A field evaluation of PCR for the routine detection of Babesia equi in horses.
Abstract: We report on a study that evaluated the usefulness of PCR for the routine detection of Babesia equi in horses. The blood from a total of 105 horses comprising both sick and apparently healthy animals were examined for the presence of B. equi using both Wright-Giemsa-stained blood smears and PCR. Microscopic analysis of Giemsa-stained blood smears revealed 10/105 animals positive for Babesia, compared to 16/105 for the primary PCR and 36/105 for the nested PCR. Three of the 10 samples positive by Wright-Giemsa-stain were negative by PCR for B. equi. However, evidence is presented that these samples contained B. caballi and not B. equi. The Wright-Giemsa-stain was shown to identify Babesia in mostly clinically ill animals while the nested PCR detected the organism in a large number of apparently healthy animals. The results of this study suggest that the nested PCR is superior to both Wright-Giemsa-stained and primary PCR methods, and should be considered for the routine detection of B. equi in both healthy and clinically ill horses.
Publication Date: 2003-06-05 PubMed ID: 12781470DOI: 10.1016/s0304-4017(03)00129-8Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Evaluation Study
- Journal Article
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Summary
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The research article investigates the usefulness of PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) as a method to detect Babesia equi in horses. The findings suggest that PCR is a more accurate and reliable method than traditional staining methods, particularly for detecting the pathogen in seemingly healthy horses.
Study Design and Methodology
- The methodology involved evaluating PCR’s usefulness in routinely spotting Babesia equi, a disease-causing parasite, in horses.
- The researchers collected blood samples from 105 different horses, which included sick as well as apparent healthy horses.
- They analyzed the sample for the presence of Babesia equi using two methods: Wright-Giemsa stained blood smears and PCR.
Results and Findings
- The microscopic examination of the Wright-Giemsa stained blood smears revealed that 10 out of 105 horses were positive for Babesia.
- On the other hand, the more technologically advanced method, PCR, showed a significantly higher incidence rate. It indicated 16 out of 105 horses showed the presence of the parasite in the case of primary PCR, while nested PCR escalated the number to 36 out of 105 horses.
Discrepancies and Further Examination
- There were three horses that tested positive for Babesia in the Wright-Giemsa stain but negative in the PCR test.
- On further investigation, it was found that those three samples likely contained B. caballi rather than B. equi, explaining the discrepancies in the outcomes.
Implications and Conclusion
- The examination provided strong evidence that PCR, coupled with a double-check stage called nested PCR, is a superior technique in detecting Babesia equi in horses.
- The traditional Wright-Giemsa staining method identified infections mainly in clinically ill horses; however, nested PCR effectively identified the pathogen in seemingly healthy horses as well.
- Based on these findings, the researchers suggest considering the nested PCR method for routinely detecting Babesia equi in horses, regardless of whether they appear physically well or ill.
Cite This Article
APA
Rampersad J, Cesar E, Campbell MD, Samlal M, Ammons D.
(2003).
A field evaluation of PCR for the routine detection of Babesia equi in horses.
Vet Parasitol, 114(2), 81-87.
https://doi.org/10.1016/s0304-4017(03)00129-8 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- School of Agriculture, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad, Trinidad and Tobago.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Babesia / genetics
- Babesia / isolation & purification
- Babesiosis / diagnosis
- Babesiosis / epidemiology
- Babesiosis / veterinary
- Carrier State / diagnosis
- Carrier State / epidemiology
- Carrier State / veterinary
- DNA, Protozoan / analysis
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / parasitology
- Horses
- Polymerase Chain Reaction / standards
- Polymerase Chain Reaction / veterinary
- Sensitivity and Specificity
- Trinidad and Tobago / epidemiology
Citations
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