Prevalence of equine Piroplasmosis and its association with tick infestation in the State of São Paulo, Brazil.
Abstract: Serum samples were collected from 582 horses from 40 stud farms in the State of São Paulo and tick (Acari: Ixodidae) infestations were evaluated on them. Serum samples were subjected to the complement fixation test (CFT) and a competitive inhibition ELISA (cELISA) for Babesia caballi and Theileria equi. Logistic regression analyses were performed to construct multivariate models that could explain the dependent variable (horses positive for B. caballi or T. equi) as a function of the independent variables (presence or abundance of each one of the tick species found on the farms). A higher overall prevalence of B. caballi (54.1%) than of T. equi (21.6%) was found by the two tests. The ticks Dermacentor nitens Neumann, 1897, Amblyomma cajennense (Fabricius, 1787) and Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (Canestrini, 1887) were present on horses on 38 (95%), 20 (50%), and 4 (10%) farms, respectively. Infestations by D. nitens were statistically associated with B. caballi-positive horses on the farms by either the CFT or cELISA. Infestations by A. cajennense were statistically associated with T. equi-positive horses on the farms by either CFT or cELISA.
Publication Date: 2009-12-31 PubMed ID: 20040201DOI: 10.4322/rbpv.01804001Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research article examines the occurrence rate of equine Piroplasmosis, a tick-borne disease in horses, in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Using blood samples from 582 horses and assessing for tick infestations, the study found a higher prevalence of one parasite (Babesia caballi) over another (Theileria equi), with specific tick species being associated with each parasite.
Study Methodology
- The researchers conducted their study using serum samples collected from a total of 582 horses located in 40 different stud farms in the State of São Paulo.
- These horses were evaluated for tick infestations, observed for the existence of different types of ticks found in the region.
- The serum samples were subjected to two types of tests – the complement fixation test (CFT) and a competitive inhibition ELISA (cELISA) – for the presence of two parasites that are known to cause Piroplasmosis in horses: Babesia caballi and Theileria equi.
Results and Findings
- The results demonstrated a higher overall prevalence of B. caballi (54.1%) as compared to T. equi (21.6%) when tested by both CFT and cELISA.
- Three species of ticks – Dermacentor nitens, Amblyomma cajennense, and Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus – were observed on the horses. D. nitens were found on 95% of the farms, A. cajennense on 50%, and R. microplus on 10%.
- There were significant associations found between infestation by specific species of ticks and the presence of either B. caballi or T. equi in the horses: infestations by Dermacentor nitens were significantly associated with B. caballi-positive horses and infestations by A. cajennense with T. equi-positive horses.
Implications
- The study suggests that in the state of São Paulo, horses are more likely to be infested with B. caballi over T. equi.
- It also reveals a clear connection between specific tick species and specific parasites, suggesting certain tick species may be more likely to transmit specific parasites. This insight can add to the understanding of how these diseases spread and can help in implementing more effective prevention and treatment methods.
Cite This Article
APA
Kerber CE, Labruna MB, Ferreira F, De Waal DT, Knowles DP, Gennari SM.
(2009).
Prevalence of equine Piroplasmosis and its association with tick infestation in the State of São Paulo, Brazil.
Rev Bras Parasitol Vet, 18(4), 1-8.
https://doi.org/10.4322/rbpv.01804001 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Antigens, Protozoan / blood
- Babesiosis / blood
- Babesiosis / complications
- Babesiosis / epidemiology
- Babesiosis / veterinary
- Brazil
- Horse Diseases / blood
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / parasitology
- Horses
- Prevalence
- Theileria / immunology
- Tick Infestations / blood
- Tick Infestations / complications
- Tick Infestations / epidemiology
- Tick Infestations / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 12 times.- Peckle M, Santos H, Pires M, Silva C, Costa R, Vitari G, Camilo T, Meireles N, Paulino P, Massard C. Dynamics of Theileria equi Infection in Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus during the Parasitic Phase in a Chronically Infected Horse.. Pathogens 2022 Apr 29;11(5).
- Tirosh-Levy S, Mazuz ML, Savitsky I, Pinkas D, Gottlieb Y, Steinman A. Serological and Molecular Prevalence of Babesia caballi in Apparently Healthy Horses in Israel.. Pathogens 2021 Apr 8;10(4).
- Teodorowski O, Kalinowski M, Winiarczyk D, Janecki R, Winiarczyk S, Adaszek Ł. Molecular surveillance of tick-borne diseases affecting horses in Poland-Own observations.. Vet Med Sci 2021 Jul;7(4):1159-1165.
- 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).
- 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.
- 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).
- Santodomingo A, Sierra-Orozco K, Cotes-Perdomo A, Castro LR. Molecular detection of Rickettsia spp., Anaplasma platys and Theileria equi in ticks collected from horses in Tayrona National Park, Colombia.. Exp Appl Acarol 2019 Mar;77(3):411-423.
- Ferreira LL, Sarria ALF, de Oliveira Filho JG, de Silva FO, Powers SJ, Caulfield JC, Pickett JA, Birkett MA, Borges LMF. Identification of a non-host semiochemical from tick-resistant donkeys (Equus asinus) against Amblyomma sculptum ticks.. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2019 Apr;10(3):621-627.
- Díaz-Sánchez AA, Pires MS, Estrada CY, Cañizares EV, Del Castillo Domínguez SL, Cabezas-Cruz A, Rivero EL, da Fonseca AH, Massard CL, Corona-González B. First molecular evidence of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi infections in horses in Cuba.. Parasitol Res 2018 Oct;117(10):3109-3118.
- 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.
- Scoles GA, Ueti MW. Amblyomma cajennense is an intrastadial biological vector of Theileria equi.. Parasit Vectors 2013 Oct 23;6(1):306.
- 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.
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