Institution: | Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, Castries (St. Lucia, USA Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Parasitology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, U.S.A. |
Abstract: | One hundred fifty-nine Holstein calves were imported into St. Lucia from the U.S.A. An outbreak of babesiosis occurred 17 days post-arrival, and an outbreak of anaplasmosis occurred 5 months after importation. Sera obtained 3, 6 and 12 months post-importation revealed a high prevalence of IFA titres to Babesia bovis and B. bigemina 3 months after arrival and an increase in titres to Anaplasma marginale 6 months after arrival. Sera obtained arrives from native cattle from several places on the island indicated infection rates of 80, 65 and 64% with A. marginale, B. bigemina and B. bovis, respectively. The rapid card test only indicated a 25% prevalence of infection of native cattle by A. marginale. This low prevalence was probably due to deterioration of serological activity during shipment. |