FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 9000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Home / Equine Research Bank / Vet Parasitol / Molecular evidence for transplacental transmission of Theile...
Veterinary parasitology2007; 148(2); 130-136; doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2007.05.017

Molecular evidence for transplacental transmission of Theileria equi from carrier mares to their apparently healthy foals.

Abstract: The intra-erythrocytic parasite Theileria equi is one of two tick-transmitted causative agents of equine piroplasmosis. Piroplasms of T. equi can be transmitted across the equine placenta and once a horse is infected, it appears to remain a lifelong carrier, since anti-theilerial drugs suppress but do not eliminate the parasite. Carrier mares may transmit the organism to their offspring and this may result in abortion or neonatal piroplasmosis, but observations by some researchers suggest that foals may be born as carriers yet remain apparently healthy. Using a T. equi-specific oligonucleotide probe, we have determined that transplacental transmission occurs early in equine foetal development and that carrier mares may give birth to healthy carrier foals. Investigation of parasite levels and the effect of maternal colostrum on the newborn suggests that colostral T. equi antibody may act to suppress parasitaemia in the newborn, reducing the incidence of clinical neonatal piroplasmosis.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2007-06-29 PubMed ID: 17601669DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2007.05.017Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
LinkedInCopy
  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't

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 explores the transfer of the parasite Theileria equi from infected mother horses to their offspring through the placenta, how it occurs in early stages of fetal development, and how the mother’s colostrum may help lower parasite levels in newborns, hence reducing the chance of disease manifestation.

Research Background

  • The investigation focuses on Theileria equi, a parasite that infects the red blood cells of horses and is typically transmitted via ticks.
  • This parasite is known to cause a disease called equine piroplasmosis, which horses can carry for their entire lives since available treatments manage but do not completely cure the infection.
  • Furthermore, it’s been observed that mares can pass the parasite to their foals through the placenta, potentially leading to miscarriages or neonatal piroplasmosis, a severe variation of the disease in newborn horses.

Exploring Transplacental Transmission

  • This study uses a T. equi-specific oligonucleotide probe to explore the lifeline of the parasite in foetal horses. The findings indicate transplacental transmission occurs early during the foetal development stage, with the parasite moving from the infected mother to the foetus through the placenta.
  • Interestingly, the research points out that infected mares can give birth to healthy carrier foals. Even though these foals carry the parasite, they might not show any obvious signs of disease.

The Role of Maternal Colostrum

  • The research also addresses maternal colostrum’s impact on newborn horses. Colostrum, the first form of milk produced by the mammary glands immediately following delivery, contains high volumes of antibodies.
  • Upon investigating its effect, it was suggested that T. equi antibodies present in the mother’s colostrum might play a role in suppressing the parasite’s proliferation in the newborn, thus reducing disease incidence.
  • This means that, while the newborn horse is a carrier of the disease due to the parasite’s initial transfer from the mare, the colostrum might help control parasite numbers such that illnesses related to the parasite remain suppressed.

Cite This Article

APA
Allsopp MT, Lewis BD, Penzhorn BL. (2007). Molecular evidence for transplacental transmission of Theileria equi from carrier mares to their apparently healthy foals. Vet Parasitol, 148(2), 130-136. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2007.05.017

Publication

Veterinary parasitology
ISSN: 0304-4017
NlmUniqueID: 7602745
Country: Netherlands
Language: English
Volume: 148
Issue: 2
Pages: 130-136

Researcher Affiliations

Allsopp, M T E P
  • Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, Private Bag X5, Onderstepoort 0110, South Africa.
Lewis, B D
    Penzhorn, B L

      MeSH Terms

      • Abortion, Veterinary / parasitology
      • Animals
      • Animals, Newborn
      • Colostrum / immunology
      • Disease Reservoirs / veterinary
      • Female
      • Fetus / parasitology
      • Horse Diseases / immunology
      • Horse Diseases / parasitology
      • Horse Diseases / transmission
      • Horses
      • Immunity, Maternally-Acquired
      • Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / veterinary
      • Placenta / parasitology
      • Pregnancy
      • Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / parasitology
      • Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / veterinary
      • Theileria
      • Theileriasis / immunology
      • Theileriasis / parasitology
      • Theileriasis / transmission

