Babesia Caballi Research Articles

In vitro evaluation of the automated hematology analyzer XN-31 for rapid diagnosis of equine piroplasmosis.

In this study, we demonstrated that the automated hematology analyzer, XN-31, can detect red blood cells infected with Babesia caballi and Theileria equi in about 1 minute. We evaluated the diagnostic performance of the XN-31 analyzer for equine piroplasmosis, providing evidence of its potential as a diagnostic tool for this disease.

Significance of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia caballi, and Theileria equi as etiologic agents in horses with clinical manifestations from the metropolitan area of Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

Significance of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia caballi, and Theileria equi as etiologic agents in horses with clinical manifestations from the metropolitan area of Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

Diagnostic performance of a rapid immunochromatographic test for the simultaneous detection of antibodies to Theileria equi and Babesia caballi in horses and donkeys

Diagnostic performance of a rapid immunochromatographic test for the simultaneous detection of antibodies to <i>Theileria equi</i> and <i>Babesia caballi</i> in horses and donkeys

First Molecular Evidence of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi in Imported Donkeys from Kyrgyzstan.

Equine piroplasmosis (EP) is an important tick-borne disease of equids, caused by Theileria equi, Theileria haneyi, and Babesia caballi. Nonetheless, there has been a scarcity of systematic reports on EP parasites in donkeys in Kyrgyzstan, Central Asia. In this study, piroplasms were screened in 1900 blood samples from imported donkeys from the Osh Oblast (southwestern Kyrgyzstan) by targeting partial 18S ribosomal RNA using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Through molecular and phylogenetic analyses, all positive samples were sequenced to identify the species and genotypes. The results indicated the presence of both B. caballi and T. equi, with prevalence rates of 8.4% (160/1900) and 12.2% (232/1900), respectively. By amplifying part of the Erythrocyte Merozoite Antigen 1 (EMA-1) and Rhoptry-Associated Protein (RAP-1) genes, B. caballi genotype B and T. equi genotype A were identified. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on piroplasm infection among donkeys from Kyrgyzstan.

Molecular genotyping of Babesia caballi

Babesia caballi is an intra-erythrocytic parasite causing equine piroplasmosis. Three B. caballi genotypes (A, B, and C) have been identified based on the 18 S rRNA and rhoptry-associated protein (rap-1) gene sequences. These variant parasite genotypes compromise the diagnostic utility of the WOAH-recommended serological assays in declaring horses free of equine piroplasmosis. Although a gene encoding a spherical body protein 4 (sbp4) has recently been identified as a potential antigen for the serological detection of B. caballi, the ability of this antigen to detect the different geographical strains has not been determined. The molecular distinction between variant B. caballi genotypes is limited and therefore we developed molecular typing assays for the rapid detection and quantification of distinct parasite genotypes. Field samples were screened for the presence of B. caballi using an established multiplex equine piroplasmosis qPCR assay. In this study, B. caballi genotype A was not detected in any field samples screened. However, phylogenetic analysis of the amplified sbp4 and 18 S rRNA genes confirmed the phylogenetic groupings of the South African isolates into either B. caballi genotypes B or C. A multiple sequence alignment of the sbp4 gene sequences obtained in this study together with the published sbp4 sequences representing B. caballi genotype A, were used to identify conserved regions within the gene to design three primer pairs and three genotype-specific TaqMan minor-groove binder (MGB™) probes. The qPCR assays were shown to be specific and efficient in the detection and differentiation between B. caballi genotypes A, B, and C and could be used as a diagnostic assay to prevent the unintentional spread of variant B. caballi genotypes globally.

Molecular detection and characterization of prevailing Theileria equi genotype in equine from northern India

Equine piroplasmosis caused by Theileria equi is a febrile, tick-borne disease of equids. However, there is limited literature about the genotyping of T. equi in India. Blood samples were collected from 202 horses and subjected to microscopy and PCR to detect T. equi. Initially, a universal screening primer pair targeting 18S ribosomal RNA genes common for Babesia caballi and T. equi was employed to amplify the DNA of both parasites. Thereafter additional primers were employed for species-specific detection resulting in amplification of approximately 435 bp specific for T. equi. T.equi was detected in 9.9% and 20.79% of horses screened by microscopy and PCR, respectively. The representative samples confirmed positive by PCR were sequenced, submitted to NCBI (OR651254, OR687254, OR685656, OR650830, OR650834), and used for genotype characterization and phylogenetic analysis. Employing Genetool and MEGA X software, the T. equi Indian isolates and across the globe were compared, and the results demonstrated 99.05–100% and 95.86–100% homologies, respectively. All the T. equi Indian isolates belonged to genotype A. Phylogeny based on the EMA-1 gene of five isolates (OR731831, OR731833, OR731829, OR731830, OR731832) were also characterized by sequencing and support the previous findings. Genotypes C and D, as well as genotypes B and E, exhibited lower levels of evolutionary divergence compared to other genotypes. The EMA-1 gene exhibited limited diversity and might not be the most suitable target for assessing variability within T. equi populations. The findings also reveal a significant association (p < 0.01) between T. equi infection and the presence of ticks.

