The aim of this study was to test the potential diagnostic usefulness of recombinant Toxoplasma gondii SAG1 antigen and
excretory-secretory antigen (ESA), with respect to toxoplasmosis detection and infection phase distinction in laboratory mouse by determining specifi c serum IgM and IgG antibodies with the use of indirect ELISA technique. The highest titre at the beginning of infection was demonstrated by immunoglobulin M while the highest titre at the end of the infection was displayed by immunoglobulin G. In contrast, sera of chronically infected mice, positive IgG titre was detected on day 14 p.i. for ESA or day seven p.i. with rSAG1 and increased thereafter until day 70 p.i. after which the titre stabilized. IgA antibody also showed similar kinetics as IgG. Potentially rSAG1 may be a suitable diagnostic antigen than ESA in the diagnosis of acute and chronic toxoplasmosis.

A total of 302 faecal specimens from animals of various species including poultry, ruminants, mammals, swine, primates, companionanimals, wild animals, and laboratory animals were examined for the presence of Blastocystis sp. These anaerobic parasites which are environmentally resistant were found in 104 specimens (34.44%), that is, from ostriches, pigs, ruminants and nonhuman primates whereas samples from other animals were completely free of the organism. There is a need to assess the impact of these infections on theproductivity of animals and its importance in human infections.

The faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) was conducted on local goats in a smallholder farm on the outskirts of Ipoh. Levamisole drug tested for resistance against strongyles, was administered orally at the rate of 10 mg/kg body weight. Results showed that thestrongyle worm population was resistant to levamisole. The percentage reduction was 75% and lower confidence limit less than 90%. The worm population was made up mainly of Haemonchus contortus(71%), followed by Oesophagostomum sp.(18%) and Trichostrongylus sp. (11%). This finding indicates that anthelmintic resistance is an existing problem in Malaysia, even on a small farm. Alternativeapproaches to chemical anthelmintics have been recommended to controlnematodes in goats such as improved grazing management, herbal medication or biological control, to delay the occurrence of chemical resistance and prevent severe helminth infections in goat flocks.

Avian haemoparasites are known to exert negative pressures on theirhosts causing considerable pathology and mortalities. The present study reports on the prevalence of haemoprotozoa and microfilaria in various species of wild birds and domestic poultry in Selangor, Malaysia, and contributes to the database on the occurrence of thesepathogens among avifauna in the country. Giemsa-stained thin blood smears were screened from 728 birds representing five avian orders, namely Galliformes, Anseriformes, Phoenicopteriformes, Pelecaniformes and Gruiformes. The most common haemoparasite was Plasmodium, with a prevalence of 8.0%. The aquatic/wetland species of birds (Anseriformes and Gruiformes) were the most common hosts for this pathogen with high infection rates (31.8% – 50.0%). The prevalence of Plasmodium in domestic poultry was moderate (2.7%). Leucocytozoon sabrazesi and L. caulleryi were confined to the Galliformes with relatively low average infection rates of 0.7% and 0.5%, respectively. Haemoproteus was detected for the first time in domestic poultry and Red Jungle fowls in the country, with anaverage prevalence of 0.8%. Trypanosomes and microfilaria were only present in the village chickens and Red Jungle fowls, with high microfilaraemia rates (19.0%) in the latter. The current compilation will contribute to our understanding on avianhaemoparasite transmission in the country.

Blood protozoan diseases are significant to animal breeding as theyresult in economic loss due to mortality, reduction in production efficiency and increment in drugs usage. This historical retrospective study was carried out to investigate the most significant blood protozoan diseases, their trends as well as the host range diagnosed by Veterinary Research Institute (VRI) from 1931 to 2010 among Malaysian domestic animals. Conventional techniques such as stained thin blood film, whole blood buffy coatexamination and direct wet smears were utilised for diagnosis from 1931 to 2010. Five most common significant blood protozoan diseases from the domestic animals were identified namely, theileriosis,leucocy tozoonosis, pla smod ia sis, babesiosis and trypanosomiasisrespectively. The setting up of a systematic laboratory service in VRI has enabled more cases of blood protozoan infections to be diagnosed and this has inadvertently led to better understanding and control of the diseases thereby improving the livelihood and reducing economic loss of local farmers.

