Premaalatha Bathmanaban - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Premaalatha Bathmanaban
A total of 103 pet dogs of various breeds were screened for blood protozoans by thin and thick bl... more A total of 103 pet dogs of various breeds were screened for blood protozoans by thin and thick blood smear and 15 dogs were found to harbor microfilaria of Dirofilaria immitis and Erhlichia canis. Other parasites such as Leishmania, Babesia or Trypanosoma were not found indicating good tick or insect management
The serodiagnosisof bovine anaplasmosis was conducted on sera samples of various breeds of cattle... more The serodiagnosisof bovine anaplasmosis was conducted on sera samples of various breeds of cattle and buffaloes of mixed ages, from randomly chosen farms from 13 different states in Malaysia received by VRI in 2012. The serum samples were tested for the presence of antibodies to Anaplasmosis marginale by Competitive Enzyme-Linked Immonusorbant Assay (c-ELISA). Out off 418 sera samples, 328 (78.5%) tested positive for bovine anaplasmosis.
Four types of products made from Neem namely, neem leaf decoction, neem capsule, neem fresh juice... more Four types of products made from Neem namely, neem leaf decoction, neem capsule, neem fresh juice and neem extract were given to 4 groups of goat for a period of 10 weeks to evaluate the effectiveness of these products in controlling natural gastrointestinal helminth infection. During the course of the study, faecal egg counts, Packed Cell Volume and FAMACHA readings were monitored weekly. Results of feeding these products were variable when compared to untreated control animals, however, a 40-60% worm control was observed. Further testing is required to fine tune these products for use in the field especially where anthelmintic resistance deems drugs to be ineffective.
The faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) was conducted on local goats in a smallholder farm on... more 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 the strongyle 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. Alternative approaches to chemical anthelmintics have been recommended to control nematodes 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.
This study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effectiveness of Neem leaf extracts, A... more This study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effectiveness of Neem leaf extracts, Azaridachta indica, an indigenous medicinal plant, against helminths of goats. Two extracts were prepared with distilled water using two different techniques; that is, the Neem leaves Water Extract (NLWE) and decoction of Neem leaves(NLD). This study was carried out using 20 goats from a government farm in Perak. The two extracts showed variable degrees of efficacy in naturally infected goats, as measured by faecal egg count. Further evaluation is required to establish the efficacy.
Veterinary Parasitology, 2014
A multilocus sequence analysis using mitochondria-encoded cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), c... more A multilocus sequence analysis using mitochondria-encoded cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), cytochrome B (CytB), NADH dehydrogenase subunit 5 (ND5); nuclear encoded 18S ribosomal RNA (18S) and 28S ribosomal RNA (28S) genes was performed to determine the levels of genetic variation between the closely related species Haematobia irritans Linnaeus and Haematobia exigua de Meijere. Among these five genes, ND5 and CytB genes were found to be more variable and informative in resolving the interspecific relationships of both species. In contrast, the COI gene was more valuable in inferring the intraspecific relationships. The ribosomal 18S and 28S sequences of H. irritans and H. exigua were highly conserved with limited intra-and inter-specific variation. Molecular evidence presented in this study demonstrated that both flies are genetically distinct and could be differentiated based on sequence analysis of mitochondrial genes.
Veterinary Research Communications, 2022
Veterinary Research Communications, 2022
Parasites & vectors, Jan 30, 2014
Background Blastocystis sp., a widely prevalent intestinal protozoan parasite is found in a wide ... more Background Blastocystis sp., a widely prevalent intestinal protozoan parasite is found in a wide range of animals, including humans. The possibility of zoonotic transmission to human from birds especially ostriches led us to investigate on the cross infectivity of Blastocystis sp. isolated from the ostrich feces as well as the phenotypic and subtype characteristics. There is a need to investigate this especially with the rising number of ostrich farms due to the growing global ostrich industry.Findings100% of the ostriches were found to be positive for Blastocystis sp. using the in-vitro cultivation method. Transmission electron microscopy revealed high electron dense material in the central body of the vacoular forms. The membrane layer of the ostrich isolate was significantly (p¿=¿0.003) thicker as compared to human isolate. Sudan staining revealed that this was lipid accumulation. We provide evidence for the first time, the existence of subtype 6 which has been previously reporte...
