Abstract
Equine piroplasmosis, an economically important disease in horses, has so far not been reported in Pernambuco state, Brazil. This study aimed to evaluate the seroprevalence of anti-Babesia caballi and anti-Theileria equi antibodies based on the detection of these agents in equine blood and in ticks on horses in the municipality of Petrolina, Pernambuco, northeastern Brazil. Blood samples were drawn from 393 horses and sera were examined by ELISA. The presence of tick infestations was evaluated, and 101 ticks were subjected to DNA amplification for the detection of Babesia spp. by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). No parasites were detected in the blood smears. Anti-B. caballi and anti-T. equi antibodies were found in 27.2% (107/393) and 34.8% (137/393) horses, respectively. Infestation by Dermacentor nitens was detected in 4.3% (17/393) of the horses. There was no DNA amplification of the agents in ticks. The risk factors for the presence of anti-T. equi antibodies (P < 0.05) were: purebred (P < 0.001), animals older than 156 months (P = 0.014), and the presence of ticks (P = 0.001). No risk factors for B. caballi were identified. This study confirmed the circulation of agents of equine piroplasmosis in the municipality of Petrolina, state of Pernambuco, Brazil.
Highlights
Equine piroplasmosis is an important tick-borne disease caused by the intraerythrocytic protozoan parasites Theileria equi and/or Babesia caballi, which affect wild and domesticated equids (WISE et al, 2014)
This study aimed to evaluate the seroprevalence of anti-Babesia caballi and anti-Theileria equi antibodies based on the detection of these agents in equine blood and in ticks on horses in the municipality of Petrolina, Pernambuco, northeastern Brazil
Blood samples were drawn from 393 horses and sera were examined by Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA)
Summary
Equine piroplasmosis is an important tick-borne disease caused by the intraerythrocytic protozoan parasites Theileria equi and/or Babesia caballi, which affect wild and domesticated equids (WISE et al, 2014). Amblyomma cajennense has been associated with the transmission of T. equi (KERBER et al, 2009) These agents can be transmitted transplacentally (SANTOS et al, 2008), as well as iatrogenically through blood transfusions and the use of contaminated needles, nasogastric tubes and endoscopes (WISE et al, 2014). The disease is considered endemic in tropical, subtropical and temperate regions (BRÜNING, 1996; KAPPMEYER et al, 2012; AHARONSON-RAZ et al, 2014) It is on the list of notifiable diseases, so infected animals are subject to international travel restrictions (OIE, 2018a), causing problems to the horse industry (VIEIRA et al, 2018). Animals infected with T. equi can manifest the disease after stress, strenuous exercise, immunosuppression and the administration of steroids (WISE et al, 2014)
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