Development of a Real-Time Quantitative PCR Based on a TaqMan-MGB Probe for the Rapid Detection of Theileria haneyi.

Equine piroplasmosis (EP) is a parasitic disease caused by Theileria equi (T. equi), Babesia caballi (B. caballi) and Theileria haneyi (T. haneyi). This disease is considered to be reportable by the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH). Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) is regarded as a straightforward, rapid and sensitive diagnostic method to detect pathogens. However, qPCR has not been employed in the various epidemiological investigations of T. haneyi. In this study, we developed a new qPCR method to detect T. haneyi based on the chr1sco (chromosome 1 single-copy open reading frame (ORF)) gene, which has no detectable orthologs in T. equi or B. caballi. A TaqMan MGB probe was used in the development of the qPCR assay. A plasmid containing the chr1sco gene was constructed and used to establish the standard curves. The novel qPCR technique demonstrated great specificity for detecting additional frequent equine infectious pathogens and sensitivity for detecting diluted standard plasmids. This qPCR was further validated by comparison with an optimized nested PCR (nPCR) assay in the analysis of 96 clinical samples. The agreement between the nPCR assay and the established qPCR assay was 85.42%. The newly established method could contribute to the accurate diagnosis of T. haneyi infections in horses.

Ixodid tick infections of horses, and seasonal dynamics and infection of pasture ticks with piroplasmids in Gorny Altai

The purpose of the research is the characterization of species composition and abundance of ixodid ticks that parasitize on horses, seasonal dynamics of ticks inhabiting natural pastures and their piroplasmid infection. Materials and methods. The studies were performed in four Gorny Altai physiographic provinces. Ticks were manually collected from horses (1183 specimens). Ticks were counted on natural pastures every ten days with subsequent determination of the species composition (1109 specimens). Collected ticks of the genus Dermacentor (443 specimens) were examined by nested PCR in the presence of genus-specific primers for Babesia spp. and Theileria spp.; the species identification of discovered piroplasmas was determined by 18S rRNA gene sequencing. Results and discussion. Ixodid ticks of three genera (Dermacentor, Ixodes, Haemaphysalis) and 6 species: D. nuttalli, D. silvarum, D. reticulatus, D. marginatus, H. concinna and Ix. Persulcatus, were recorded in the collections from horses and pastures. The most numerous species was D. nuttalli (56.1%), and the most common, Ix. persulcatus, that was recorded in all districts except Kosh-Agachsky in South-Eastern Altai. D. silvarum accounted for 14.9%, and other species were represented to a lesser extent. The highest species diversity, 5 species, was observed in the Northern Altai pastures and only 1 species, D. nuttalli, was recorded in the South-Eastern Altai. The seasonal dynamics of ticks in the pasture was characterized by two peaks in numbers, namely, the spring peak in the 3rd decade of April and the autumn peak in the 2nd decade of October. The spring-summer period (March-June) had 87.1% of recorded ticks, and the autumn period (September-October) had 7.2%. Three species of the examined ticks (D. silvarum, D. marginatus, D. nuttalli) were found to have DNA of three piroplasmid species (Babesia caballi, Theileria equi and Babesia sp). Piroplasmids infection rate in ticks was 2.7-25.0%, and 2.7% on average in Gorny Altai.

