collected from three pastures in June and October 2010 and soil samples in April 2011. Coordinates of sampling locations were recorded with Global Positioning System together with information about grass cover, shade, and elevation. All soil samples were collected from the same locations as the fecal samples and used in model evaluating the possible factors influencing the concentration of oocysts in the soil. Feces and soil samples were investigated using a quantitative flotation technique. Eimeria oocysts were found in 95.6% of fecal samples collected in summer and 84.5% of samples in fall. In contrast, the same locations soil samples were positive for Eimeria oocysts in 37.3% (summer) and 44.3% (fall). Despite larger numbers of oocysts in fecal samples shed during summer compared to fall, there was no difference in the concentration of oocysts in soil samples the following spring. The odds of higher numbers of oocysts in soil samples in spring were higher if fecal samples collected in summer were in shade or if containing Eimeria alabamensis during the fall. Factors other than the concentrations of oocysts shed in feces appear to affect whether oocysts persist between grazing seasons.

Full article: 
Lassen B, Lepik T, Järvis T. Seasonal recovery of Eimeria oocysts from soil on naturally contaminated pastures. Parasitol Res. 2014 Mar;113(3):993-9. doi: 10.1007/s00436-013-3731-6. Epub 2013 Dec 12.

Review of Estonian research on protozoan parasites 1950-2008

Vast amounts of scientific knowledge is currently disappearing. Before gaining independence countries such as Estonia largely published in Estonian and Russian. This information has to a large extent been unknown to the international community.
The Scandinavian-Baltic Society for Parasitology (SBSP) has created a grant for researchers to encourage them to compile English reviews on local research in parasitology before the information is lost.

This review at the bottom of this entry was compiled on Estonian research on parasitic protozoans in livestock and pets. Most of this literature was found in the drawers of retired researchers and often not even listed in the libraries.

The published review covers studies of several types of studies on parasitic protozoans. Articles compiled were originally in English, Russian and Estonain. A short review is presented here in bullitform:


Picture (Robot Nine)

Babesia spp. (babesiosis)
Cattle: Prevalence studies and control efforts in the 1960'ies

Cryptosporidium spp. (cryptosporidiosis, coccidiosis)
Cattle: An outbreak study in an Estonian farm (2004)
Pigs: Studies of different production systems discovered the parasite more frequently in organic farms.

Eimeria spp. (eimeriosis, coccidiosis) 
Cattle: Prevalence studies in the 1970'ies and 1980'ies. Species distributions. Control methods and effect of disease.
Pigs: Post-mortem diagnosis of gastro-intestinal infections such as coccidiosis. Studies of species distribution in different production systems (including domesticated wild boar).
Sheep: Frequency of signs of coccidiosis. Prevalence in lambs and ewes.
Poultry: Mortality rates (1948-1950). Outbreak control using different drugs. Reporting of species (E. sporadica).

Isospora suis (isosporiasis)
Pigs: Prevalence studies.

Sarcocystis spp. (sarcocystiosis)
Cattle: Prevalence. Diagnosis of parasite distribution in different organs. Cases of Cystoisospora spp.


Toxoplasma gondii (toxoplasmosis)
Cats: Case-control study using Toltrazuril.
Humans: Sero-prevalence in humans.

Picture (Vikerraadio): Tartu University rector and professor Alar Karis started his academic career with Eimeria in cattle.


READ MORE IN THE OPEN SCIENCE ARTICLE ONLINE:

Lassen, Brian; Talvik, Heli (2009). Parasitic protozoans in livestock and pets in Estonia. Review. Veterinarija ir Zootechnika, 46 (68), 30 - 36.