Molecular and serological detection of Theileria equi and Babesia caballi infection in horses and ixodid ticks in Iran.
Abstract: Equine piroplasmosis is a hemoprotozoan tick-borne disease with worldwide distribution that is caused by Theileria equi and Babesia caballi. However, the geographical distribution of equine piroplasmosis in Iran is unknown. The aim of the current study was to determine the causative agents and vector ticks of equine piroplasmosis in horses in the North Khorasan Province. In the year 2011, 100 horses were randomly selected from 14 villages. Blood samples and ixodid ticks were collected and examined using microscopical, molecular, and serological methods. Theileria equi infection was microscopically detected in 5 (5%) of the blood smears with low parasitemia, while serum samples were tested by the indirect immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT). Antibodies against T. equi, B. caballi, and a mixed infection were detected in 48 (48%), 2 (2%), and 3 (3%) of the serum samples, respectively. A multiplex PCR was used to detect T. equi and B. caballi DNA in blood samples. No B. caballi infections could be found, but Theileria equi DNA was detected in 45 (45%) of the blood samples, and a BLAST analysis of the sequenced samples indicated a 99% similarity with T. equi 18S rRNA gene sequences in GenBank. Both molecular and serological results did not identify any significant association between T. equi infection and risk factors. A comparision of the results of 3 diagnostic methods demonstrated a poor agreement between microscopical examination with IFAT and PCR and a moderate agreement between IFAT and PCR. Thirty-seven adult ticks (20 females and 17 males) were collected from 15 horses. The most common tick was Hyalomma marginatum marginatum (n=19), followed by Hyalomma anatolicum excavatum (n=10), Rhipicephalus bursa (n=4), Hyalomma marginatum turanicum (n=3), and Hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum (n=1). The salivary glands and ovaries were also examined using PCR. The genomic DNA samples of the salivary glands of 3 ticks, H. a. excavatum (n=2) and R. bursa (n=1), had a positive reaction for T. equi, but no tick contained B. caballi DNA. Thus, our results indicate that T. equi occurs more frequently than B. caballi in the investigated geographical region.
Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2014-02-17 PubMed ID: 24556274DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2013.11.008Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research paper is about a study conducted in 2011 that investigates equine piroplasmosis, a tick-borne disease affecting horses, in the North Khorasan Province of Iran. The main components of this study were the detection of the disease-causing agents, Theileria equi and Babesia caballi, and the identification of the vector ticks associated with the disease.
Methodology of the Research
The research depicted three primary methodologies to achieve its objectives:
- A total of 100 horses were randomly chosen from 14 villages in North Khorasan Province.
- Blood samples were collected from the horses to detect the presence of the disease-causing agents, Theileria equi and Babesia caballi.
- Ixodid ticks were caught from the horses for examination.
- Microscopic examination, molecular methods (multiplex PCR), and serological procedures (IFAT – indirect immunofluorescent antibody test) were used to affirm infection.
Findings of the Study
Notable findings include:
- Theileria equi infection was microscopically detected in 5% of the blood smears.
- The serum samples were tested for antibodies against T. equi and B. caballi, with a 48%, 2%, and 3% detection for T. equi, B. caballi, and mixed infections respectively.
- T. equi’s DNA was detected in 45% of the blood samples via multiplex PCR. The samples’ sequences corresponded 99% with T. equi 18S rRNA gene sequences on GenBank.
- Thirty-seven adult ticks were collected, among which the most common was Hyalomma marginatum marginatum.
- T. equi DNA was found in the salivary glands of 3 ticks. No ticks were found with B. caballi DNA.
Conclusion and Significance
This study disclosed that the major causative agent of equine piroplasmosis in the region is Theileria equi, and it is more common than Babesia caballi. It also indicated that there are definitive ticks that act as disease vectors. These findings are significant as they provide useful information that can contribute to the implementation of effective control measures for equine piroplasmosis in the region. The research also highlighted the limited agreement between the various diagnostic methods used, suggesting a need for further studies to enhance these techniques.
