Abstract
Equine Piroplasmosis (EP) is an infectious disease caused by the hemoprotozoan parasites Theileria equi, Babesia caballi, and the recently identified species T. haneyi. Hereby, we used a multiplex PCR (mPCR) targeting the 18S rRNA gene of T. equi and B. caballi for the simultaneous detection of EP in Egyptian equids and examined the presence of T. haneyi infections in Egypt. Blood samples from 155 equids (79 horses and 76 donkeys) collected from different governorates of Egypt were examined by mPCR and PCR targeting T. hayeni. The mPCR method revealed a prevalence of T. equi of 20.3% in horses and of 13.1% in donkeys and a prevalence of B. caballi of 1.2% in horses. B. caballi was not detected in donkeys in the current study. The mPCR method also detected coinfections with both species (2.5% and 1.3% in horses and donkeys, respectively). Additionally, we report the presence of T. haneyi in Egypt for the first time in 53.1% of the horse and 38.1% of the donkey tested samples. Coinfection with T. haneyi and T. equi was found in 13.5% of the samples, while infection with the three EP species was found in 1.9% of the samples.
Highlights
In rural areas of many developing countries, including Egypt, there is a huge reliance on working equids, which include horses, donkeys, mules, and ponies
Equids can be affected by a myriad of diseases that include amongst others, African Horse Sickness, Epizootic Lymphangitis (EZL), Tetanus, Rabies, Trypanosomiasis, and Piroplasmosis, there is a general lack of knowledge regarding the identification, management, and prevention of infectious diseases [3]
The DNA sequence data generated in this study allowed for some genetic characterization of T. equi, B. caballi, and T. haneyi Egyptian strains currently circulating in this country
Summary
In rural areas of many developing countries, including Egypt, there is a huge reliance on working equids, which include horses, donkeys, mules, and ponies. These animals play important roles in sustaining the livelihoods of millions of people by providing support in industries that include agriculture, construction, tourism, mining, and public transport [1,2]. Equine piroplasmosis [EP] is one of the infectious tick-borne diseases (TBDs) of equids, caused by the hemoprotozoan parasites T. equi, B. caballi [4], and the newly identified species T. haneyi [5]. There are over 30 species of ticks that have been described as vectors of T. equi, B. caballi, or both, including the genera Hyalomma, Rhipicephalus, Dermacentor, Amblyomma, and Haemaphysalis [6]. Horses infected with T. equi remain persistently infected, while those affected by B. caballi are infected for an extended period [11]
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