Southeast Asia Journal of Tropical Medicine and Public Health, 2018
The frequent consumption of chicken products in Malaysia raises the concern about the risk for co... more The frequent consumption of chicken products in Malaysia raises the concern about the risk for contracting Blastocystis infection from this consumption. We aimed to investigate the current prevalence, ultrastructure and subtypes of Blastocystis sp isolated from feces of free-range and barn-reared chickens in Peninsular Malaysia. Fresh fecal samples were collected and examined microscopically and cultured in Jones' medium supplemented with 10% horse serum. The infection rate was 26.2% (47 chickens were positive for Blastocystis out of 179 chickens) with significantly higher infection rate observed in the free-range chickens (34.3%; 36/105) compared to the barn-reared population (14.9%; 11/74) (p=0.004). The most common form of the organism seen on culture was vacuolar form. The sizes seen on culture ranged from 10 µm to 100 µm. The cell bodies stained with Sudan Black B were positive for lipids. On examination with electron microscopy, smooth surface and electron-dense central va...
A total of 103 blood samples from pet dogs around Ipoh were screened for common blood protozoa. A... more A total of 103 blood samples from pet dogs around Ipoh were screened for common blood protozoa. A total of 14 samples were found positive for Erhlichia canis and one sample was found positive for microfilaria of Dirofilaria immitis. Both these diseases are transmitted by vectors; ticks (Rhipicephalus sangiuneus) and mosquitoes respectively. In the hot and wet tropical environment where vectors are abundant, pet care, hygiene and regular screening will help veterinarians detect these infections early to facilitate treatment.
The present study was conducted to determine the occurrence of Schistosoma spindale ova and its a... more The present study was conducted to determine the occurrence of Schistosoma spindale ova and its associated risk factors in Malaysian cattle through a coprological survey. A total of 266 rectal fecal samples were collected from six farms in Peninsular Malaysia. The overall infection rate of S. spindale was 6% (16 of 266). Schistosoma spindale infection was observed in two farms, with a prevalence of 5.4% and 51.9%, respectively. This trematode was more likely to co-occur with other gastro-intestinal parasites (i.e., Dicrocoelium spp., Paramphistomum spp., strongyle, Eimeria spp. and Entamoeba spp.). Chi-square analysis revealed that female cattle are less likely to get S. spindale infection as compared to male cattle (OR = 0.3; 95% CI = 0.08-1.06; p < 0.05), and cattle weighing lower than 200 kg, were significantly at higher risk than those higher than 200 kg (OR = 5; 95% CI = 1.07-24.79; p < 0.05) to the infection. Multivariate analysis confirmed that among the cattle in Malay...
A total of 103 blood samples from pet dogs around Ipoh were screened for common blood protozoa. A... more A total of 103 blood samples from pet dogs around Ipoh were screened for common blood protozoa. A total of 14 samples were found positive for Erhlichia canis and one sample was found positive for microfilaria of Dirofilaria immitis. Both these diseases are transmitted by vectors; ticks (Rhipicephalus sangiuneus) and mosquitoes respectively. In the hot and wet tropical environment where vectors are abundant, pet care, hygiene and regular screening will help veterinarians detect these infections early to facilitate treatment.
The frequent consumption of chicken products in Malaysia raises the concern about the risk for co... more The frequent consumption of chicken products in Malaysia raises the concern about the risk for contracting Blastocystis infection from this consumption. We aimed to investigate the current prevalence, ultrastructure and subtypes of Blastocystis sp isolated from feces of free-range and barn-reared chickens in Peninsular Malaysia. Fresh fecal samples were collected and examined microscopically and cultured in Jones’ medium supplemented with 10% horse serum. The infection rate was 26.2% (47 chickens were positive for Blastocystis out of 179 chickens) with significantly higher infection rate observed in the free-range chickens (34.3%; 36/105) compared to the barn-reared population (14.9%; 11/74) (p=0.004). The most common form of the organism seen on culture was vacuolar form. The sizes seen on culture ranged from 10 μm to 100 μm. The cell bodies stained with Sudan Black B were positive for lipids. On examination with electron microscopy, smooth surface and electron-dense central vacuol...
