IDENTIFICATION OF Blastocystis sp. INFECTION FROM CATTLE, GOAT AND SHEEP ISOLATED FROM FARMS IN PAHANG, MALAYSIA

Abstract

Blastocystis sp. is a common anaerobic intestinal parasite infecting humans and a wide range of animals. This study was aimed to identify the rate of infection of Blastocystis sp. from three types of livestock, namely cattle, goat and sheep in farms in Pahang, Malaysia.  Briefly, 110, 65 and 20 faecal samples were randomly collected from the farms in the district of Kuantan, Bera and Pekan respectively. These samples were cultured in Jones’ medium and incubated at 37ºc until day 14 before been observed under light microscopy for the presence of Blastocystis sp. The overall rate of infection of Blastocystis sp. was 5.4% in cattle (6/110), 21.5% in goat (14/65) and 10.0% in sheep (2/20). Based on the result of this study, Blastocystis sp. were commonly found in goats. However, further study could be done for identification of the subtypes of the Blastocystis sp. as well as the association of the occurrence to the type of farm management systems. Nevertheless, this study has provided additional insight into the prevalence of each livestock reared in farms in Pahang that serve as important information in understanding host-parasite relationship.