Prevalence and Early Detetion of Hypodermosis in Goats using a Competitive ELISA System in Lorestan Province

ABSTRACT: This study was conducted to determine the prevalence and early detection of hypodermosis in goats by investigation of Przhevalskiana larve and sera collected from the infested animals. This study was conducted in Lorestan province, located in South-West of Iran during April 2017 up to April 2018. A total number of 3350 goats slaughtered in Lorestan province abattoirs were investigated by clinico-parasitological examination in the different periods. The larvae were collected from back and flanks regions of the slaughtered goats. The number of infested animals, their sex and age, the number of maggots present on each animal, location and larval stage of warble flies were recorded. To detect infestation in the early period, a total number of 150 blood samples were randomly collected from field animals in Lorestan province. The morphological findings showed from 3350 goats examined, 706 goats (21.07%) were infested. Three species of Przhevalskiana including P. Silenus 726 (50.07%), P.crossii 440 (30.43%) and P. aegagri 284 (19.59%) were recognized as the causative agent for goat hypodermosis in the Lorestan region. It was not observed a significant difference between different sexes and/or among age groups (P>0.05). The anti-Przhevalskiana antibodies in the serum samples were detected by ELISA during August up to mid-September (summer). Clinical diagnosis of infestation was usually performed from late October until mid-March (winter) by visual observations and direct palpation of warbles in the back and flank region of the animals. It could be concluded that the use of ELISA can help to detect of hypodermosis in goats in early stages.