Cite This Article
APA
Abedi V, Razmi G, Seifi H, Naghibi A.
(2014).
Molecular and serological detection of Theileria equi and Babesia caballi infection in horses and ixodid ticks in Iran.
Ticks Tick Borne Dis, 5(3), 239-244.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ttbdis.2013.11.008 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran.
- Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran. Electronic address: razmi@um.ac.ir.
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran.
- Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Antibodies, Protozoan / blood
- Babesia / genetics
- Babesia / immunology
- Babesia / isolation & purification
- Babesiosis / epidemiology
- Babesiosis / parasitology
- Base Sequence
- Coinfection / veterinary
- DNA, Protozoan / blood
- DNA, Protozoan / chemistry
- Female
- Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / parasitology
- Horses
- Iran / epidemiology
- Ixodidae / parasitology
- Male
- Molecular Sequence Data
- Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction / veterinary
- Parasitemia / veterinary
- Sequence Analysis, DNA / veterinary
- Theileria / genetics
- Theileria / immunology
- Theileria / isolation & purification
- Theileriasis / epidemiology
- Theileriasis / parasitology
- Tick Infestations / epidemiology
- Tick Infestations / parasitology
- Tick Infestations / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 15 times.- Elsawy BSM, Nassar AM, Alzan HF, Bhoora RV, Ozubek S, Mahmoud MS, Kandil OM, Mahdy OA. Rapid Detection of Equine Piroplasms Using Multiplex PCR and First Genetic Characterization of Theileria haneyi in Egypt. Pathogens 2021 Oct 31;10(11).
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- Tirosh-Levy S, Gottlieb Y, Fry LM, Knowles DP, Steinman A. Twenty Years of Equine Piroplasmosis Research: Global Distribution, Molecular Diagnosis, and Phylogeny. Pathogens 2020 Nov 8;9(11).
- Dik B, Ceylan O, Ceylan C, Tekindal MA, Semassel A, Sönmez G, Derinbay Ekici Ö. Ectoparasites of feral horses [Equus ferus caballus (Linnaeus., 1758)] on Karadağ Mountain, Karaman, Turkey. J Parasit Dis 2020 Sep;44(3):590-596.
- Onyiche TE, Taioe MO, Molefe NI, Biu AA, Luka J, Omeh IJ, Yokoyama N, Thekisoe O. Equine piroplasmosis: an insight into global exposure of equids from 1990 to 2019 by systematic review and meta-analysis. Parasitology 2020 Nov;147(13):1411-1424.
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- Montes Cortés MG, Fernández-García JL, Habela Martínez-Estéllez MÁ. Seroprevalence of Theileria equi and Babesia caballi in horses in Spain. Parasite 2017;24:14.
- Tajeri S, Razmi G, Haghparast A. Establishment of an Artificial Tick Feeding System to Study Theileria lestoquardi Infection. PLoS One 2016;11(12):e0169053.
- Mahmoud MS, El-Ezz NT, Abdel-Shafy S, Nassar SA, El Namaky AH, Khalil WK, Knowles D, Kappmeyer L, Silva MG, Suarez CE. Assessment of Theileria equi and Babesia caballi infections in equine populations in Egypt by molecular, serological and hematological approaches. Parasit Vectors 2016 May 4;9:260.
- Habibi G, Esmaeilnia K, Hablolvarid MH, Afshari A, Zamen M, Bozorgi S. Microscopic and Molecular Detection of Theileria (Babesia) Equi Infection in Equids of Kurdistan Province, Iran. Iran J Parasitol 2016 Jan-Mar;11(1):86-90.
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- Mohammad-Naseri A, Shokrani H, Rahmani-Shahraki A. Equine Piroplasmosis in Asymptomatic Horses of Western Iran: Comparison of Microscopic Examination and Multiplex PCR. Acta Parasitol 2024 Mar;69(1):813-818.
- Sazmand A, Bahari A, Papi S, Otranto D. Parasitic diseases of equids in Iran (1931-2020): a literature review. Parasit Vectors 2020 Nov 19;13(1):586.
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