March 14, 2024
Bangladesh Agricultural University develops new method for livestock disease identification
A research team at Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) has unveiled a new method for identifying livestock diseases caused by blood protozoa with nearly 100% accuracy, thanks to the use of DNA testing, The Business Standard reported.
Under the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC), led by Dr Md. Shahiduzzaman, Professor of Parasitology, the research involved extensive testing of samples from farms in Sirajganj and Rangpur, resulting in the development of this highly accurate method.
Dr Shahiduzzaman highlighted the susceptibility of Bangladesh's livestock to blood protozoa such as Babesia, Theileria, and Anaplasma, emphasising the severe consequences including weight loss, reduced blood and milk production, and even death if not promptly treated.
He explained that the traditional methods of disease diagnosis often led to incorrect treatment due to similar symptoms among various diseases. However, with the newly developed DNA testing method, accurate diagnosis is achievable with almost perfect precision.
The process involves collecting blood samples from animals, extracting DNA, and subjecting it to PCR testing. The sensitivity of the PCR method enables the detection of even small amounts of parasite DNA, ensuring reliable results within three to four hours per sample at a cost ranging from five hundred to seven hundred taka.
Livestock officers from Sreemangal and Rangpur corroborated the significance of this breakthrough, highlighting the challenges faced in identifying and treating diseases like Babesia, Theileria, and Anaplasma.
Dr Karna Chandra Mallik, Upazila livestock officer of Sreemangal Upazila, underscored the urgency in adopting advanced diagnostic methods like the DNA testing to combat livestock diseases effectively.
Dr Zobidul Kabir, additional district livestock officer of Rangpur district, acknowledged the growing prevalence of these diseases in highly productive livestock breeds and emphasized the potential of the DNA method to revolutionise disease identification at the field level.
- The Business Standard
