Blood parasitic diseases of farm animals in Kyrgyzstan

This paper presents the results of a study of the distribution of ticks, carriers of transmissible infections, and types of blood-parasitic diseases recorded among domestic animals. Data from studies conducted on dogs and cats in Bishkek and adjacent areas are presented. Tick-infested domestic animals were also used for the study. Of the 135 tick-infested animals studied, 49 were found to have blood parasites, with the incidence of disease among domestic animals in Bishkek amounting to 36.3%. Six species of ticks were identified on the animals: Rhipicephalus turanicus, Haemophysalis punctata, Rhipicephalus bursa, Ixodes ricinus, Hyalommas cupense, Dermacento rmarginatus. Blood tests of tick-infested dogs and cats revealed the presence of pathogens causing blood-parasitic diseases, including ehrlichiosis, babesiosis, and anaplasmosis. In dogs infected with ehrlichiosis, inclusion bodies of Ehrlichia canis were detected in monocytes and Ehrlichia ewingii in granulocytes. Babesia gibsoni protozoa were detected in the blood of dogs infected with babesiosis. Anaplasma platys was detected in the blood of a sick animal with anaplasmosis. Previously, Kyrgyzstan had no cases of detection of the pathogens causing monocytic, granulocytic, and platelet ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis caused by Anaplasma platys, or canine babesiosis caused by Babesia gibsoni.