Detection Of Blastocystis Sp. Among Chicken From Selected Farms In Kelantan

DETECTION OF BLASTOCYSTIS SP. AMONG CHICKEN FROM SELECTED FARMS IN KELANTAN

An abstract of the research paper presented to the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, in partial requirement on the course DVT 55204- Research Project.

Chickens are reservoirs for Blastocystis sp., a zoonotic protozoan that infects humans via the fecal-oral route. However, studies on Blastocystis sp. in poultry are limited, particularly in Malaysia. Therefore, this study aims to detect Blastocystis sp. among chickens in Kelantan. The detection of Blastocystis sp. infection was conducted on free-range and cage-reared chickens from selected farms in Kelantan. A total of 30 cloacal swab samples were collected, which were then cultured in Jones medium supplemented with 10% horse serum and incubated at 37°C for 24 hours. Fecal smear examinations were performed on all samples. Positive results were fixed with methanol and stained with 10% Giemsa to observe the detailed morphology of the protozoan at 100x magnification using light microscopy. Blastocystis sp. was identified and isolated from the selected poultry farms in Kelantan which detected in 33.3% (10/30) of the samples, with 58.3% (7/12) of free-range chickens and 16.6% (3/18) of cage-reared chickens testing positive. The most common form observed was the vacuolar form, characterized by large, spherically shaped cells containing a central body resembling a large vacuole, which was the predominant cell type seen in the samples. A statistically significant association was found between Blastocystis sp. infection and the collection area (extensive vs. intensive) and biosecurity measures. However, no statistically significant association was observed between the health status of the animals, deworming, and vaccination. To achieve more accurate and precise identification down to the subtype and species level, more advanced molecular identification techniques should be employed.
Keywords: Blastocystis sp., Zoonotic, Zoonotic protozoan, Poultry parasites