PREVENTION OF PYROPLASMIDOSES OF HORSES IN GORNY ALTAI

Abstract

A high incidence of pyroplasmidoses (hemosporidial infections) of horses in the farms of Gorny Altai presupposes regular preventive measures against this disease. The main preventive measure is early specific chemotherapy of horses in spring. In this connection, we carried out a study on the species identification of the pathogen and the assessment of prophylactic efficacy of an antipyroplasmid drug. The studies were carried out in the livestock farm Kurmanov Ch.A. in the Ulagansky District of the Altai Republic. The blood samples from 20 horses were tested by nested polymerase chain reaction (nested PCR) in the presence of genus-specific primers for DNA of the protozoan blood parasites Babesia spp. and Theileria spp. The species membership of the identified infectious agents was established by determining nucleotide sequences of the PCR products. When studying prophylactic efficacy, "Babezan, 12%" was administered intramuscularly to the experimental group of horses (44 animals) at the rate of 2.5 mg of active substance per 1 kg of animal weight; the control group of horses (16 animals) was not given the drug. The blood samples examined were found to contain the DNA of Theileria spp. in 17 animals (85%), which was identified as Theileria equi. Early chemotherapy of the horses with "Babezan, 12%" based on the active substance imidocarb dipropionate at 2.5 mg per 1 kg of animal weight made it possible to prevent morbidity for 41 days.