      Citations

      This article has been cited 27 times.
      1. Elghandour MMMY, Maggiolino A, Vázquez-Mendoza P, Alvarado-Ramírez ER, Cedillo-Monroy J, De Palo P, Salem AZM. Moringa oleifera as a Natural Alternative for the Control of Gastrointestinal Parasites in Equines: A Review.. Plants (Basel) 2023 May 8;12(9).
        doi: 10.3390/plants12091921pubmed: 37176979google scholar: lookup
      2. Bartolome Del Pino LE, Meana A, Zini M, Cersini A. Evidence of transplacental transmission of equine piroplasms Theileria equi and Babesia caballi in an Italian breed mare.. Folia Parasitol (Praha) 2023 Feb 10;70.
        doi: 10.14411/fp.2023.005pubmed: 36960775google scholar: lookup
      3. Graham H, van Kalsbeek P, van der Goot J, Koene MGJ. Low seroprevalence of equine piroplasmosis in horses exported from the Netherlands between 2015 and 2021.. Front Vet Sci 2022;9:954046.
        doi: 10.3389/fvets.2022.954046pubmed: 36299627google scholar: lookup
      4. Coultous RM, Sutton DGM, Boden LA. A risk assessment of equine piroplasmosis entry, exposure and consequences in the UK.. Equine Vet J 2023 Mar;55(2):282-294.
        doi: 10.1111/evj.13579pubmed: 35478189google scholar: lookup
      5. Selim AM, Das M, Senapati SK, Jena GR, Mishra C, Mohanty B, Panda SK, Shwareb ASAS. Transplacental transmission of Theileria annulata in cattle confirmed by molecular techniques.. J Parasit Dis 2021 Jun;45(2):336-340.
        doi: 10.1007/s12639-021-01365-2pubmed: 34295031google scholar: lookup
      6. Torres R, Hurtado C, Pérez-Macchi S, Bittencourt P, Freschi C, de Mello VVC, Machado RZ, André MR, Müller A. Occurrence and Genetic Diversity of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi in Chilean Thoroughbred Racing Horses.. Pathogens 2021 Jun 7;10(6).
        doi: 10.3390/pathogens10060714pubmed: 34200433google scholar: lookup
      7. Dirks E, de Heus P, Joachim A, Cavalleri JV, Schwendenwein I, Melchert M, Fuehrer HP. First Case of Autochthonous Equine Theileriosis in Austria.. Pathogens 2021 Mar 4;10(3).
        doi: 10.3390/pathogens10030298pubmed: 33806575google scholar: lookup
      8. 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).
        doi: 10.3390/pathogens9110926pubmed: 33171698google scholar: lookup
      9. Dos Santos TM, Roier ECR, Pires MS, Santos HA, Vilela JAR, Peckle M, Paulino PG, Baldani CD, Massard CL. Molecular evidence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Theileria equi coinfection in horses from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.. Vet Anim Sci 2019 Jun;7:100055.
        doi: 10.1016/j.vas.2019.100055pubmed: 32734076google scholar: lookup
      10. Tirosh-Levy S, Gottlieb Y, Mimoun L, Mazuz ML, Steinman A. Transplacental Transmission of Theileria equi Is Not a Common Cause of Abortions and Infection of Foals in Israel.. Animals (Basel) 2020 Feb 21;10(2).
        doi: 10.3390/ani10020341pubmed: 32098113google scholar: lookup
      11. Sacristán I, Sieg M, Acuña F, Aguilar E, García S, López MJ, Cevidanes A, Hidalgo-Hermoso E, Cabello J, Vahlenkamp TW, Millán J, Poulin E, Napolitano C. Molecular and serological survey of carnivore pathogens in free-roaming domestic cats of rural communities in southern Chile.. J Vet Med Sci 2019 Dec 18;81(12):1740-1748.
        doi: 10.1292/jvms.19-0208pubmed: 31611482google scholar: lookup
      12. Onyiche TE, Suganuma K, Igarashi I, Yokoyama N, Xuan X, Thekisoe O. A Review on Equine Piroplasmosis: Epidemiology, Vector Ecology, Risk Factors, Host Immunity, Diagnosis and Control.. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2019 May 16;16(10).
        doi: 10.3390/ijerph16101736pubmed: 31100920google scholar: lookup
      13. Cauvin A, Hood K, Shuman R, Orange J, Blackburn JK, Sayler KA, Wisely SM. The impact of vector control on the prevalence of Theileria cervi in farmed Florida white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus.. Parasit Vectors 2019 Mar 13;12(1):100.
        doi: 10.1186/s13071-019-3344-8pubmed: 30867021google scholar: lookup