Chromosome-level genome assembly of Babesia caballi reveals diversity of multigene families among Babesia species

BackgroundBabesia caballi is an intraerythrocytic parasite from the phylum Apicomplexa, capable of infecting equids and causing equine piroplasmosis. However, since there is limited genome information available on B. caballi, molecular mechanisms involved in host specificity and pathogenicity of this species have not been fully elucidated yet.ResultsGenomic DNA from a B. caballi subclone was purified and sequenced using both Illumina and Nanopore technologies. The resulting assembled sequence consisted of nine contigs with a size of 12.9 Mbp, rendering a total of 5,910 protein-coding genes. The phylogenetic tree of Apicomplexan species was reconstructed using 263 orthologous genes. We identified 481 ves1-like genes and named “ves1c”. In contrast, expansion of the major facilitator superfamily (mfs) observed in closely related B. bigemina and B. ovata species was not found in B. caballi. A set of repetitive units containing an open reading frame with a size of 297 bp was also identified.ConclusionsWe present a chromosome-level genome assembly of B. caballi. Our genomic data may contribute to estimating gene expansion events involving multigene families and exploring the evolution of species from this genus.

Clinical and epidemiological aspects of the infection by Babesia, Theileria and Trypanosoma species in horses from northeastern Colombia

Piroplasmosis and trypanosomiasis are debilitating diseases of great economic impact on the equine industry of Latin America. Considering the lack of studies in the northeastern part of Colombia, this study aimed to determine the epidemiological, clinical and genetic features associated with infection of the Babesia, Theileria, and Trypanosoma species in horses from this geographical area. Two hundred and eighty horses from the Arauca, Meta, and Santander departments were molecularly analyzed for infection with Babesia caballi, Theileria equi, Trypanosoma evansi, and Trypanosoma vivax. Furthermore, clinical, epidemiological and entomological analyses were performed on the data sets. Molecular analysis showed 25.7% and 3.9% prevalence for T. equi and T. evansi, respectively, without positive animals for B. caballi and T. vivax. There were no differences in the prevalence of T. equi between departments, whereas T. evansi was detected exclusively in Santander. A total of 633 ticks were collected from 72 horses across the three departments, with 84.7% corresponding to Dermacentor nitens, 10.9% to Amblyomma cajennense (sensu lato) (s.l). and 4.4% to Rhipicephalus microplus. For T. equi, genetic analyses showed that Colombian isolates belong to genotype C of species, along with sequences of Brazil and Mexico. Epidemiological analysis revealed a significant association between tick infestation and lack of vector control with molecular infection of T. equi, whereas clinical analysis revealed a significant reduction in packed cell volume, red blood cells, and mean corpuscular volume in positive animals to this pathogen. Furthermore, molecular infection by T. evansi was associated with epidemiological characteristics in the Santander department. In conclusion, our analysis revealed a moderate infection rate by T. equi of genotype C in horses from northeastern Colombia, which affects their clinical conditions. Control of ticks and treatment of symptomatic animals should be considered to reduce the economic impact associated with these infections in the equine industry.

Cross-sectional analysis of Piroplasma species-infecting camel (Camelus dromedaries) in Egypt using a multipronged molecular diagnostic approach.

Camel piroplasmosis is a tick-borne disease (TBD) caused by hemoprotozoan parasites. Hereby, we describe a cross-sectional study aiming at identifying Piroplasma spp.-infecting camels in Egypt using a multipronged molecular diagnostic approach. A total of 531 blood samples from camels (Camelus dromedarius) were collected from slaughterhouses at different governorates in Egypt for analysis during the period from June 2018 to May 2019. Piroplasma spp. was identified using microscopical examination and several different and sequential polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays targeting the 18S rRNA genes. The overall prevalence of Piroplasma spp. in microscopical and molecular analyses in the samples was 11% (58/531) and 38% (203/531), respectively. Further discriminative multiplex PCR analysis targeting the 18S rRNA gene applied on all Piroplasma spp.-positive samples allowed the detection of Theileria equi (41%), Babesia caballi (5.4%), Babesia bigemina (0.5%), and Babesia bovis (4%). Additionally, the blast analysis of nested (n) PCR, targeting the V4 region, amplicon sequences resulted in the identification of B. vulpes (22%), Babesia sp. (9%), and Theileria sp. (3%). Overall, the results of this study confirmed the high prevalence of TBDs caused by several types of piroplasm hemoparasites in camel and suggests the need for future interventions aimed at improving the control of these potentially debilitating diseases that may be t-hreatening important economic resources and food security in Egypt.

Development of a promising antigenic cocktail for the global detection of Babesia caballi in horse by ELISA.

