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Home / Equine Research Bank / Parasit Vectors / First evidence of Besnoitia bennetti infection (Protozoa: Ap...
Parasites & vectors2018; 11(1); 427; doi: 10.1186/s13071-018-2993-3

First evidence of Besnoitia bennetti infection (Protozoa: Apicomplexa) in donkeys (Equus asinus) in Belgium.

Abstract: Besnoitiosis is caused by different species of intracellular protozoan parasites belonging to the family Sarcocystidae and affecting multiple host species worldwide. Including B. besnoiti, ten species are described infecting animals. Among ungulates, Besnoitia bennetti infects horses, donkeys and zebras and was described in Africa and in the USA where donkey besnoitiosis is considered as an emerging disease. Methods: A two-year-old male donkey was purchased in May 2016 in poor body condition (cachexia, alopetic areas and pruritus mainly on neck and head) by the present owner in Le Roeulx (Belgium) from a milk producing donkey farm in Frasnes-lez-Buissenal (Belgium). Shortly after its purchase and shearing, the donkey presented with crusts, hyperkeratosis (both flanks and neck) anorexia and cachexia. A treatment with phoxim was given with no improvement. A cutaneous biopsy of hyperkeratotic skin was performed in July. It showed a perivascular eosinophilic infiltrate with a large thick walled cyst located in the dermis containing numerous bradyzoites. This was highly suggestive of besnoitiosis. Several skin biopsy samples were obtained for qPCR analysis and confirmed the presence of Besnoitia spp. DNA. Further laboratory diagnosis tests were performed (western blot and rDNA sequencing) confirming Besnoitia bennetti aetiology for the male. For the female, the punch-biopsy, haematology and qPCR were negatives but the western blot showed the presence of antibodies directed to Besnoitia spp. Further clinical examination performed in August highlighted scleral pinhead sized cysts (pearl) in the right eye and between nares. Another ten-year-old female donkey purchased in France and sharing the same accommodation showed a good clinical condition, but a thorough clinical examination showed the presence of numerous cysts on the inner face of upper labial mucosa. A daily treatment based on sulfamethaxzole and trimethoprim (Emdotrim 60% Mix®, 30 mg/kg) was given orally and some improvement was noticed. Conclusions: This is the first evidence of Besnoitia bennetti infection (Protozoa: Apicomplexa) in donkeys (Equus asinus) in Belgium.
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Publication Date: 2018-07-18 PubMed ID: 30021659PubMed Central: PMC6052696DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-2993-3Google 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.

This research describes the first recorded case of Besnoitia bennetti infection, a protozoan parasite disease, in donkeys in Belgium.

Introduction to Besnoitia bennetti Infection

  • Besnoitiosis is a disease caused by the protozoan parasites within the Sarcocystidae family.
  • There are ten species of Besnoitia that are known to cause infection in animals, with Besnoitia bennetti primarily seen in horses, donkeys, and zebras.
  • This specific species of the parasite has been previously identified in both Africa and the USA; in the latter, it’s deemed an emerging disease in donkey populations.

Case Description

  • The case in question involved a two-year-old male donkey who was displaying symptoms of poor body condition, including cachexia (weakness and wasting of the body), areas of hair loss, and pruritus (itchiness), notably on the neck and head.
  • Despite a treatment involving phoxim (an organophosphorus insecticide), the donkey’s health did not improve, showing signs of hyperkeratosis (thickened skin), anorexia, and continuous cachexia.
  • A biopsy was conducted that showed signs of besnoitiosis, which was backed up by qPCR analysis detecting the DNA of the Besnoitia species.
  • Further laboratory tests including Western blot and rDNA sequencing confirmed the parasite to be Besnoitia bennetti.

Additional Findings and Treatment

  • A second donkey, purchased in France but living in the same accommodation, was showing no obvious symptoms but was found to have numerous cysts in the inner face of her upper labial mucosa.
  • Treatment for the male donkey was applied using sulfamethaxzole and trimethoprim delivered orally, resulting in an improvement in condition.
  • It’s worth noting that Western blotting was used for the female donkey which showed the presence of antibodies for Besnoitia but no active infection.

Conclusions

  • This research highlights the first detected instance of Besnoitia bennetti infection within the donkey population in Belgium.
  • This discovery suggests that Besnoitia bennetti may be spreading to new regions and counsellors should be vigilant for similar symptoms in domesticated donkeys.

Cite This Article

APA
Liénard E, Nabuco A, Vandenabeele S, Losson B, Tosi I, Bouhsira É, Prévot F, Sharif S, Franc M, Vanvinckenroye C, Caron Y. (2018). First evidence of Besnoitia bennetti infection (Protozoa: Apicomplexa) in donkeys (Equus asinus) in Belgium. Parasit Vectors, 11(1), 427. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-018-2993-3

Publication

Parasites & vectors
ISSN: 1756-3305
NlmUniqueID: 101462774
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 11
Issue: 1
Pages: 427

Researcher Affiliations

Liénard, Emmanuel
  • Laboratoire de Parasitologie et Maladies Parasitaires, ENVT, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France.
  • IHAP, INRA, ENVT, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France.
Nabuco, Adriana
  • , Waterloo, Belgium.
Vandenabeele, Sophie
  • University of Ghent, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Merelbeke, Belgium.
Losson, Bertrand
  • University of Liège, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Liège, Belgium.
Tosi, Irène
  • University of Liège, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Liège, Belgium.
Bouhsira, Émilie
  • Laboratoire de Parasitologie et Maladies Parasitaires, ENVT, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France.
  • IHAP, INRA, ENVT, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France.
Prévot, Françoise
  • Laboratoire de Parasitologie et Maladies Parasitaires, ENVT, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France.
  • IHAP, INRA, ENVT, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France.
Sharif, Shukri
  • Laboratoire de Parasitologie et Maladies Parasitaires, ENVT, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France.
  • IHAP, INRA, ENVT, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France.
Franc, Michel
  • Laboratoire de Parasitologie et Maladies Parasitaires, ENVT, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France.
Vanvinckenroye, Caroline
  • University of Liège, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Liège, Belgium.
Caron, Yannick
  • University of Liège, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Liège, Belgium. ycaron@pasteur-kh.org.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Belgium / epidemiology
  • Coccidiosis / drug therapy
  • Coccidiosis / epidemiology
  • Coccidiosis / parasitology
  • Coccidiosis / veterinary
  • DNA, Protozoan / genetics
  • DNA, Ribosomal / genetics
  • Equidae
  • Female
  • France / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Phylogeny
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Sarcocystidae / genetics
  • Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination / administration & dosage
  • Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination / therapeutic use

Conflict of Interest Statement

ETHICS APPROVAL AND CONSENT TO PARTICIPATE: Not applicable. CONSENT FOR PUBLICATION: Not applicable. COMPETING INTERESTS: The authors declare that they have no competing interests. PUBLISHER’S NOTE: Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

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