Abstract
Vector-borne diseases of zoonotic and/or veterinary relevance have been increasingly reported in horses globally, although data regarding working and military horses is lacking. Portuguese military horses may constitute a risk group for these pathogens, as they frequently work outdoors in various regions of the country. This study included 101 apparently healthy horses belonging to the Portuguese National Republican Guard. Blood samples were analyzed to determine the presence and prevalence of piroplasms, Anaplasmataceae, Rickettsia spp., and filarioid helminths. Overall 32.7% of the horses gave positive results for Theileria equi. Two genotypes of T. equi were verified. No positive results were recorded for Anaplasma spp., Rickettsia spp., filarioid helminthes, and Babesia caballi. As equine piroplasmosis is a severe infectious tick-borne disease responsible for significant losses in equine production and with numerous impacts in the international movement of horses, adequate treatment, and preventive measures are needed to reduce exposure to vectors and future infections.
Highlights
Vector-borne diseases (VBDs) have been increasingly reported in horses worldwide [1]
Prevalence of equine piroplasmosis vary in endemic regions in Europe for T. equi and B. caballi, depending on study design and diagnostic techniques used [IFAT, ELISA, PCR;]
In healthy military horses included in this study, 32.7% (33/101) tested positive for the presence of DNA of T. equi
Summary
Vector-borne diseases (VBDs) have been increasingly reported in horses worldwide [1]. Several equine VBDs are of zoonotic relevance and horses potentially serve as sentinels for human infections. The distribution and spread of vector-borne pathogens are limited by the presence of competent arthropod vectors (e.g., ticks, fleas, and mosquitoes) capable of transmitting these pathogens. Military horses may constitute a risk group for VBDs, as they frequently work outdoors in different areas and are exposed to vectors present there. Equine piroplasmosis is a tick-borne disease of equids such as horses, donkeys, mules, and zebras, and is caused by the protozoan parasites Theileria equi and Babesia caballi [2]. Infected animals may carry B. caballi for several years and T. equi for a whole lifetime [2]
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