Identification of the piroplasms isolated from horses with clinical piroplasmosis in Poland.

The research explores the identification of the disease-causing organism in sick horses, showing symptoms such as fever, ataxia, pale mucus membranes, haematuria, and reduced blood platelets. Through PCR techniques, the researchers identified genetic material similar to the 18S RNA Babesia equi gene in the horses’ blood and then successfully treated the animals using imidocarb.

Objective of the Study

• The primary goal of the study was to identify the causative agent of the disease symptoms exhibited by the three ailing horses. The symptoms were fever, ataxia (loss of full control of bodily movements), pale mucus membranes, haematuria (presence of blood in urine), and thrombocytopenia (low platelet count).

Research Methodology

• The researchers used Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) technique to isolate and analyze the genetic material present in the blood of the diseased horses.
• They amplified the DNA using primers RLB F2 and RLB R2, leading to the generation of 430 base pair (bp) size products.

Findings

• The sequences of these PCR products showed a similarity of between 95.6% and 97.5% to the Babesia equi gene, specifically the 18S RNA fragment, identified as DQ287951 in the GenBank, indicating that this was the likely pathogen causing the horses’ sickness.

Treatment and Outcome

• The researchers treated the sick horses with the imidocarb drug, administered through subcutaneous injection.
• This treatment resulted in a gradual recovery of the animals, providing further evidence that the disease was indeed caused by a strain of the Babesia equi pathogen.

Conclusion

• The study was successful in not only identifying the likely cause of the sickness in the horses but also in treating them effectively. The evidence points to a specific pathogen identified as Babesia equi, and the study lays the foundation for future research geared towards better understanding and management of such horse diseases.