In this study, we designed novel truncated Babesia caballi (B. caballi) recombinant proteins from the previously used B. caballi proteins; 134-Kilodalton Protein (rBC134) and Merozoite Rhoptry 48 Protein (rBC48). Then, we evaluated the diagnostic performance of the newly designed proteins when used as a single antigen or when used as cocktail antigen consists of rBC134 full length (rBC134f) + newly designed rBC48 (rBC48t) or newly designed rBC134 (rBC134t) + rBC48t for the detection of B. caballi infection in horse using indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (iELISA). We used one dose and a half of each antigen in the cocktail formulas. The serum samples were collected from different endemic areas in addition to the sera collected from horses experimentally infected with B. caballi were used in the present study. Cocktail antigen in full dose of (rBC134f + rBC48t) exhibited the highest optical density (OD) values with B. caballi-infected sera and showed the lowest OD values with normal equine sera or B. caballi, and Theileria equi mixed infected sera in comparison with the single antigen. Interestingly, the same cocktail antigen exhibited the highest concordance rate (76.74%) and kappa value (0.79) in the screening of 200 field serum samples collected from five B. caballi endemic countries, including South Africa (n = 40), Ghana (n = 40), Mongolia (n = 40), Thailand (n = 40), and China (n = 40) using iELISA and the results were compared to those of indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) as a reference. Moreover, the identified promising cocktail full dose antigen (rBC134f + rBC48t) showed that it can detect the infection as early as the 4th day post-infection in sera collected from experimentally infected horses. The obtained results revealed the reliability of the rBC134f + rBC48t cocktail antigen when used in full dose for the detection of specific antibodies to B. caballi in horses which will be useful for epidemiological surveys and control of equine babesiosis.

Comparison of Seroprevalence and Identification of Risk Factors for Theileria equi in Horses From Vector-Free and Infested Areas in Southern Brazil

The apicomplexan hemoprotozoan Theileria equi is a tick-borne pathogen that causes disease in equids, and together with Babesia caballi, causes equine piroplasmosis (EP). Many ticks are associated with EP around the world, and in South America three species may be related: Dermacentor nitens, Amblyomma sculptum, and Rhipicephalus microplus, as they are commonly found in horses. Among the species cited above, only R. microplus is found in Rio Grande do Sul state, Southern Brazil. In addition, this state has the only area legally free of R. microplus in Brazil. This study aimed to compare the seroprevalence for T. equi on farms located in a tick-free area (23 farms, 215 horses) and a tick-infested (25 farms, 141 horses) adjacent areas, as well as to identify potential risk factors for exposure to T. equi. Blood was collected from 356 horses from both areas, and later an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed to detect anti-T. equi antibodies. Besides the blood collection, questionnaires and interviews were conducted in an attempt to identify potential risk factors. The R. microplus-free zone had 6% seropositive horses against 70% in the tick-infested zone. Previous observation of ticks on horses of the herd increased four times the odds of a horse to be seropositive for T. equi, and by three times if ticks were observed on cattle which share paddocks with horses on the farm. The results showed a large difference in T. equi seroprevalence between tick-infested and free areas, and also emphasized the relevance of R. microplus in the epidemiology of T. equi. The study also reveals the potential of the establishment of a T. equi-free zone for horse breeding in Southern Brazil.

Evidence of transplacental transmission of equine piroplasms Theileria equi and Babesia caballi in an Italian breed mare

Equine piroplasmosis (EP) is a vector borne disease caused by apicomplexans protists Babesia caballi (Nuttal et Strickland, 1910) and Theileria equi (Laveran, 1901). Carrier mares may transmit the infection transplacental resulting in neonatal piroplasmosis or abortions. This event has been described for T. equi by several authors over the world, but no evidence for B. caballi has been reported in Europe. In this study, vertical transmission for both parasites in an Italian breed mare has been confirmed using molecular and microscopic tools. Transplacental transmission is an underestimated problem mainly in endemic areas as it not only contributes to the spread and maintenance of the infection, but also produces significant economic losses.

Occurrence of the selected parasites and viral infections in horses and donkeys in Turkey

The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence of certain protozoa (B. caballi, T. equi, T. gondii, Neospora sp.) and viral agents (equine influenza, equine viral arteritis, equine herpesviruses) of equids in Balikesir and its surroundings, in Turkey. Plasma and serum samples were collected from 66 horses and 96 donkeys. Babesia caballi, T. equi and Neospora sp. antibodies were detected with c-ELISA, whereas T. gondii antibodies were revealed by the Sabin Feldman Dye test. Viral agents were detected by the PCR technique. The prevalence rates of the protozoa in horses were 12.12% for B. caballi, 34.84% for T. equi, 9.09% for T. gondii, and 10.6% for Neospora sp. The molecular prevalence of the viral agents amounted to 3.03% for equine influenza virus and 6.06% for equine herpesvirus 5. Equine viral arteritis virus and other herpesviruses (1, 2 and 4) were not detected in any of the samples. The rates of seropositivity in donkeys were 1.69% for B. caballi, 71.87% for T. equi, 90.62% for T. gondii, 23.95% for Neospora sp., 1.04% for equine influenza virus, 0% for equine viral arteritis virus, 3.12% for equine herpesvirus 5, and 0% for other herpesviruses. This study is the first to report the existence of anti-Neospora sp. antibodies in donkeys and the seroprevalence of T. gondii in horses and donkeys in Western Anatolia, Turkey.

