Title : Epidemiological Study of Equine Piroplasmosis (Theileria equi and Babesia caballi) by microscopic examination and competitive-ELISA
Abstract:
Equine piroplasmosis is a major tick-borne disease that can lead to serious health problems and economic losses in horse industry. The aim of the study is to determine the prevalence of Theileria equi and Babesia caballi in different species of Equus namely (Horse, mule, donkey and pony) by Giemsa stained blood films and competitive ELISA. This study was conducted at various geographic areas of Erbil governorate. A total of 349 blood samples from equine (209 horses, 62 mules, 57 donkey and 21 ponies) were collected to estimate the prevalence rate of Theileria equi and Babesia caballi by using Giemsa stained blood smear and competitive ELISA. The overall prevalence rates were (10.6%) consisting of (8.3%), (1.7%) and (0.6) for T. equi, B. caballi and both infection respectively by Giemsa stained blood smears, and the rate was 38.97%, consisting of 20.9% for T. equi, 11.2% for B. caballi and 6.9% for both infections by cELISA. Seroprevalence rate of T. equi was significantly higher (P < 0.001) than that B. caballi in equids. There was also a significant difference associated between age (P < 0.01), activity (P < 0.01), management (P < 0.001) and tick infestation (P < 0.001), but neither the type of equids nor the gender was significant differences associated with prevalence rate. The present study concluded that the equine piroplasmosis is a vital infection distributed among the equine in Erbil province North of Iraq. Thus a better control programme should be implemented to contain and control the prevalence of the disease within the area.
Audience Takeaway:
- Identification of carrier equines is essential for the evaluation of infection risk as they serve as a pool of infection for ticks and cause natural transmission of the disease.
- ELISA is the selective and specified tests can be used to epidemiological study on equine piroplasmosis.
- Direct microscopic identification of the parasite in stained Giemsa blood smears is still confirmatory during the clinical cases and its essential examined before treatment to select type of drugs used for treatment.
- The competitive inhibition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) for detection of antibodies against T. equi and B. caballi, and as a specified test for global horse activity, also are recommended as a select method of diagnosis during latent stage (carrier cases) of infection before horse imported, especially when horses designed to be imported into regions that are free from the disease, while the tick vectors are present
