Control of Babesia equi parasitemia.
Abstract: Infection of horses with the hemoprotozoan Babesia equi has been reported in southern Florida, US Virgin Islands, part of Asia, Russia, India, the Middle East, Europe, Africa, Australia, South America, Central America, Mexico, Philippine Islands and some Caribbean islands. The restrictions placed on the international movement of infected horses has refocused attention on potential methods to control or eliminate infection. Don Knowles here discusses the primary chemotherapeutic compounds that have been used; the current knowledge concerning immune responses that potentially contribute to control of the parasite, and the development of infection of severe combined immuno-deficient foals as a model to dissect potential mechanisms of immunological control.
Publication Date: 1996-05-01 PubMed ID: 15275213DOI: 10.1016/0169-4758(96)10007-7Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research focuses on the control of Babesia equi infection in horses. It discusses chemotherapeutic compounds used, immune responses, and the use of an infection model in immuno-deficient foals to explore potential immunological control mechanisms.
Chemotherapeutic Compounds
- In his research, Knowles looks into primary chemotherapeutic compounds that have been used to treat Babesia equi infection in horses. Babesia equi is a hemoprotozoan protozoan parasite that causes an infectious disease in horses. This disease has been reported in various parts of the world, suggesting its widespread prevalence.
- The research discusses the efficacy of these compounds, their mode of action, and their potential side effects. This is crucial to understand their effectiveness in controlling and potentially eliminating the infection from the horses.
Immune Responses
- Another aspect that Knowles investigates in his paper revolves around the immune response of horses upon Babesia equi infection. Discussion here includes the specifics of the immune system’s defensive reaction to the parasite, how this contributes to the control of the parasite, and how it could be used to inform possible future treatment methods.
- Understanding the immunological response against Babesia equi is vital. It not only provides insight into the natural defense mechanisms of the host but may also uncover potential immunotherapeutic opportunities aimed at stimulating or modulating the host’s immune response against the parasite.
Development of Infection Model
- Knowles’ research also contributes to the development of an infection model using severely combined immuno-deficient foals. This approach allows for the dissection of potential mechanisms of immunological control.
- The study of this model could provide valuable insights into how the disease progresses in the absence of a functioning immune system, and identify key immunological markers that could guide therapeutic and prophylactic interventions.
Cite This Article
APA
Knowles DP.
(1996).
Control of Babesia equi parasitemia.
Parasitol Today, 12(5), 195-198.
https://doi.org/10.1016/0169-4758(96)10007-7 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Animal Disease Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-7030, USA.
Citations
This article has been cited 12 times.- Giubega S, Ilie MS, Luca I, Florea T, Dreghiciu C, Oprescu I, Morariu S, Dărăbuș G. Seroprevalence of Anti-Theileria equi Antibodies in Horses from Three Geographically Distinct Areas of Romania. Pathogens 2022 Jun 9;11(6).
- Bravo-Barriga D, Serrano-Aguilera FJ, Barrasa-Rita R, Habela MÁ, Chacón RB, Ezquerra LJ, Martín-Cuervo M. Effects of Competitive ELISA-Positive Results of Piroplasmosis on the Performance of Endurance Horses. Animals (Basel) 2022 Mar 3;12(5).
- 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.
- Onyiche TE, Suganuma K, Igarashi I, Yokoyama N, Xuan X, Thekisoe O. A Review on Equine Piroplasmosis: Epidemiology, Vector Ecology, Risk Factors, Host Immunity, Diagnosis and Control. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2019 May 16;16(10).
- Afridi MJK, Mian AH, Saqib M, Abbas G, Ali J, Mansoor MK, Sial AUR, Rasheed I, Hussain MH. Seroprevalence and Risk Factors for Theileria equi Infection in Equines from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan. Iran J Parasitol 2017 Oct-Dec;12(4):597-605.
- Van Voorhis WC, Doggett JS, Parsons M, Hulverson MA, Choi R, Arnold SLM, Riggs MW, Hemphill A, Howe DK, Mealey RH, Lau AOT, Merritt EA, Maly DJ, Fan E, Ojo KK. Extended-spectrum antiprotozoal bumped kinase inhibitors: A review. Exp Parasitol 2017 Sep;180:71-83.
- Hines SA, Ramsay JD, Kappmeyer LS, Lau AO, Ojo KK, Van Voorhis WC, Knowles DP, Mealey RH. Theileria equi isolates vary in susceptibility to imidocarb dipropionate but demonstrate uniform in vitro susceptibility to a bumped kinase inhibitor. Parasit Vectors 2015 Jan 20;8:33.
- 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.
- Awinda PO, Mealey RH, Williams LB, Conrad PA, Packham AE, Reif KE, Grause JF, Pelzel-McCluskey AM, Chung C, Bastos RG, Kappmeyer LS, Howe DK, Ness SL, Knowles DP, Ueti MW. Serum antibodies from a subset of horses positive for Babesia caballi by competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay demonstrate a protein recognition pattern that is not consistent with infection. Clin Vaccine Immunol 2013 Nov;20(11):1752-7.
- Schwint ON, Ueti MW, Palmer GH, Kappmeyer LS, Hines MT, Cordes RT, Knowles DP, Scoles GA. Imidocarb dipropionate clears persistent Babesia caballi infection with elimination of transmission potential. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2009 Oct;53(10):4327-32.
- Hirata H, Xuan X, Yokoyama N, Nishikawa Y, Fujisaki K, Suzuki N, Igarashi I. Identification of a specific antigenic region of the P82 protein of Babesia equi and its potential use in serodiagnosis. J Clin Microbiol 2003 Feb;41(2):547-51.
- Hirata H, Ikadai H, Yokoyama N, Xuan X, Fujisaki K, Suzuki N, Mikami T, Igarashi I. Cloning of a truncated Babesia equi gene encoding an 82-kilodalton protein and its potential use in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. J Clin Microbiol 2002 Apr;40(4):1470-4.
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