Diagnostic Performance of Competitive ELISA and Western Blot Methods for the Detection of Antibodies against Theileria equi and Babesia caballi.

Theileria equi (T. equi) and Babesia caballi (B. caballi) are the causative pathogens of Equine piroplasmosis (EP), a disease that has brought huge economic losses and great restrictions to the global equine industry. Rapid and accurate diagnostic methods are critical for the effective monitoring of the disease. In this study, we developed novel competitive ELISA methods and western blot assays based on the EMA1 or Bc48 proteins to detect antibodies against T. equi or B. caballi, respectively. In the novel cELISA, horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-labeled monoclonal antibodies are used in place of enzyme-conjugated secondary antibodies, in order to speed up the entire procedure. These methods have high sensitivity and no cross-reactivity with antibodies against other equine diseases. In the newly developed western blot assays, we optimized the dilution of T. equi or B. caballi positive serum samples to 1:200. Compared with the commercially available kit, both the novel cELISA assay and the western blot assay showed high coincidence rates in detecting antibodies against T. equi and B. caballi. Taken together, the novel cELISA and the western blot assays for detecting antibodies against T. equi or B. caballi have the potential to rapidly test for T. equi or B. caballi and to contribute to the surveillance and control of this disease.

The Prevalence of Pathogens among Ticks Collected from Livestock in Kazakhstan.

Ticks carry and transmit a wide variety of pathogens (bacteria, viruses and protozoa) that pose a threat to humans and animals worldwide. The purpose of this work was to study ticks collected in different regions of Kazakhstan for the carriage of various pathogens. The collected ticks were examined by PCR for the carriage of various pathogens. A total of 3341 tick samples parasitizing three animal species (cattle, sheep and horses) were collected at eight regions of Kazakhstan. Eight tick species were found infesting animals: Dermacentor marginatus (28.08%), Hyalomma asiaticum (21.28%), Hyalomma anatolicum (17.18%), Dermacentor reticulatus (2.01%), Ixodes ricinus (3.35%), Ixodes persulcatus (0.33%), Hyalomma scupense (12.87%) and Hyalomma marginatum (14.90%). Ticks collected from livestock animals were examined for the pathogen spectrum of transmissible infections to determine the degree of their infection. Four pathogen DNAs (lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV), Coxiella burnetti, Teileria annulata, and Babesia caballi) were detected by PCR in Dermacentor marginatus, Hyalomma asiaticum, Hyalomma scupense, Hyalomma anatolicum. The infection of ticks Dermacentor marginatus and Hyalomma asiaticum collected on cattle in the West Kazakhstan region with LSDV was 14.28% and 5.71%, respectively. Coxiella burnetti was found in the ticks Dermacentor marginatus (31.91%) in the Turkestan region and Hyalomma anatolicum (52.63%) in the Zhambyl region. Theileria annulata was found in ticks Hyalomma scupense (7.32%) and Dermacentor marginatus (6.10%) from cattle in the Turkestan region. Babesia caballi was isolated only from the species Hyalomma scupense (17.14%) in the Turkestan region. There were no PCR-positive tick samples collected from sheep. RNA/DNAs of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), African swine fever virus (ASFV), Hantavirus hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), and chlamydia pathogens were not found in ticks. The new data give a better understanding of the epidemiology of tick-borne pathogens and the possibility of the emergence of tick-borne animal diseases in Kazakhstan.

Low seroprevalence of equine piroplasmosis in horses exported from the Netherlands between 2015 and 2021.

