Abdel Nasser Al-Omar (1)*, YassinAL Mohsen, (2), Zuhair Salam (1), Hussein Al-Sulaiman (3), Nabil Al-Hallaq (3) and Mazen Dib(3)
(1). Animal Health Research Department. Hama Research Center, General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research. Syria.
(2). Animal Disease Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Hama, Hama, Syria.
(3). Ministry of Agriculture and Agro Reform , Directorate of Animal Health, Syria.
(*Corresponding author: Abdel Nasser Al-Omar . E-Mail: abdnaser64@gmail.com).
Received:17/10/2022 Accepted: 27/10/2022
Abstract:
The study was carried out on female Awassi sheep, aged 1-2 years, in (56) herds belonging to breeders in the governorates of Damascus countryside and Hama (Syria) during the period 2018-2020 in order to conduct serological surveys about the spread of some diseases in order to confirm or deny infection. Serological tests were conducted on (1531) blood samples to detect Toxoplasma gondii, chlamydia and brucellosis in the laboratories of the Animal Health Directorate in Damascus. ELISA, and statistical analysis was conducted through the test of variance and the Chi-square test using the (SAS, 2002) program. (1487) blood samples were tested for the detection of blood parasites (theileria, Babesia and Anaplasma) by means of a blood smear stained with Giemsa stain and examined under a microscope, and the results were recorded properly. The results showed the presence of infection with T. gondii infection in Awassi sheep, and the average prevalence rate was 14.82% (227/1531) in the governorates of rural Damascus and Hama, and the prevalence of positive samples was (12.20% (160/1311) in the herds of Hama Governorate, while the percentage was ( 30.45% (67/220) in the herds of rural Damascus countryside, the prevalence of chlamydophilia abortus (0.58%), and its rate in Hama governorate was (0.68%), while it was absent in rural Damascus (0%), and the average prevalence of brucellosis was (1.24%) and that the prevalence rate in Damascus Suburbs Governorate was lower (0.90%) than its prevalence in Hama Governorate (1.29%). The total prevalence of blood parasites (Thaleria, Anaplasma, Babesia) was 5.96% in rural Damascus Suburbs and 11.34% in Hama. The analysis of variance showed significant differences (P<0.05) between the tested herds in the two governorates, and these differences in the infection rate were attributed to Differences in management and breeding systems. The total prevalence of blood parasites (Thaleria, Anaplasm, Babesia) reached 5.96% in rural Damascus Suburbs and 11.34% in Hama. The general cases of mixed infection with bacteria and blood parasites together amounted to 0.78% (12/1531) of the total sheep tested, which means the need to continue good health management of sheep herds and take biosecurity measures and health and veterinary care.
Key words: serological studies, prevalence, Awassi sheep, Syria.
Full paper in Arabic: pdf