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Home / Equine Research Bank / Pathogens / Imidocarb Dipropionate Lacks Efficacy against Theileria hane...
Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland)2020; 9(12); 1035; doi: 10.3390/pathogens9121035

Imidocarb Dipropionate Lacks Efficacy against Theileria haneyi and Fails to Consistently Clear Theileria equi in Horses Co-Infected with T. haneyi.

Abstract: Control of , the primary cause of equine theileriosis, is largely reliant on acaracide use and chemosterilization with imidocarb dipropionate (ID). However, it is currently unknown if ID is effective against , the recently identified second causative agent of equine theileriosis, or if the drug maintains effectiveness against in the presence of co-infection. The purpose of this study was to address these questions using ID treatment of the following three groups of horses: (1) five infected horses; (2) three - infected horses; and (3) three - infected horses. Clearance was first evaluated using nPCR for each sp. on peripheral blood samples. ID failed to clear in all three groups of horses, and failed to clear in two of three horses in group two. For definitive confirmation of infection status, horses in groups two and three underwent splenectomy post-treatment. The -nPCR-positive horses in group two developed severe clinical signs and were euthanized. Remaining horses exhibited moderate signs consistent with . Our results demonstrate that ID therapy lacks efficacy against , and - co-infection may interfere with ID clearance of .
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Publication Date: 2020-12-10 PubMed ID: 33321715PubMed Central: PMC7764667DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9121035Google 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 research article discusses a study investigating the effectiveness of the drug imidocarb dipropionate (ID) in treating a disease in horses known as equine theileriosis, caused by two types of pathogens; Theileria equi and Theileria haneyi. The study findings indicate that ID treatment is ineffective in eradicating these pathogens, particularly in horses co-infected with both.

Study Objective and Methodology

  • The study aims to explore the efficacy of the drug, imidocarb dipropionate (ID), popularly used for controlling Theileria equi, the main causative agent of equine theileriosis. The researchers also aimed to determine if the drug remains effective against Theileria equi in horses co-infected with a newly identified pathogen, Theileria haneyi.
  • The researchers executed their study by treating three groups of horses with ID. The first group consisted of five horses infected with Theileria equi, the second group had three horses infected with Theileria haneyi, and the third group comprised three horses co-infected with both pathogens.
  • The researchers evaluated the clearance of the disease by taking peripheral blood samples and testing them with a technique called nPCR
  • For final confirmation of infection statuses, the horses from the second and third groups underwent a surgical procedure called a splenectomy (removal of the spleen) after the ID treatment.

Main Findings

  • The results indicated that ID could not eliminate Theileria haneyi from any of the horses in the three groups. In the second group, it failed to eliminate Theileria equi from two out of three horses. These findings suggest a potential inadequacy in the current treatment approach for equine theileriosis.
  • Horses tested positive for Theileria haneyi nPCR from the second group developed severe clinical signs following the splenectomy and were subsequently euthanized. Remaining horses developed moderate symptoms consistent with Theileria equi.

Conclusion

  • Findings from the study show that imidocarb dipropionate lacks efficacy in treating infections caused by Theileria haneyi and has inconsistent results in eradicating Theileria equi, especially in horses co-infected with both pathogens.
  • This research uncovers potential gaps in the current best-practice treatment for equine theileriosis, indicating the need for further research on therapeutic options to more effectively manage and treat this common equine disease.

Cite This Article

APA
Sears K, Knowles D, Dinkel K, Mshelia PW, Onzere C, Silva M, Fry L. (2020). Imidocarb Dipropionate Lacks Efficacy against Theileria haneyi and Fails to Consistently Clear Theileria equi in Horses Co-Infected with T. haneyi. Pathogens, 9(12), 1035. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens9121035

Publication

Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland)
ISSN: 2076-0817
NlmUniqueID: 101596317
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 9
Issue: 12
PII: 1035

Researcher Affiliations

Sears, Kelly
  • Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Program in Vector-borne Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA.
Knowles, Donald
  • Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Program in Vector-borne Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA.
Dinkel, Kelcey
  • Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Program in Vector-borne Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA.
Mshelia, Philip W
  • Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Program in Vector-borne Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA.
  • Department of Veterinary Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria 810253, Nigeria.
Onzere, Cynthia
  • Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Program in Vector-borne Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA.
Silva, Marta
  • Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Program in Vector-borne Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA.
  • CureVac AG, 72076 Tubingen, Germany.
Fry, Lindsay
  • Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, Program in Vector-borne Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA.
  • Animal Disease Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Pullman, WA 99164, USA.

Grant Funding

  • 2090-320000-034-00D / Agricultural Research Service
  • No number / Washington State University, College of Veterinary Medicine Equine Infectious Disease Research Program

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 4 times.
  1. Onzere CK, Hulbert M, Sears KP, Williams LBA, Fry LM. Tulathromycin and Diclazuril Lack Efficacy against Theileria haneyi, but Tulathromycin Is Not Associated with Adverse Clinical Effects in Six Treated Adult Horses.. Pathogens 2023 Mar 14;12(3).
    doi: 10.3390/pathogens12030453pubmed: 36986375google scholar: lookup
  2. Paulino PG, Peckle M, Mendonça LP, Massard CL, Antunes S, Couto J, Domingos A, Guedes Junior DDS, Cabezas-Cruz A, Santos HA. Differential Expression of Immune Genes in the Rhipicephalus microplus Gut in Response to Theileria equi Infection.. Pathogens 2022 Dec 6;11(12).
    doi: 10.3390/pathogens11121478pubmed: 36558812google scholar: lookup
  3. Sears KP, Knowles DP, Fry LM. Clinical Progression of Theileria haneyi in Splenectomized Horses Reveals Decreased Virulence Compared to Theileria equi.. Pathogens 2022 Feb 16;11(2).
    doi: 10.3390/pathogens11020254pubmed: 35215197google scholar: lookup
  4. Bastos RG, Sears KP, Dinkel KD, Kappmeyer L, Ueti MW, Knowles DP, Fry LM. Development of an Indirect ELISA to Detect Equine Antibodies to Theileria haneyi.. Pathogens 2021 Feb 27;10(3).
    doi: 10.3390/pathogens10030270pubmed: 33673478google scholar: lookup
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