This paper reports the relationship between mixed infections of strongyles with fecal egg count (... more This paper reports the relationship between mixed infections of strongyles 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.
Parasitology Research
The field strain of Haemonchus contortus has a long history of anthelmintic resistance. To unders... more The field strain of Haemonchus contortus has a long history of anthelmintic resistance. To understand this phenomenon, the benzimidazole resistance profile was characterized from the Malaysian field-resistant strain by integrating phenotypic, genotypic and proteomic approaches. The faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) demonstrated that benzimidazole resistance was at a critical level in the studied strain. The primary resistance mechanism was attributed to F200Y mutation in the isotype 1 β-tubulin gene as revealed by AS-PCR and direct sequencing. Furthermore, the protein response of the resistant strain towards benzimidazole (i.e., albendazole) treatment was investigated via two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) and tandem liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). These investigations illustrated an up-regulation of antioxidant (i.e., ATP-binding region and heat-shock protein 90, superoxide dismutase) and metabolic (i.e., glutamate dehydrogenase) enzymes and down-regulation of glutathione S-transferase, malate dehydrogenase, and other structural and cytoskeletal proteins (i.e., actin, troponin T). Findings from this study are pivotal in updating the current knowledge on anthelmintic resistance and providing new insights into the defence mechanisms of resistant nematodes towards drug treatment.
Blood protozoan diseases are significant to animal breeding as they result in economic loss due t... more Blood protozoan diseases are significant to animal breeding as they result 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 coat examination 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, plasmodiasis, babesiosis and t r y panosomiasis respectively. 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 disease...
A total of 103 pet dogs of various breeds were screened for blood protozoans by thin and thick bl... more A total of 103 pet dogs of various breeds were screened for blood protozoans by thin and thick blood smear and 15 dogs were found to harbor microfilaria of Dirofilaria immitis and Erhlichia canis. Other parasites such as Leishmania, Babesia or Trypanosoma were not found indicating good tick or insect management
The serodiagnosisof bovine anaplasmosis was conducted on sera samples of various breeds of cattle... more The serodiagnosisof bovine anaplasmosis was conducted on sera samples of various breeds of cattle and buffaloes of mixed ages, from randomly chosen farms from 13 different states in Malaysia received by VRI in 2012. The serum samples were tested for the presence of antibodies to Anaplasmosis marginale by Competitive Enzyme-Linked Immonusorbant Assay (c-ELISA). Out off 418 sera samples, 328 (78.5%) tested positive for bovine anaplasmosis.
Four types of products made from Neem namely, neem leaf decoction, neem capsule, neem fresh juice... more Four types of products made from Neem namely, neem leaf decoction, neem capsule, neem fresh juice and neem extract were given to 4 groups of goat for a period of 10 weeks to evaluate the effectiveness of these products in controlling natural gastrointestinal helminth infection. During the course of the study, faecal egg counts, Packed Cell Volume and FAMACHA readings were monitored weekly. Results of feeding these products were variable when compared to untreated control animals, however, a 40-60% worm control was observed. Further testing is required to fine tune these products for use in the field especially where anthelmintic resistance deems drugs to be ineffective.
The faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) was conducted on local goats in a smallholder farm on... more 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 the strongyle 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. Alternative approaches to chemical anthelmintics have been recommended to control nematodes 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.