Limited information is available regarding gastro-intestinal (GI)parasitic infections in Malaysian swine populations. Hence, the present study aims to determine the prevalence of GI parasites in two swine populations in Malaysia, using formalin-ether concentration technique. In the present study, three helminths and two protozoa were detected in 91 swine rectal fecal samples. The zoonotic transmissible protozoan, Balantidium coli (22.0%) had the highest infection rate, followed by strongyle (4.4%), Entamoeba spp. (2.2%), Fasciolopsis spp. (1.1%) and Trichuris suis (1.1%). The co-infection between T. suis and B. coli was also found in this study.

The Malaysian Pangolin (Manis javanica) is an endangered species,
but is widely hunted for its medicinal value in body parts. A total of sixteen pangolins were screened for blood protozoa and six
pangolins were confi rmed to be positive for eperythrozoonosis infection based on morphology from blood smears stained with 8% Giemsa. The causative organism, Eperythrozoon sp., with a size of 0.3 μm were observed under a compound microscope at 100× magnification on the surface of red blood cells as blue coloured dots. This is the fi rst report of Eperythrozoon infection from pangolins in Malaysia. Further identifi cation using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is necessary to confi rm E. ovis or wenyonii,
which is uncultivatable in artifi cial media.

This paper reports the relationship between mixed infections ofstrongyles with fecal egg count (FEC), packed cell volume (PCV) of the blood and FAMACHA in experimental sheep in VRI. The third larval stage (L3) of strongylid nematode were fed orally to two experimental sheep. Each animal was given 3 ml L3 or equivalent to 3000 larvae. Faecal samples were then collected weekly for a 10 week duration. The FAMACHA scale for anemia estimation was used and blood collection through ear tip was also done twice a week to measure the packed cell volume (PCV) of the blood. The results show that the PCV decreases while faecal egg counts increase over the study period.The FAMACHA scale also increases with time indicating a progressive anemia with the decreasing PCV. As helminth infections are common in small ruminants, the effects of anemia are critical parameters to be monitored in any flock as this will determine its productivity in terms of mortality and morbidity.

A case of a cestode parasite (Choanotaenia infundibulum) egg wasfound in the intestine of chicken which was sent to the Veterinary Research Institute, Ipoh in February 2014 for post-mortem. Other parasites found in the intestine were adult tapeworm and oocyst ofcoccidia. The examination of the chicken intestine for helminth ova was undertaken using direct examination of a simple wet smear of the intestinal content which was observed under compound microscope.The cestode parasite was identified based on helminthological keys by Soulsby, 1982.

Blastocystis is considered to be a zoonoses and it is believed that animals such as chicken constitute large reservoirs for human infection via the faecal-oral route. Therefore, Blastocystis infection was surveyed in free-range chicken and cage reared chicken comprising broiler birds for consumption as well as jungle fowls andsilkie chicken kept for recreation. Fresh faecal samples collected were examined by wet smear preparation and were cultured in Jones medium supplemented with 10% horse serum. Out of 107 chickens, it was found that most of the free-range chicken was positive for Blastocystis sp. with a high prevalence rate of 80%–100% in village chicken, jungle fowl and white silkie chicken. However, the cage-reared chicken, consisting of broiler chicken had no infection. The vacuolar form was the most common Blastocystis cell form found in cultures, similar to B. hominis.These cells were usually spherical and vary greatly in size, ranging from 10 μm to 30 μm in diameter. Owing to the free ranging and scavenging habits, the likelihood of acquiring the infection fromthe environment contaminated with the faecal material of animals with Blastocystis is high in free-range chicken as compared to caged chicken.