FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 9000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Home / Equine Research Bank / Vet Parasitol / A serological study of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi in...
Veterinary parasitology2006; 144(1-2); 167-171; doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2006.09.015

A serological study of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi in Thoroughbreds in Trinidad.

Abstract: Ninety-three (93) horses were investigated for serum antibodies to Theileria equi (T. equi) and Babesia caballi (B. caballi) using the immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT). Seventy-seven (82.8%) horses were seropositive; 31 (33.3%) were positive to T. equi compared to 64 (68.8%) to B. caballi while 18 (19.4%) horses were seropositive to both parasites. No significant differences in antibody frequencies among females and males for either T. equi or B. caballi were noted. Differences in seropositivity to B. caballi among age groups were not significant. Antibodies to T. equi were more frequent than to B.caballi in the age group 5 years and over than in the 1-2 and 2-4 years age groups (p<0.05). Unlike T. equi antibodies, B. caballi antibodies in horses in the county of Caroni were significantly less frequent when compared to other counties (p<0.05). Of 18 (19.4%) clinically ill horses, seven (42.9%) had clinicopathological evidence of anemia. Only one-third (6 of 18) horses were positive for the parasite on Wright-Giemsa stained blood smears and anemia was present in only 2. We report here that B. caballi and not T. equi may be the more common agent of piroplasmosis in Trinidad.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2006-11-22 PubMed ID: 17118557DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2006.09.015Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
LinkedInCopy
  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research studies the presence of antibodies against parasitic diseases (caused by Theileria equi and Babesia caballi) in horses in Trinidad, finding a more common seropositivity to B. caballi and suggesting it as the major agent of piroplasmosis in the area.

Introduction and Background

  • The research focuses on the investigation of serum antibodies to Theileria equi and Babesia caballi, parasites that cause diseases in horses. Both of these parasites are known to lead to piroplasmosis, a disease prominent in horses, leading to severe health issues such as fever, anemia, and even death.
  • These parasites are usually spread through ticks and can be found in the horse’s blood. The presence of antibodies against these parasites in the serum of horses would indicate recent or previous infection.

Methodology

  • The study used the immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT) to examine serum samples from ninety-three racehorses.
  • The properties of the horse, such as age, gender, health condition, and region, were taken into account in the study.

Results

  • It was found that 77, or approximately 82.8%, of the studied horses were seropositive, indicating an infection in the past or present.
  • The study discovered variations in the occurrence of antibodies against the two parasites: 31 (33.3%) horses tested positive for T. equi and 64 (68.8%) horses for B. caballi. There were 18 (19.4%) horses found to be seropositive for both parasites.
  • Anemia, a clinical sign of infection, was found in seven of the eighteen (42.9%) clinically ill horses.
  • The presence of parasites in horse blood samples was confirmed in only one-third of the 18 ill horses.

Conclusion

  • The study reports that B. caballi may be the more common agent of piroplasmosis in Trinidad compared to T. equi, based on higher seropositivity to this parasite.
  • The research implies that there is a great need for proper clinical management and prevention methods to control the spread of these diseases.

Cite This Article

APA
Asgarali Z, Coombs DK, Mohammed F, Campbell MD, Caesar E. (2006). A serological study of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi in Thoroughbreds in Trinidad. Vet Parasitol, 144(1-2), 167-171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2006.09.015

Publication

Veterinary parasitology
ISSN: 0304-4017
NlmUniqueID: 7602745
Country: Netherlands
Language: English
Volume: 144
Issue: 1-2
Pages: 167-171

Researcher Affiliations

Asgarali, Zinora
  • Department of Paraclinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies, Trinidad, West Indies. zinoraa@yahoo.com
Coombs, Dane K
    Mohammed, Fatima
      Campbell, Mervyn D
        Caesar, Ernest

          MeSH Terms

          • Age Factors
          • Animals
          • Antibodies, Protozoan / blood
          • Babesia / immunology
          • Babesiosis / epidemiology
          • Babesiosis / veterinary
          • Female
          • Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect / methods
          • Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect / veterinary
          • Horse Diseases / epidemiology
          • Horses
          • Male
          • Seroepidemiologic Studies
          • Sex Factors
          • Theileria / immunology
          • Theileriasis / epidemiology
          • Trinidad and Tobago / epidemiology

          Citations

          This article has been cited 18 times.
          1. Yang G, Zhou B, Chen K, Hu Z, Guo W, Wang X, Du C. Diagnostic Performance of Competitive ELISA and Western Blot Methods for the Detection of Antibodies against Theileria equi and Babesia caballi. Microorganisms 2022 Dec 21;11(1).
            doi: 10.3390/microorganisms11010021pubmed: 36677312google scholar: lookup
          2. Yang G, Chen K, Guo W, Hu Z, Qi T, Liu D, Wang Y, Du C, Wang X. Development of a Test Card Based on Colloidal Gold Immunochromatographic Strips for Rapid Detection of Antibodies against Theileria equi and Babesia caballi. Microbiol Spectr 2022 Feb 23;10(1):e0241121.
            doi: 10.1128/spectrum.02411-21pubmed: 35196786google scholar: lookup
          3. Charles RA, Bermúdez S, Banović P, Alvarez DO, Díaz-Sánchez AA, Corona-González B, Etter EMC, Rodríguez González I, Ghafar A, Jabbar A, Moutailler S, Cabezas-Cruz A. Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases in Central America and the Caribbean: A One Health Perspective. Pathogens 2021 Oct 2;10(10).
            doi: 10.3390/pathogens10101273pubmed: 34684222google scholar: lookup
          4. Torres R, Hurtado C, Pérez-Macchi S, Bittencourt P, Freschi C, de Mello VVC, Machado RZ, André MR, Müller A. Occurrence and Genetic Diversity of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi in Chilean Thoroughbred Racing Horses. Pathogens 2021 Jun 7;10(6).
            doi: 10.3390/pathogens10060714pubmed: 34200433google scholar: lookup
          5. Tirosh-Levy S, Mazuz ML, Savitsky I, Pinkas D, Gottlieb Y, Steinman A. Serological and Molecular Prevalence of Babesia caballi in Apparently Healthy Horses in Israel. Pathogens 2021 Apr 8;10(4).
            doi: 10.3390/pathogens10040445pubmed: 33917822google scholar: lookup
          6. Tirosh-Levy S, Gottlieb Y, Fry LM, Knowles DP, Steinman A. Twenty Years of Equine Piroplasmosis Research: Global Distribution, Molecular Diagnosis, and Phylogeny. Pathogens 2020 Nov 8;9(11).
            doi: 10.3390/pathogens9110926pubmed: 33171698google scholar: lookup
          7. Onyiche TE, Taioe MO, Molefe NI, Biu AA, Luka J, Omeh IJ, Yokoyama N, Thekisoe O. Equine piroplasmosis: an insight into global exposure of equids from 1990 to 2019 by systematic review and meta-analysis. Parasitology 2020 Nov;147(13):1411-1424.
            doi: 10.1017/S0031182020001407pubmed: 32741382google scholar: lookup
          8. Alvarez DO, Corona-González B, Rodríguez-Mallón A, Rodríguez Gonzalez I, Alfonso P, Noda Ramos AA, Díaz-Sánchez AA, González Navarrete M, Rodríguez Fernández R, Méndez Mellor L, Catanese HN, Peláez M, Gainza YA, Marrero-Perera R, Roblejo-Arias L, Lobo-Rivero E, Silva CB, Fonseca AH, López ER, Cabezas-Cruz A. Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases in Cuba, Half a Century of Scientific Research. Pathogens 2020 Jul 28;9(8).
            doi: 10.3390/pathogens9080616pubmed: 32731487google scholar: lookup
          9. Onyiche TE, Taioe MO, Ogo NI, Sivakumar T, Biu AA, Mbaya AW, Xuan X, Yokoyama N, Thekisoe O. Molecular evidence of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi in equines and ticks in Nigeria: prevalence and risk factors analysis. Parasitology 2020 Sep;147(11):1238-1248.
            doi: 10.1017/S0031182020000992pubmed: 32605687google scholar: lookup
          10. Díaz-Sánchez AA, Pires MS, Estrada CY, Cañizares EV, Del Castillo Domínguez SL, Cabezas-Cruz A, Rivero EL, da Fonseca AH, Massard CL, Corona-González B. First molecular evidence of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi infections in horses in Cuba. Parasitol Res 2018 Oct;117(10):3109-3118.
            doi: 10.1007/s00436-018-6005-5pubmed: 30033488google scholar: lookup
          11. Gondard M, Cabezas-Cruz A, Charles RA, Vayssier-Taussat M, Albina E, Moutailler S. Ticks and Tick-Borne Pathogens of the Caribbean: Current Understanding and Future Directions for More Comprehensive Surveillance. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2017;7:490.
            doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2017.00490pubmed: 29238699google scholar: lookup
          12. Montes Cortés MG, Fernández-García JL, Habela Martínez-Estéllez MÁ. Seroprevalence of Theileria equi and Babesia caballi in horses in Spain. Parasite 2017;24:14.
            doi: 10.1051/parasite/2017015pubmed: 28497743google scholar: lookup
          13. Zhang J, Kelly P, Li J, Xu C, Wang C. Molecular Detection of Theileria spp. in Livestock on Five Caribbean Islands. Biomed Res Int 2015;2015:624728.
            doi: 10.1155/2015/624728pubmed: 26783522google scholar: lookup
          14. Posada-Guzmán MF, Dolz G, Romero-Zúñiga JJ, Jiménez-Rocha AE. Detection of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi in Blood from Equines from Four Indigenous Communities in Costa Rica. Vet Med Int 2015;2015:236278.
            doi: 10.1155/2015/236278pubmed: 26649225google scholar: lookup
          15. Li J, Kelly P, Zhang J, Xu C, Wang C. Development of a pan-Babesia FRET-qPCR and a survey of livestock from five Caribbean islands. BMC Vet Res 2015 Sep 30;11:246.
            doi: 10.1186/s12917-015-0560-0pubmed: 26423577google scholar: lookup
          16. Guidi E, Pradier S, Lebert I, Leblond A. Piroplasmosis in an endemic area: analysis of the risk factors and their implications in the control of Theileriosis and Babesiosis in horses. Parasitol Res 2015 Jan;114(1):71-83.
            doi: 10.1007/s00436-014-4161-9pubmed: 25280516google scholar: lookup
          17. Ribeiro AJ, Cardoso L, Maia JM, Coutinho T, Cotovio M. Prevalence of Theileria equi, Babesia caballi, and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in horses from the north of Portugal. Parasitol Res 2013 Jul;112(7):2611-7.
            doi: 10.1007/s00436-013-3429-9pubmed: 23591484google scholar: lookup
          18. Karatepe B, Karatepe M, Cakmak A, Karaer Z, Ergün G. Investigation of seroprevalence of Theileria equi and Babesia caballi in horses in Nigde province, Turkey. Trop Anim Health Prod 2009 Jan;41(1):109-13.
            doi: 10.1007/s11250-008-9164-zpubmed: 19052908google scholar: lookup
          Subscribe to our newsletter
          Join 99,357 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.