The First Case of Diarrhoea in Tibetan Sheep, Ovis aries, Caused by Balantidium coli in the Qinghai Tibetan Plateau Area, China.

ABSTRACT: This study was carried out to determine the pathogen-causing diarrhoea in sheep Ovis aries in the Qinghai Tibetan Plateau Area, China. A trophozoite was identified as species of ciliate alveolates infecting the sheep based on morphological characteristics examined by microscope. It was mostly spherical, colourless and transparent, with many vesicles. Macronucleus and contractile vacuoles could not be distinguished. Size of the trophozoite was 80-180 × 70-150 μm and its surface was covered with cilia. Molecular analysis based on sequences of 18S rRNA and ITS genes confirmed the ciliate species as Balantidium coli. According to the literature, there have been many epidemiological investigations of B. coli infection in pigs, monkeys and humans. To our knowledge, this was the first report of B

SUBMITTER: Jian YN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6327202 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature