Abstract
Background: Bovine besnoitiosis is a widespread disease caused by Besnoitia besnoiti with significant economic losses in cattle production. There is a lack of knowledge about it in Egypt.
Aim: The current study was conducted to detect the seroprevalence of Besnoitia besnoiti in cattle and to find out the presence of the disease and the most important symptoms of besnoitiosis in cattle in Assiut governorate, Egypt.
Methods: A total of 190 cattle from Assiut city and its different rural centers was examined clinically and serologically for the presence of B. besnoiti. Serological examination carried out by using indirect ELISA kit in serum (ID.Vet Innovative Diagnostics Louis Pasteur. Grabeis, France). The results were analyzed statistically using Chi-square test to assess association between seroprevalence and different parameters (age, sex, season, housing and health status).
Result: Thirteen cattle were seropositive for B. besnoiti by ELISA and showed symptoms of Besnoitia besnoiti. Acute symptoms included fever, tachycardia, edematous swellings of intermandibular space and limbs with polyarthritis, diarrhea, rumenal atony and enlarged lymph nodes. The chronic symptoms included cough, mastitis, exophthalmia, cysts on sclera and conjunctiva, nodules in skin, alopecia and tick infestation. The overall seroprevalence of B. besnoiti was 22.1%. Regarding to sex, the seroprevalence was higher for females 34.6% than for males 6.97%. While, according to age susceptibility, the seroprevalence was highest (50.9%) with age ≥5years, followed by age >1year to <5years (14.6%) and only one animal of age ≤1year was recorded 2.2%. Concerning with seasonal variations, the seroprevalence was highest in spring 42.9%, followed by autumn 29.3%, winter 13.6% and summer 7.5%. Whereas, according to housing system it was 60% and 8.6% in farm and household rearing, respectively. Depending on the health status, the seroprevalence was 21.6% of clinically healthy and 23.2% of clinically diseased cattle.
Conclusion: The existence of B. besnoiti antibodies have been demonstrated in clinical and subclinical infected cattle in Assiut Governorate, Egypt. ELISA test is considered to be a good diagnostic method for detecting the infection. Furthermore, additional studies are essential to minimize and prevent the spread of infection.

Key words: Assiut, Besnoitia besnoiti, cattle, Egypt, ELISA.