Molecular surveillance of Theileria equi and Anaplasma phagocytophilum infections in horses from Ukraine, Poland and Slovakia.

This research examines the prevalence of two diseases, Theileria equi and Anaplasma phagocytophilum, in horses from Ukraine, Poland and Slovakia. Through blood tests and gene sequencing, the study found limited occurrence of these diseases with no noticeable correlation to the horse’s age or sex.

Overview of the Research

• The survey aimed to evaluate the prevalence of two specific diseases, Theileria equi (T. equi) and Anaplasma phagocytophilum (A. phagocytophilum), in horses from selected regions of Ukraine, Poland, and Slovakia.
• Theileria equi is a blood parasite that causes equine piroplasmosis, a disease that can result in severe anemia, fever and even death in horses. Anaplasma phagocytophilum is a bacteria that can lead to granulocytic anaplasmosis, a tick-borne disease that can also cause fever and other complications in horses.

Methodology of the Research

• The research utilized specific Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) assays to test for the presence of these diseases in blood samples collected from 215 horses.
• PCR assays are molecular biology techniques used to amplify trace amounts of DNA to yield enough for analysis.

Results of the Research

• The prevalence of T. equi was found to be 13.95%, meaning the pathogen was present in approximately 14 out of every 100 horses tested.
• The prevalence of A. phagocytophilum was significantly lower, at 1.4%, indicating the bacteria was present in approximately 1-2 out of every 100 horses tested.
• In order to identify the type of T. equi and A. phagocytophilum found, the researchers performed a BLAST analysis, a method used in bioinformatics to compare gene sequences.
• The analysed sequences were found to be at least 99% similar to the T. equi 18S rRNA and A. phagocytophilum msp4 gene sequences included in the genetic database, GenBank.

Analysis of Findings

• The research found no significant association between the presence of T. equi (as indicated by PCR positivity) and the age or gender of the horses tested.
• However, there was a significant association found between the origin of the horses and PCR positivity for T. equi, suggesting that geographical location may play a role in disease prevalence.
• For A. phagocytophilum, no significant association was found between PCR positivity and the age, gender, or origin of the horses.