Theileria annulata diagnostics: past, present and future

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Parasitology
• Molecular Diagnostics
• Immunology

Background:

• Bovine tropical theileriosis, caused by Theileria annulata, significantly impacts livestock health and productivity in endemic areas.
• Early and precise diagnosis is critical for effective disease management and control strategies.
• Existing diagnostic methods face challenges including cost, technical requirements, and variable performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive analysis of current diagnostic approaches for bovine tropical theileriosis.
• To evaluate the strengths and limitations of molecular and serological diagnostic techniques.
• To explore future advancements in diagnostic platforms for improved early detection and control.

Main Methods:

• Review of molecular diagnostic techniques: conventional PCR (cPCR), multiplex PCR (mPCR), and real-time PCR (qPCR).
• Assessment of serological assays: ELISA and lateral flow-based immunoassays (LFAs).
• Discussion of emerging technologies: CRISPR-Cas based systems and synthetic peptide-based assays.

Main Results:

• Molecular methods offer high sensitivity and specificity but require specialized infrastructure and expertise.
• Serological assays are cost-effective and rapid but can suffer from variability and cross-reactivity.
• Primer optimization is crucial for multiplex PCR (mPCR) to avoid competition and non-specific amplification.
• Sherlock assay shows high sensitivity and specificity but carries a risk of cross-contamination.

Conclusions:

• There is a critical need for developing highly specific, field-deployable, and cost-efficient diagnostic platforms for Theileria annulata.
• Future diagnostics may involve synthetic peptides and CRISPR-Cas systems for nucleic acid detection.
• Next-generation lateral flow assays (LFAs) incorporating immunodominant peptides hold promise for pen-side detection in field settings.
• Advancements in diagnostics are essential for improving the early detection and control of tropical bovine theileriosis.