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BMC veterinary research2020; 16(1); 375; doi: 10.1186/s12917-020-02582-2

Epidemiology of epizootic lymphangitis of carthorses in northern Ethiopia using conventional diagnostic methods and nested polymerase chain reaction.

Abstract: Epizootic lymphangitis (EL), caused by Histoplasma capsulatum variety farciminosum (HCF) is a contagious, chronic disease of equines, characterized by development of nodular lesions in the lymph nodes, lymphatic vessels and skin. It is one of the most important diseases of equines in Ethiopia, causing significant economic loss, particularly in the livelihood of carthorse owners. To date there is neither effective diagnostic nor control measure implemented in the country. Furthermore, there is a shortage of data on the epidemiology of the disease in different regions of this country. The aim of this study was to investigate epidemiology of EL in northern Ethiopia, using the conventional methods as well as nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results: The presence of HCF genetic material was confirmed in 44% (84/191) of the carthorses. Subclinical infection was observed in 18.2% (22/121) of the apparently healthy carthorses. Considering the nested PCR as a gold standard, sensitivity and specificity of clinical examination were 74% and 92.5%, respectively, while the area under the ROC curve (AUR) was 0.83 (95% confidence interval, 0.77, 0.896). Moreover, a moderate (k = 0.675) agreement observed between the nested PCR and clinical examination. Conclusions: This study demonstrated widespread occurrence of EL in northern Ethiopia, and the advantage of the nested PCR in detecting infection of HCF, even before the clinical symptoms became apparent.
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Publication Date: 2020-10-07 PubMed ID: 33028302PubMed Central: PMC7541241DOI: 10.1186/s12917-020-02582-2Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

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The research article is studying the prevalence and diagnosis methods of the disease Epizootic Lymphangitis (EL) in carthorses in northern Ethiopia. EL is a common yet serious disease in equines in Ethiopia which can greatly affect the livelihood of horse owners due to lack of effective measures to control or diagnose it. The research utilized conventional diagnostic methods and nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to identify the disease.

Objective and Methodology

  • The research aimed to investigate the prevalence and epidemiology of EL in northern Ethiopia. This was done using both conventional diagnostic methods as well as a more advanced technique known as nested Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR).
  • The disease is caused by an organism called Histoplasma capsulatum variety farciminosum (HCF). The presence of HCF genetic material was investigated in the examined carthorses.

Findings and Results

  • The presence of HCF genetic material, which is the causative agent of EL, was identified in 44% (84 out of 191) of carthorses examined. This indicates a high prevalence of the infection in northern Ethiopia.
  • The study also revealed that subclinical infection, where the animals were infected but did not show obvious signs of the disease, was seen in 18.2% of the apparently healthy carthorses. This underlines the importance of advanced diagnostic methods like PCR in identifying such hidden or latent infections.
  • The sensitivity and specificity of clinical examination in diagnosing the disease was found to be 74% and 92.5% respectively, meaning the test can correctly identify the disease 74% of the time and correctly identify healthy animals 92.5% of the time.
  • The moderate agreement (0.675) between clinical examination and nested PCR suggests that although they are fairly reliable, the methods are not foolproof in their efficacy to diagnose EL.

Conclusion

  • The research concludes that Epizootic Lymphangitis is indeed widespread in northern Ethiopia, causing a significant threat to the livelihood of carthorse owners.
  • The use of nested PCR as a diagnostic tool was emphasized as it can detect HCF infections even before the horses start to show external symptoms. This could enable early intervention and could potentially lead to more effective management strategies for EL in the area.

Cite This Article

APA
Hadush B, Michaelay M, Menghistu HT, Abebe N, Genzebu AT, Bitsue HK, Afera B, Duguma BE, Gugsa G, Ameni G. (2020). Epidemiology of epizootic lymphangitis of carthorses in northern Ethiopia using conventional diagnostic methods and nested polymerase chain reaction. BMC Vet Res, 16(1), 375. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-020-02582-2

Publication

BMC veterinary research
ISSN: 1746-6148
NlmUniqueID: 101249759
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 16
Issue: 1
Pages: 375
PII: 375

Researcher Affiliations

Hadush, Birhanu
  • College of Veterinary Sciences, Mekelle University, P.O. Box 2084, Mekelle, Ethiopia. birhanu.hadush@mu.edu.et.
Michaelay, Molla
  • College of Veterinary Sciences, Mekelle University, P.O. Box 2084, Mekelle, Ethiopia.
  • Department of Animal Sciences, Raya University, P.O. Box 42, Maichew, Ethiopia.
Menghistu, Habtamu Taddele
  • College of Veterinary Sciences, Mekelle University, P.O. Box 2084, Mekelle, Ethiopia.
Abebe, Nigus
  • College of Veterinary Sciences, Mekelle University, P.O. Box 2084, Mekelle, Ethiopia.
Genzebu, Abreha Tesfaye
  • College of Veterinary Sciences, Mekelle University, P.O. Box 2084, Mekelle, Ethiopia.
Bitsue, Habtom Kiros
  • College of Veterinary Sciences, Mekelle University, P.O. Box 2084, Mekelle, Ethiopia.
Afera, Berihun
  • College of Veterinary Sciences, Mekelle University, P.O. Box 2084, Mekelle, Ethiopia.
Duguma, Bojia E
  • Donkey Sanctuary of Ethiopia, P.O.Box 1055, 1250 Africa Avenue Road, Addis Ababa, Bole Sub City, Ethiopia.
Gugsa, Getachew
  • School of Veterinary Sciences, Wollo University, P.O.Box 1145, Dessie, Ethiopia.
Ameni, Gobena
  • Aklilu Lema Institute of Pathobiology, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Ethiopia / epidemiology
  • Histoplasma / genetics
  • Histoplasma / isolation & purification
  • Histoplasmosis / epidemiology
  • Histoplasmosis / veterinary
  • Horse Diseases / epidemiology
  • Horses
  • Lymphangitis / epidemiology
  • Lymphangitis / veterinary
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction / veterinary

Grant Funding

  • Large Scale (MU/CVS/Large/001/2009) / Mekelle University

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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Citations

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