PCR detection of Theileria equi and Babesia caballi in apparently healthy horses in Paraguay
PCR detection of Theileria equi and Babesia caballi in apparently healthy horses in Paraguay
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DOI：
10.1016/j.vprsr.2023.100835
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发表时间：
2023-02-02
影响因子：
1.4
通讯作者：
Acosta, Tomas J.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Ahedor, Believe;Sivakumar, Thillaiampalam;Acosta, Tomas J.
马疫是由马泰勒氏菌和卡巴贝斯虫引起的一种硬蜱传播的疾病，包括马。EP的分布遍及全球，往往会对马业产生重大的社会经济影响。被感染的动物仍然是媒介生物的携带者和感染源，从而给疾病管理带来了巨大的挑战。因此，对这些携带者的检测对于评估传播风险和在流行国家实施适当的控制措施至关重要。巴拉圭是一个热带国家，牲畜中常见各种硬虱传播的疾病；然而，EP在该国的状况仍不清楚。由于能够传播马锥虫和卡巴利线虫的扁虱媒介在巴拉圭是地方性的，我们假设巴拉圭的马感染了这些寄生虫物种。为了测试我们的假体，我们从巴拉圭17个部门中的16个部门总共545匹看起来健康的马身上提取了血液DNA样本，并用特异的PCR方法对它们进行了分析，以检测马毛虫和卡巴利球虫。聚合酶链式反应结果显示，有178匹马(32.7%)感染马毛虫，8匹马(1.5%)感染卡巴利球虫。在感染的马中，2匹(0.4%)同时感染了这两种寄生虫。我们的分析进一步表明，马毛虫感染的阳性率在马匹品种、雄马和雌马以及年龄组之间没有差异。我们还发现，未感染的动物与单一感染的动物的血液学参数是相同的。相比之下，同时感染马弓形虫和卡巴利球虫的两匹马的血红蛋白和红细胞压积低于正常范围。综上所述，本研究证实巴拉圭马匹感染马弓形虫和卡巴利支原体，且马毛虫感染率高于卡巴利支原体。我们的发现强调了当贫血症的马被送到巴拉圭的马匹诊所时，有必要将EP添加到鉴别诊断列表中。
Equine piroplasmosis (EP) is a tick-borne disease caused by Theileria equi and Babesia caballi in equids, including horses. EP has a global distribution and often leads to a significant socioeconomic impact on the equine industry. Infected animals remain as carriers and become a source of infection for tick vectors, thereby posing an immense challenge in the disease management. Therefore, detection of these carriers is crucial to assess the risk of transmission and to implement appropriate control measures in endemic countries. Paraguay is a tropical country where various tick-borne diseases are common among livestock; however, the status of EP remains unknown in this country. Because the tick vectors capable of transmitting T. equi and B. caballi are endemic in Paraguay, we hypothesised that Paraguayan horses are infected with these parasite species. To test our hy-pothesis, we prepared blood DNA samples from a total of 545 apparently healthy horses in 16 of the 17 de-partments of Paraguay and analysed them with specific PCR assays to detect T. equi and B. caballi. The PCR results showed that 178 (32.7%) and 8 (1.5%) of the horses were infected with T. equi and B. caballi, respectively. Among the infected horses, two (0.4%) were infected with both parasite species. Our analyses further indicated that the positive rates of T. equi infection did not differ between horse breeds, males and females, or age groups. We also found that haematological parameters were the same between the non-infected animals and animals with single infections. By contrast, the two horses co-infected with T. equi and B. caballi had haemoglobin and haematocrit values lower than the normal ranges. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that Paraguayan horses are infected with T. equi and B. caballi and that the rate of T. equi infection is higher than that of B. caballi. Our findings highlight the need to add EP to the list of differential diagnoses when anaemic horses are presented to equine clinics in Paraguay.