Concurrent Infestation of Buffalo Calves with Ctenocephalides felis strongylus and Piroplasms

The present report describes four cases of Ctenocephalides felis strongylus infestation in buffalo calves of district Toba Tek Singh, Punjab, Pakistan. The infested animals were suffering from pyrexia, alopecia, hyperkeratinization, accelerated pulse, tachypnea, depression, anemic mucous membranes and ataxia (n=3). Flea infestation was generalized with higher infestation in hairy areas of body especially legs, flank and mane. Microscopic examination of the peripheral blood revealed moderate (n=2) to high (n=2) numbers of piroplasms. All four calves were treated with ivermectin (Ivomec, Merial, France; 0.02mg/kg) twice at 15 days intervals. The treated calves were found aparasitemic on day 10^th post treatment. The three cases recovered in 10 days after completion of the second round of treatment. One calf died 8 days after second treatment on day 11. However, the vector role of Ctenocephalides felis strongylus may be better studied on conventional/ molecular grounds using salivary glands of the specimens.