Seroprevalence of Babesia bigemina in dairy animals from low lying regions of Punjab, India

Seroprevalence of Babesia bigemina was assessed in 360 dairy animals including 294 adults (129 cattle and 165 buffaloes) and 66 calves (28 cattle calves and 38 buffalo calves) from low lying areas of different agro climatic zones of Punjab using indirect ELISA. The overall seroprevalence was reported to be 30% among different agroclimatic zones under study, with highest in Undulating Plain Zone (39.6%) followed by Submountain Undulating Zone (37.2%) and lowest in Western Zone (10.5%). The districts wise seroprevalence was highest in district Roopnagar (48.4%) and lowest in Fazilka (5.8%). The seroprevalence among the four groups under study also differed significantly, being highest in adult cattle and lowest in buffalo calves. Between the two species, seroprevalence was significantly (P<0.01) higher in cattle (54.1 %, 85/157) as compared to buffaloes (11.3%, 23/203). The present study is the first concise report on the seroprevalence of B. bigemina based on indirect ELISA in dairy animals from low lying areas of Punjab, which revealed endemicity of babesiosis in low lying regions from different agroclimatic zones of Punjab state.