Background and Aim: Infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (IBK; conjunctivitis) is a widespread eye disease in cattle. In 1960, the Gram-negative bacillus Moraxella bovis was discovered as one of IBK's etiological causal agents. This study aimed to clarify the epidemiological (epizootic) situation of cattle moraxellosis in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The study also maps the quantitative and qualitative indicators of the epidemiological (epizootic) process to develop more effective antiepizootic measures. Materials and Methods: We clinically examined both imported and local cattle species based on existing epidemiological (epizootological) units of economic entities in Kazakhstan. Then, we selected biomaterials for laboratory tests to screen for moraxellosis. Results: We clarified the epizootic situation for moraxellosis of cattle in Kazakhstan using data from the Meat Union of Kazakhstan, veterinary reports from the Veterinary Control and Surveillance Committee of the Ministry of Agriculture, Kazakhstan, and our results, obtained during visits to farms in the various regions of the republic. Conclusion: Based on the data of the conducted studies, we developed epizootic visualization maps with quantitative indicators of the cattle moraxellosis epizootic-transfer processes within various regions of Kazakhstan for 2019. The data obtained from studies of the properties of the isolated cultures compared with the characteristics of reference strains gave grounds to classify them as belonging to the Moraxella genus.

Background and Aim: Infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (IBK) is a prevalent ocular disease that affects livestock, leading to substantial economic losses due to reduced production and culling of infected animals. Moraxella spp. is common bacterial pathogens that can cause keratoconjunctivitis in livestock. Therefore, rapid and accurate diagnosis is crucial for effective treatment and disease control. This study aimed to develop a multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction (mRT-PCR) assay for the detection and differentiation of Moraxella bovoculi, Moraxella ovis, and Moraxella bovis. Materials and Methods: Three reference strains of Moraxella as positive controls and 36 lacrimal swab samples collected from cattle were used to evaluate the developed mRT-PCR assay DNA extraction that was performed using the RIBO-sorb DNA/RNA extraction kit. Primers and probes were designed using the SpeciesPrimer pipeline. The annealing temperature, primer and probe concentrations, and sensitivity and specificity of the assay were optimized. Results: An mRT-PCR assay was developed to detect pathogens associated with IBK in cattle on the basis of optimized parameters. The specificity and sensitivity of this assay were confirmed using samples containing individual pathogens (O – M. ovis, B – M. bovis, and BO – M. bovoculi), combinations of two pathogens (O-B, B-BO, and O-BO), and when the DNA of all three pathogens was present in a single reaction (O-B-BO). The analytical sensitivity of mRT-PCR for detecting M. ovis and M. bovoculi DNA was 21 copies or 50 fg per reaction, whereas that for M. bovis was 210 copies or 500 fg per reaction. In addition, this assay has been tested on samples isolated from the affected eyes of cattle in the Akmola region of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Conclusion: For the first time in the Republic of Kazakhstan, the proposed mRT-PCR assay for the simultaneous detection of three Moraxella spp. pathogens has been developed. This assay exhibits the required specificity and high sensitivity for mRT-PCR, facilitating the timely implementation of effective measures for disease control and the prevention of economic losses. These losses are linked to a reduction in livestock breeding value, a reduction in meat and milk production, a reduction in the reproductive performance of heifers, resulting in fewer offspring, as well as costs related to the treatment of affected animals. Keywords: Moraxella bovis, Moraxella bovoculi, Moraxella ovis, Moraxella spp., multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction, Pinkeye.

Background and Aim. Ixodid ticks (Acari, Ixodidae) are among the most important groups of arachnids globally, significantly impacting human and veterinary practice. Five genera of ticks of the Ixodidae family have been registered in Kazakhstan. Ticks of the genus Hyalomma are particularly important from epizootiological and epidemiological perspectives. Bites from infected ticks can transmit pathogens of bacterial and viral diseases.Materials and Methods. The research was conducted in the Bokeyorda State Nature Reserve, located in the Bokeyorda, Zhanibek, Kaztalov, and Zhanakala districts of the West Kazakhstan region of Kazakhstan, under a permit from the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Trapping for parasite carriage studies was conducted using the Coral method without harming animal health. To avoid stress, each captured animal was examined as quickly as possible. One or two ticks were removed safely, after which the animals were immediately released. The collected samples were placed in sterile laboratory Eppendorf tubes and stored at 2-4 °C. Tick species identification was performed under a trinocular stereoscopic microscope using identification tables.Results. During the study, Hyalomma marginatum ticks, a major vector of the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHF), were discovered for the first time in representatives of the Ural saiga population (Saiga tatarica) in Western Kazakhstan. This species have not previously been recorded on saiga in Kazakhstan. Morphological identification allowed us to clarify the characteristic diagnostic features of the discovered specimens, distinguishing them from other species of the genus Hyalomma.Conclusion. The detection of H. marginatum in saigas is of epizootiological significance, as this tick species actively parasitizes farm animals, creating conditions for the circulation and possible transmission of zoonotic pathogens between wild and domestic animals. Saiga migrations between Kazakhstan and Russia contribute to the expansion of the range of H. marginatum and likely increase the risk of tick-borne infections in the steppe ecosystems of the Urals.