Equine piroplasmosis (EP) is a tick-borne disease affecting horses, donkeys, mules and zebras, caused by the intracellular apicomplexan protozoa Babesia caballi and Theileria equi. The geographical distribution of EP is closely related to the distribution of its vector tick species belonging to the genera of Dermacentor, Rhipicephalus and Hyalomma. Since the discovery of Dermacentor reticulatus ticks in 2007 and the first reported autochthonous cases in the South of the Netherlands in 2012, no data on the (sero)prevalence of EP in horses in the Netherlands have been reported and it remains unclear whether B. caballi and T. equi have been able to establish themselves in the Netherlands. This study aims to give an update on the current status of EP in horses in the Netherlands using data from serological tests performed in the context of export and screening of 12,881 horses from 2015 through 2020. Horses were categorized as “Dutch,” “Foreign,” or “Unknown” based on microchip number. The overall seroprevalence of EP in Dutch horses was found to be 0.5% (95% exact CI [0.4–0.7]), compared to 1.9% (95% exact CI [1.3–2.6]) in horses in the category “Foreign” and 1.7% (95% exact CI [1.2–2.3]) in horses in the category “Unknown.” In addition, the seroprevalence per country in the category “Foreign” ranged from 0% (0.95% exact CI [0–2.8]) for Ireland to 6.0% (0.95% exact CI [3.5–9.3]) for Spain. In light of the reports on the seroprevalence during the outbreak of autochthonous EP reported in 2012 and on seroprevalences of EP in other countries in Northwestern Europe, the seroprevalence of EP in horses exported from the Netherlands is very low. However, the higher seroprevalence of EP in horses from abroad warrants the need for the monitoring of EP, as tick vectors are present in the Netherlands and the import of horses from endemic areas increases the chances of EP becoming more prevalent in the Netherlands.

Prevalence of haemoparasites and effects on blood parameters of horses in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.

A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the prevalence of haemoparasites in horses and their effects on the blood parameters of horses in the Ashanti Region of Ghana from June to July 2021. A total of 26 horses were sampled. Three millilitres (3mls) of blood samples were collected from each horse from the jugular vein which was examined using a thin blood film and autoanalyzer. Data obtained was analysed descriptively using SPSS Version 21. A Chi-square test was performed, and the significance level was tested at a 5% significance level (P-value ≤ 0.05). Results showed 20 (76.9%) positive cases for blood parasites; of which 13 (65%) had Babesia caballi only, 1 (5%) with Theileria equi only, 5 (25%) with both Babesia caballi and Theileria equi, and 1 (5%) with both Babesia caballi and Trypanosoma equiperdum. Prevalence was observed to be high in the young horses (3-7 years) as well as in the local breed of horses and the male horses. There were marked effects on haematological parameters in infected horses. Concerning infected horses, haematocrit (HCT), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) were low whilst the mean corpuscular volume (MCV) was high indicating macrocytic hypochromic anaemia. The difference in the effects on haematological parameters between infected and non-infected horses was not statistically significant (p&gt;0.05). This study has established the presence of haemoparasites with Babesia caballi being the most prevalent parasite in the horses sampled in the Ashanti Region of Ghana with marked effects on haematological parameters indicating the presence of macrocytic, hypochromic anaemia.

Prophylactic efficacy of drugs against equine piroplasmidosis in Gorny Altai

The purpose of the research is to study the prophylactic efficacy of piroplasmicides and to elucidate the effect of prophylactic doses of Imidocarb Dipropionate on the pathogen viability.Materials and methods. Babezan 12% was intramuscularly injected to 150 horses based on the active substance of Imidocarb Dipropionate at 2.5 mg/kg of the body weight and Neosidin M was injected to 30 horses twice at a dose of 2.5 mL per 100 kg of the live weight with a 15-day interval. The control group of animals did not receive the drug. The clinical follow-up of the experimental and control animals’ condition was done for 72 days. Before the experiment and 14 days after the drugs, blood samples were examined by the nested PCR in the presence of genus-specific primers from the 18S rRNA gene sequence for the Babesia spp. / Theileria spp. DNA. Species identification and genotyping of the detected Piroplasma were performed by sequencing 18S rRNA gene fragments.Results and discussion. Among 12 examined horses, 8 animals (66.7%) had the Piroplasmida DNA found in the blood samples, of which 50.0% were identified as Theileria equi and 16.7% as Babesia caballi. A high T. equi DNA prevalence (over 50.0%) indicates an endemic course of equine theileriosis. Babesan 12% in early chemotherapy of the horses helped to prevent the incidence of theileriosis within 48 and 59 days. Double chemotherapy of the horses with Neosidin M with a 15-day interval prevented the morbidity for 52 days. Babesan 12% at the preventive dose had no effect on the viability of persistent T. equi stages.