Research News, Initiatives & External aided projects
Major Thrust Areas in Research:
• Prevalence of emerging parasitic diseases in the state
• Diagnostics based on morphological, serological and molecular techniques
• Anthelminthic and acaricide resistance
• Parasitic zoonoses
• Vector potentiality
• Sustainable parasite control
• Ethno veterinary medicine against parasites
• Bio-pesticides and Insect growth regulators

Research news and Events:
• Comprehensive survey was carried out on the incidence of various parasitic conditions causing morbidity and mortality among livestock in Kerala
• 13 new species of parasites were recorded and 12 new host records were made
• Lifecycle of 4 of these parasites were worked out for the first time
• Investigation on the incidence of helminth parasites of elephants and treatment
• Studies on parasites of ducks and treatment
• Intertransmissibility and pathogenicity of Schistosoma nasalis in cattle and buffaloe. Buffaloes were identified to be the normal definitive host and cattle, unusual        host.
• Control measures against ticks were standardized
• Studies on the pathogenicity and treatment of common nematodes in goats of Kerala and effect of irradiated larval vaccine against Haemonchus contortus in goats
• Sero prevalence of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii in goats confirmed for the first time in Kerala by modified agglutination test and carbon immunoassay.
• Feasibility of ELISA with coproantigens was found promising.
• Successful immunization against chicken coccidiosis with precocious strains.
• Anthelminthic resistance against GI nematodes in goats was detected.
• Speciation of microfilaria in dogs was done by histochemical staining. The species prevalent in dogs in Kerala was Dirofilaria repens
• Methoprene and diflubenzuron was identified as insecticides of choice for the control of mosquitoes.
• Identification of Culex tritaeniorhynchus as the most prevalent species of mosquitoes in cattle sheds in Thrissur, and C. quinquefasciatus in human dwellings
• Diflubenzuron and azadirachtin was successfully used to control cutaneous myiasis in animals.
• Topical application of Karanji oil was found suitable to cure rabbit mange
• Feasibilty of Dot ELISA and CIEP for detecting the infection in field as they are rapid, involve low cost equipment and are reliable.
• Identification of Babesia species such as Babesia gibsoni and B. canis morphologically and B.canis vogeli by semi nested PCR in dogs.
• Sero prevalence of Neospora caninum in cattle with c ELISA indicating the likelihood of the abortifacient being prevalent in cattle population. This forms first report    of Neosporosis in cattle from Kerala.
• Developed a state of the art molecular parasitology lab for PCR based detection of haemoparasites like Babesia gibsoni, B vogeli , Ehrlichia canis, B.bigemina,        Theileria annulata, T.orientalis, T.ovis, T.lestoquardi, T.luwenshuni, Anaplasma spp , helminths like Dirofilaria repens, Schistosoma spp., different strongyles and        anthelmintic resistance in domestic animals
• Confirmed the vector potentiality of tick species for Theileria sp. and Anaplasma sp. in goats and cattle
• Development of suitable and economical diagnostics like Sandwich ELISA for early diagnosis of copro-antigens of amphistomes.
 

Externally aided projects: