A survey on equine tick-borne diseases: The molecular detection of Babesia ovis DNA in Turkish racehorses.
Abstract: Common vector-borne diseases of horses include equine piroplasmosis (EP) caused by Babesia caballi and Theileria equi, and equine granulocytic anaplasmosis (EGA) caused by Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Equine piroplasmosis leads to severe health issues in horses and restrictions on the movement of horses internationally. Anaplasma phagocytophilum causes an acute febrile illness in horses and is also of zoonotic importance. In the present study, blood samples were collected from 152 Turkish racehorses from three different provinces (İzmir, Gaziantep, and Konya) of Turkey to investigate the prevalence of EP and EGA. Standard and nested polymerase chain reactions were performed to identify equine piroplasms and A. phagocytophilum, respectively. PCR primers targeting Babesia spp. 18S rRNA, B. caballi BC48, T. equi EMA-1, and A. phagocytophilum 16S rRNA genes were used for molecular diagnosis. Following the cloning and subsequent sequencing of PCR-positive samples, a total of 15 (9.9%) horses were found to be infected with at least one pathogen. Theileria equi and A. phagocytophilum were found in 3.3% (5/152) and 6.6% (10/152) of the samples, respectively. Although B. caballi specimens were not detected in any of the samples, a positive signal was detected for the Babesia genus-specific 18S rRNA PCR. Subsequent sequencing of this signal revealed 100% identity to Babesia ovis. This is the first detection of B. ovis DNA in racehorses in Turkey to the best of our knowledge. Additionally, this study also reports the first molecular identification of A. phagocytophilum in Turkish racehorses. Based on this report, it is recommended that future epidemiological studies on horses also take B. ovis, a parasite usually found in sheep, into consideration and that further detailed studies be conducted to unravel the transmission pathways and potential clinical effects of B. ovis in horses.
Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier GmbH.
Publication Date: 2021-07-12 PubMed ID: 34280696DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2021.101784Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research study surveys tick-borne diseases in horses, particularly equine piroplasmosis and equine granulocytic anaplasmosis, and reports the first detection of Babesia ovis DNA in Turkish racehorses. The researchers detected the presence of these diseases via PCR testing of blood samples from Turkish racehorses.
Investigation of Prevalence of Equine Piroplasmosis and Equine Granulocytic Anaplasmosis
- The research study focused on two significant diseases affecting horses: equine piroplasmosis (EP) and equine granulocytic anaplasmosis (EGA).
- Equine piroplasmosis, caused by Babesia caballi and Theileria equi, leads to severe health problems in horses and even restricts their international movement.
- Equine granulocytic anaplasmosis (EGA) leading to acute febrile illness is caused by Anaplasma phagocytophilum.
- 152 Turkish racehorses from three different provinces (İzmir, Gaziantep, and Konya) of Turkey served as the research subjects. Blood samples from these horses were subjected to standard and nested polymerase chain reactions (PCR) to detect equine piroplasm and A. phagocytophilum.
Molecular Diagnosis and Findings
- PCR primers targeting Babesia spp. 18S rRNA, B. caballi BC48, T. equi EMA-1, and A. phagocytophilum 16S rRNA genes were utilized for molecular diagnosis.
- PCR-positive samples were cloned and sequenced, identifying a total of 15 (9.9%) horses infected with at least one of the specified pathogens.
- The study found T. equi and A. phagocytophilum in 3.3% (5/152) and 6.6% (10/152) of the samples, respectively.
- No samples contained B. caballi, but a Babesia genus-specific 18S rRNA PCR produced a positive signal. After sequencing, this signal showed a 100% identity to Babesia ovis.
Significance and Recommendations
- This research reports the first identification of B. ovis DNA in Turkish racehorses and the first molecular detection of A. phagocytophilum in them as well.
- Although B. ovis is a parasite commonly found in sheep, its presence in horses implies a need for future epidemiological studies on horses to consider B. ovis.
- A deeper investigation to understand the transmission pathways and probable clinical effects of B. ovis in horses is thus recommended.
Cite This Article
APA
Ceylan O, Benedicto B, Ceylan C, Tumwebaze M, Galon EM, Liu M, Xuan X, Sevinc F.
(2021).
A survey on equine tick-borne diseases: The molecular detection of Babesia ovis DNA in Turkish racehorses.
Ticks Tick Borne Dis, 12(5), 101784.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ttbdis.2021.101784 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Selcuk University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Parasitology, Konya, Turkey.
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan.
- Selcuk University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Parasitology, Konya, Turkey.
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan.
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan.
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan.
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan. Electronic address: gen@obihiro.ac.jp.
- Selcuk University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Parasitology, Konya, Turkey. Electronic address: fsevinc@selcuk.edu.tr.
MeSH Terms
- Anaplasma phagocytophilum / isolation & purification
- Anaplasmosis / epidemiology
- Anaplasmosis / microbiology
- Animals
- DNA, Protozoan / analysis
- Ehrlichiosis / epidemiology
- Ehrlichiosis / microbiology
- Ehrlichiosis / veterinary
- Female
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / microbiology
- Horse Diseases / parasitology
- Horses
- Male
- Piroplasmida / isolation & purification
- Prevalence
- Protozoan Infections / epidemiology
- Protozoan Infections / parasitology
- Turkey / epidemiology
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