This study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effectiveness of Neem leaf extracts, A... more This study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effectiveness of Neem leaf extracts, Azaridachta indica, an indigenous medicinal plant, against helminths of goats. Two extracts were prepared with distilled water using two different techniques; that is, the Neem leaves Water Extract (NLWE) and decoction of Neem leaves(NLD). This study was carried out using 20 goats from a government farm in Perak. The two extracts showed variable degrees of efficacy in naturally infected goats, as measured by faecal egg count. Further evaluation is required to establish the efficacy.
Veterinary Parasitology, 2014
A multilocus sequence analysis using mitochondria-encoded cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), c... more A multilocus sequence analysis using mitochondria-encoded cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), cytochrome B (CytB), NADH dehydrogenase subunit 5 (ND5); nuclear encoded 18S ribosomal RNA (18S) and 28S ribosomal RNA (28S) genes was performed to determine the levels of genetic variation between the closely related species Haematobia irritans Linnaeus and Haematobia exigua de Meijere. Among these five genes, ND5 and CytB genes were found to be more variable and informative in resolving the interspecific relationships of both species. In contrast, the COI gene was more valuable in inferring the intraspecific relationships. The ribosomal 18S and 28S sequences of H. irritans and H. exigua were highly conserved with limited intra-and inter-specific variation. Molecular evidence presented in this study demonstrated that both flies are genetically distinct and could be differentiated based on sequence analysis of mitochondrial genes.
Veterinary Research Communications, 2022
Veterinary Research Communications, 2022
Parasites & vectors, Jan 30, 2014
Background Blastocystis sp., a widely prevalent intestinal protozoan parasite is found in a wide ... more Background Blastocystis sp., a widely prevalent intestinal protozoan parasite is found in a wide range of animals, including humans. The possibility of zoonotic transmission to human from birds especially ostriches led us to investigate on the cross infectivity of Blastocystis sp. isolated from the ostrich feces as well as the phenotypic and subtype characteristics. There is a need to investigate this especially with the rising number of ostrich farms due to the growing global ostrich industry.Findings100% of the ostriches were found to be positive for Blastocystis sp. using the in-vitro cultivation method. Transmission electron microscopy revealed high electron dense material in the central body of the vacoular forms. The membrane layer of the ostrich isolate was significantly (p¿=¿0.003) thicker as compared to human isolate. Sudan staining revealed that this was lipid accumulation. We provide evidence for the first time, the existence of subtype 6 which has been previously reporte...
Southeast Asia Journal of Tropical Medicine and Public Health, 2018
The frequent consumption of chicken products in Malaysia raises the concern about the risk for co... more The frequent consumption of chicken products in Malaysia raises the concern about the risk for contracting Blastocystis infection from this consumption. We aimed to investigate the current prevalence, ultrastructure and subtypes of Blastocystis sp isolated from feces of free-range and barn-reared chickens in Peninsular Malaysia. Fresh fecal samples were collected and examined microscopically and cultured in Jones' medium supplemented with 10% horse serum. The infection rate was 26.2% (47 chickens were positive for Blastocystis out of 179 chickens) with significantly higher infection rate observed in the free-range chickens (34.3%; 36/105) compared to the barn-reared population (14.9%; 11/74) (p=0.004). The most common form of the organism seen on culture was vacuolar form. The sizes seen on culture ranged from 10 µm to 100 µm. The cell bodies stained with Sudan Black B were positive for lipids. On examination with electron microscopy, smooth surface and electron-dense central va...
A total of 103 blood samples from pet dogs around Ipoh were screened for common blood protozoa. A... more A total of 103 blood samples from pet dogs around Ipoh were screened for common blood protozoa. A total of 14 samples were found positive for Erhlichia canis and one sample was found positive for microfilaria of Dirofilaria immitis. Both these diseases are transmitted by vectors; ticks (Rhipicephalus sangiuneus) and mosquitoes respectively. In the hot and wet tropical environment where vectors are abundant, pet care, hygiene and regular screening will help veterinarians detect these infections early to facilitate treatment.