      14. Sant C, Allicock OM, d'Abadie R, Charles RA, Georges K. Phylogenetic analysis of Theileria equi and Babesia caballi sequences from thoroughbred mares and foals in Trinidad.. Parasitol Res 2019 Apr;118(4):1171-1177.
        doi: 10.1007/s00436-019-06240-xpubmed: 30761425google scholar: lookup
      15. Esmaeilnejad B, Tavassoli M, Samiei A, Hajipour N. Molecular verification of transplacental transmission of Theileria lestoquardi in goat.. Parasitol Res 2018 Oct;117(10):3315-3318.
        doi: 10.1007/s00436-018-6007-3pubmed: 30006806google scholar: lookup
      16. Swilks E, Fell SA, Hammer JF, Sales N, Krebs GL, Jenkins C. Transplacental transmission of Theileria orientalis occurs at a low rate in field-affected cattle: infection in utero does not appear to be a major cause of abortion.. Parasit Vectors 2017 May 8;10(1):227.
        doi: 10.1186/s13071-017-2166-9pubmed: 28482923google scholar: lookup
      17. Földvári G, Široký P, Szekeres S, Majoros G, Sprong H. Dermacentor reticulatus: a vector on the rise.. Parasit Vectors 2016 Jun 1;9(1):314.
        doi: 10.1186/s13071-016-1599-xpubmed: 27251148google scholar: lookup
      18. Abedi V, Razmi G, Seifi H, Naghibi A. Molecular detection of equine piroplasms in donkeys (Equus asinus) in North Khorasan province, Iran.. Iran J Vet Res 2015 Spring;16(2):202-4.
        pubmed: 27175176
      19. Posada-Guzmán MF, Dolz G, Romero-Zúñiga JJ, Jiménez-Rocha AE. Detection of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi in Blood from Equines from Four Indigenous Communities in Costa Rica.. Vet Med Int 2015;2015:236278.
        doi: 10.1155/2015/236278pubmed: 26649225google scholar: lookup
      20. Sumbria D, Das Singla L, Sharma A. Theileria equi and Babesia caballi infection of equids in Punjab, India: a serological and molecular survey.. Trop Anim Health Prod 2016 Jan;48(1):45-52.
        doi: 10.1007/s11250-015-0917-1pubmed: 26387094google scholar: lookup
      21. Sudan V, Jaiswal AK, Srivastava A, Saxena A, Shanker D. A rare clinical presentation of transplacental transmission and subsequent abortion by Babesia (Theileria) equi in a mare.. J Parasit Dis 2015 Jun;39(2):336-8.
        doi: 10.1007/s12639-013-0337-ypubmed: 26064031google scholar: lookup
      22. Vikrant Sudan, Sharma RL, Borah MK, Mishra R. Acute bilateral proptosis in a cross bred calf naturally infected with Theileria annulata.. J Parasit Dis 2012 Oct;36(2):215-9.
        doi: 10.1007/s12639-012-0111-6pubmed: 24082531google scholar: lookup
      23. Chhabra S, Ranjan R, Uppal SK, Singla LD. Transplacental transmission of Babesia equi (Theileria equi) from carrier mares to foals.. J Parasit Dis 2012 Apr;36(1):31-3.
        doi: 10.1007/s12639-011-0072-1pubmed: 23543072google scholar: lookup
      24. Peckle M, Pires MS, Dos Santos TM, Roier EC, da Silva CB, Vilela JA, Santos HA, Massard CL. Molecular epidemiology of Theileria equi in horses and their association with possible tick vectors in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.. Parasitol Res 2013 May;112(5):2017-25.
        doi: 10.1007/s00436-013-3360-0pubmed: 23474658google scholar: lookup
      25. Simões PB, Cardoso L, Araújo M, Yisaschar-Mekuzas Y, Baneth G. Babesiosis due to the canine Babesia microti-like small piroplasm in dogs-first report from Portugal and possible vertical transmission.. Parasit Vectors 2011 Apr 13;4:50.
        doi: 10.1186/1756-3305-4-50pubmed: 21489238google scholar: lookup
      26. Godara R, Sharma RL, Sharma CS. Bovine tropical theileriosis in a neonate calf.. Trop Anim Health Prod 2010 Apr;42(4):551-3.
        doi: 10.1007/s11250-009-9469-6pubmed: 19816783google scholar: lookup
      27. Heim A, Passos LM, Ribeiro MF, Costa-Júnior LM, Bastos CV, Cabral DD, Hirzmann J, Pfister K. Detection and molecular characterization of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi isolates from endemic areas of Brazil.. Parasitol Res 2007 Dec;102(1):63-8.
        doi: 10.1007/s00436-007-0726-1pubmed: 17828553google scholar: lookup
      Subscribe to our newsletter
      Join 99,357 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.