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Home / Equine Research Bank / J Clin Microbiol / Case report: field-acquired subclinical Babesia equi infecti...
Journal of clinical microbiology1997; 35(2); 474-476; doi: 10.1128/jcm.35.2.474-476.1997

Case report: field-acquired subclinical Babesia equi infection confirmed by in vitro culture.

Abstract: A horse with no prior clinical history of equine piroplasmosis tested negative for Babesia caballi and Babesia equi in the complement fixation test before importation into the United States from France. After 5 years in residence in the United States, the animal tested serologically positive for B. equi by the complement fixation test, the immunofluorescent antibody test, and Western blot analysis. The carrier status of the horse was confirmed by culture of B. equi parasites. In vitro culture offers an efficient and comparatively inexpensive method to determine the carrier status of horses suspected of harboring B. equi.
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Publication Date: 1997-02-01 PubMed ID: 9003619PubMed Central: PMC229603DOI: 10.1128/jcm.35.2.474-476.1997Google Scholar: Lookup
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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.

The article discusses a case where a horse, which had no history of equine piroplasmosis, was found to be carrying the disease Babesia equi after five years of being imported to the United States from France, despite testing negative prior to importation. The research emphasizes the usefulness of in vitro culture methods for identifying carriers of this infection.

Research Background and Methodology

  • The focus of this study revolves around a case involving a horse imported from France into the United States. The horse had no previous clinical history of equine piroplasmosis, a vector-borne disease caused by two intraerythrocytic parasites: Babesia caballi and Babesia equi.
  • Before being transferred, the subjects were tested for both parasites using the complement fixation test – a method to detect the presence of specific antibodies in the blood of the host, and both tests came back negative.
  • Five years post-importation, the horse was tested again using the same complement fixation test. This time, it tested positive for B. equi. The positive result was further confirmed using two other tests – the immunofluorescent antibody test and Western blot analysis, both of which are more specific and sensitive than the complement fixation test.

Findings and Conclusion

  • The research showed that the horse had contracted the B. equi parasite during the five years residence in the United States, indicating the horse had a subclinical B. equi infection. This means the horse was an asymptomatic carrier of the disease– it carried the organism responsible for the disease but did not show any signs of illness.
  • The carrier status of the horse was further confirmed by culture of B. equi parasites – a laboratory process where cells are grown under controlled conditions. This test is considered to be more definitive as it confirms the presence of the actual organism causing the disease.
  • The researchers suggest that in vitro culture offers an efficient and comparatively inexpensive method to determine the carrier status of horses suspected of harboring B. equi. It can also detect carrier status in the early stages of infection or in horses that display no symptoms.

Cite This Article

APA
Holman PJ, Hietala SK, Kayashima LR, Olson D, Waghela SD, Wagner GG. (1997). Case report: field-acquired subclinical Babesia equi infection confirmed by in vitro culture. J Clin Microbiol, 35(2), 474-476. https://doi.org/10.1128/jcm.35.2.474-476.1997

Publication

Journal of clinical microbiology
ISSN: 0095-1137
NlmUniqueID: 7505564
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 35
Issue: 2
Pages: 474-476

Researcher Affiliations

Holman, P J
  • Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, Texas A&M University, College Station, USA.
Hietala, S K
    Kayashima, L R
      Olson, D
        Waghela, S D
          Wagner, G G

            MeSH Terms

            • Animals
            • Antibodies, Protozoan / blood
            • Babesia / growth & development
            • Babesia / immunology
            • Babesiosis / parasitology
            • Carrier State / veterinary
            • Complement Fixation Tests
            • Erythrocytes / parasitology
            • Fluorescent Antibody Technique
            • Horse Diseases / parasitology
            • Horses
            • Male

            References

            This article includes 16 references
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            Citations

            This article has been cited 4 times.
            1. Aziz KJ, Al-Barwary LTO. Epidemiological Study of Equine Piroplasmosis (Theileria equi and Babesia caballi) by Microscopic Examination and Competitive-ELISA in Erbil Province North-Iraq. Iran J Parasitol 2019 Jul-Sep;14(3):404-412.
              pubmed: 31673258
            2. Jaffer O, Abdishakur F, Hakimuddin F, Riya A, Wernery U, Schuster RK. A comparative study of serological tests and PCR for the diagnosis of equine piroplasmosis. Parasitol Res 2010 Feb;106(3):709-13.
              doi: 10.1007/s00436-009-1669-5pubmed: 19894063google scholar: lookup
            3. Salim BO, Hassan SM, Bakheit MA, Alhassan A, Igarashi I, Karanis P, Abdelrahman MB. Diagnosis of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi infections in horses in Sudan using ELISA and PCR. Parasitol Res 2008 Oct;103(5):1145-50.
              doi: 10.1007/s00436-008-1108-zpubmed: 18618143google scholar: lookup
            4. Alhassan A, Govind Y, Tam NT, Thekisoe OM, Yokoyama N, Inoue N, Igarashi I. Comparative evaluation of the sensitivity of LAMP, PCR and in vitro culture methods for the diagnosis of equine piroplasmosis. Parasitol Res 2007 Apr;100(5):1165-8.
              doi: 10.1007/s00436-006-0430-6pubmed: 17216488google scholar: lookup
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