The present study was conducted to determine the occurrence of Schistosoma spindale ova and its a... more The present study was conducted to determine the occurrence of Schistosoma spindale ova and its associated risk factors in Malaysian cattle through a coprological survey. A total of 266 rectal fecal samples were collected from six farms in Peninsular Malaysia. The overall infection rate of S. spindale was 6% (16 of 266). Schistosoma spindale infection was observed in two farms, with a prevalence of 5.4% and 51.9%, respectively. This trematode was more likely to co-occur with other gastro-intestinal parasites (i.e., Dicrocoelium spp., Paramphistomum spp., strongyle, Eimeria spp. and Entamoeba spp.). Chi-square analysis revealed that female cattle are less likely to get S. spindale infection as compared to male cattle (OR = 0.3; 95% CI = 0.08-1.06; p < 0.05), and cattle weighing lower than 200 kg, were significantly at higher risk than those higher than 200 kg (OR = 5; 95% CI = 1.07-24.79; p < 0.05) to the infection. Multivariate analysis confirmed that among the cattle in Malay...
A total of 103 blood samples from pet dogs around Ipoh were screened for common blood protozoa. A... more A total of 103 blood samples from pet dogs around Ipoh were screened for common blood protozoa. A total of 14 samples were found positive for Erhlichia canis and one sample was found positive for microfilaria of Dirofilaria immitis. Both these diseases are transmitted by vectors; ticks (Rhipicephalus sangiuneus) and mosquitoes respectively. In the hot and wet tropical environment where vectors are abundant, pet care, hygiene and regular screening will help veterinarians detect these infections early to facilitate treatment.
The frequent consumption of chicken products in Malaysia raises the concern about the risk for co... more The frequent consumption of chicken products in Malaysia raises the concern about the risk for contracting Blastocystis infection from this consumption. We aimed to investigate the current prevalence, ultrastructure and subtypes of Blastocystis sp isolated from feces of free-range and barn-reared chickens in Peninsular Malaysia. Fresh fecal samples were collected and examined microscopically and cultured in Jones’ medium supplemented with 10% horse serum. The infection rate was 26.2% (47 chickens were positive for Blastocystis out of 179 chickens) with significantly higher infection rate observed in the free-range chickens (34.3%; 36/105) compared to the barn-reared population (14.9%; 11/74) (p=0.004). The most common form of the organism seen on culture was vacuolar form. The sizes seen on culture ranged from 10 μm to 100 μm. The cell bodies stained with Sudan Black B were positive for lipids. On examination with electron microscopy, smooth surface and electron-dense central vacuol...
This paper reports the relationship between mixed infections of strongyles with fecal egg count (... more This paper reports the relationship between mixed infections of strongyles 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.
Parasitology Research
The field strain of Haemonchus contortus has a long history of anthelmintic resistance. To unders... more The field strain of Haemonchus contortus has a long history of anthelmintic resistance. To understand this phenomenon, the benzimidazole resistance profile was characterized from the Malaysian field-resistant strain by integrating phenotypic, genotypic and proteomic approaches. The faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) demonstrated that benzimidazole resistance was at a critical level in the studied strain. The primary resistance mechanism was attributed to F200Y mutation in the isotype 1 β-tubulin gene as revealed by AS-PCR and direct sequencing. Furthermore, the protein response of the resistant strain towards benzimidazole (i.e., albendazole) treatment was investigated via two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) and tandem liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). These investigations illustrated an up-regulation of antioxidant (i.e., ATP-binding region and heat-shock protein 90, superoxide dismutase) and metabolic (i.e., glutamate dehydrogenase) enzymes and down-regulation of glutathione S-transferase, malate dehydrogenase, and other structural and cytoskeletal proteins (i.e., actin, troponin T). Findings from this study are pivotal in updating the current knowledge on anthelmintic resistance and providing new insights into the defence mechanisms of resistant nematodes towards drug treatment.
Blood protozoan diseases are significant to animal breeding as they result in economic loss due t... more Blood protozoan diseases are significant to animal breeding as they result 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 coat examination 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, plasmodiasis, babesiosis and t r y panosomiasis respectively. 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 disease...