Detection and identification of blood-borne infections in goats in Nigeria using light microscopy and polymerase chain reaction

Haemoparasitisms in animals are known to impose substantial economic burdens on owners. In Nigeria, most laboratories utilize only Light Microscopy (LM) for their diagnosis. Hence there is a need to have an update assessment of haemoparasitism of goat in Nigeria using molecular investigation. Using LM, blood samples from a total of 173 goats in Ibadan were screened for haemoparasites and haemocytopathological evaluation. Among them, 126 blood samples were randomly selected and PCR tested for the 18S rRNA gene of Babesia/Theileria spp (B/T) and the 16S rRNA gene of Anaplasma/Ehrlichia spp (A/E), while 91 samples were evaluated for the 16S RNA of hemotropic mycoplasma (hemoplasma). Relationship between the haematological changes and PCR results was evaluated.