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Parasitology research2018; 117(7); 2333-2339; doi: 10.1007/s00436-018-5899-2

Parasitological and molecular diagnostic of a clinical Babesia caballi outbreak in Southern Romania.

Abstract: Equine piroplasmosis (EP) is a tick-borne disease of equids caused by Babesia caballi and/or Theileria equi, which is endemic in many tropical and temperate areas of the world. However, clinical outbreaks of EP in Romania during the last decades have not been reported Therefore, the aim of this paper is (i) to describe a clinical B. caballi outbreak in horses on several farms in Southern Romania using a diagnostic and therapeutic approach and (ii) the molecular diagnostic of EP in an endemic area of Romania. In the first case, a 10-month-old stallion male was presented with lethargy, anorexia, fever (40.9 °C), pale mucosal/mucous/membranes and a marked anemia. In the subsequent weeks, three horses from other farms located in the same area, displayed similar clinical signs. B. caballi was diagnosed in all the horses based on Giemsa-stained blood smears and the diagnosis was further confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), using a single-round and multiplex PCR and sequencing. All four horses were treated with imidocarb dipropionate, at a dose rate of 2.2 mg/kg body weight (two injections at 48 h apart), and all horses clinically recovered within 24-48 h, post-treatment. This report presents the first molecularly characterized B. caballi outbreak in Romania in clinically affected horses, confirmed by DNA sequencing.
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Publication Date: 2018-05-15 PubMed ID: 29766270DOI: 10.1007/s00436-018-5899-2Google 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.

This research paper explores a clinical outbreak of Equine piroplasmosis, a tick-borne disease caused by Babesia caballi, in horses of Southern Romania. The study was aimed at documenting this unprecedented occurrence, diagnosing the disease, and implementing effective treatment procedures. The diagnosis was confirmed through polymerase chain reaction and DNA sequencing, while successful treatment was achieved with imidocarb dipropionate injections.

Study Objective and Context

  • The research was conducted in response to a clinical outbreak of Equine piroplasmosis (EP), a disease endemic to many tropical and temperate regions worldwide, that has not been previously reported in Romania.
  • The researchers aimed to describe and diagnose a Babesia caballi outbreak on several horse farms in Southern Romania and implement an effective therapeutic approach.
  • The other objective of the study was to confirm the molecular diagnosis of EP in this endemic area of Romania.

Methodology

  • The first case was a 10-month-old stallion presenting symptoms such as lethargy, anorexia, fever, pale mucous membranes, and marked anemia.
  • Over the following weeks, three more horses from different farms within the same geographical area exhibited similar clinical signs
  • The diagnosis of B. caballi infection was achieved through blood smear microscopy using Giemsa staining.
  • This diagnosis was then confirmed by a more advanced method, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), through single-round and multiplex PCR processes.
  • The sequencing of DNA was also conducted to further consolidate the diagnosis.

Treatment and Outcome

  • All four horses were treated with two injections of imidocarb dipropionate (2.2 mg/kg body weight), administered 48 hours apart.
  • The horses showed significant clinical recovery within 24-48 hours post-treatment, indicating the success of the therapeutic intervention.

Significance of the Study

  • This research presents the first instance of a molecularly characterized B. caballi outbreak in Romania, marking a significant addition to the existing clinical and epidemiological data.
  • The results also underscore the effectiveness of PCR and DNA sequencing in diagnosing Equine piroplasmosis, illuminating the importance of accurate and prompt diagnostic measures for the effective management of disease outbreaks.

Cite This Article

APA
Ionita M, Nicorescu IM, Pfister K, Mitrea IL. (2018). Parasitological and molecular diagnostic of a clinical Babesia caballi outbreak in Southern Romania. Parasitol Res, 117(7), 2333-2339. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-018-5899-2

Publication

Parasitology research
ISSN: 1432-1955
NlmUniqueID: 8703571
Country: Germany
Language: English
Volume: 117
Issue: 7
Pages: 2333-2339

Researcher Affiliations

Ionita, Mariana
  • Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Disease & Animal Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest, University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest, Spl. Independentei 105, sector 5, 050097, Bucharest, Romania.
Nicorescu, Isabela Madalina
  • Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Disease & Animal Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest, University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest, Spl. Independentei 105, sector 5, 050097, Bucharest, Romania.
Pfister, Kurt
  • Parasite Consulting GmbH, CH-3006, Bern, Switzerland.
Mitrea, Ioan Liviu
  • Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Disease & Animal Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest, University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest, Spl. Independentei 105, sector 5, 050097, Bucharest, Romania. liviumitrea@yahoo.com.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Azure Stains
  • Babesia / genetics
  • Babesiosis / diagnosis
  • Babesiosis / drug therapy
  • Babesiosis / parasitology
  • Disease Outbreaks / veterinary
  • Horse Diseases / diagnosis
  • Horse Diseases / drug therapy
  • Horse Diseases / parasitology
  • Horses
  • Imidocarb / analogs & derivatives
  • Imidocarb / therapeutic use
  • Male
  • Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Pathology, Molecular
  • Romania
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Treatment Outcome

Grant Funding

  • PN-II-RU-TE-2014-4-1432 / UEFISCDI-Romania

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Citations

This article has been cited 4 times.
  1. Bogdan AM, Ionita M, Mitrea IL. Serological Evidence of Natural Exposure to Tick-Borne Pathogens in Horses, Romania. Microorganisms 2021 Feb 12;9(2).
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  2. 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).
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  3. Ullah A, Geng M, Chen W, Zhu Q, Shi L, Zhang X, Akhtar MF, Wang C, Khan MZ. Effect of Parasitic Infections on Hematological Profile, Reproductive and Productive Performance in Equines. Animals (Basel) 2025 Nov 14;15(22).
    doi: 10.3390/ani15223294pubmed: 41302002google scholar: lookup
  4. Giubega S, Ilie MS, Morariu S, Imre M, Dreghiciu C, Rugea T, Ivascu S, Simion G, Dărăbuș G. Molecular Investigations of Babesia caballi from Clinically Healthy Horses in Southwestern Romania. Vet Sci 2024 Nov 27;11(12).
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