Prevalence of equine piroplasmosis in Central Mongolia.
Abstract: Antigen for the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) was routinely prepared from infected erythrocytes from horses experimentally infected with Babesia equi and Babesia caballi. With the successful establishment of in vitro cultures of B. equi and B. caballi, it is now possible to employ culture-derived antigens in this test. In this study, in vitro-propagated B. equi- and B. caballi-infected erythrocytes were used as antigen in the IFAT. Various modifications to an established protocol had to be implemented to allow repeatable results. Cultures with 3-4% parasitized erythrocytes were found to be most suitable. As cross-reactions of control sera on heterologous antigen were observed at serum dilutions of up to 1/40, a reciprocal titre of 80 was considered to be positive. In positive samples, specific fluorescence of Babesia parasites and/or erythrocyte membranes was observed. Fifteen sera from Babesia-free horses from Japan all tested negative in the IFAT. One hundred and ten field-horse sera from Central Mongolia were investigated in this study. The results indicate that both B. equi and B. caballi are endemic in horses in Central Mongolia, with 88.2% and 84.5% of horses being seropositive to B. equi and B. caballi, respectively.
Publication Date: 1997-06-01 PubMed ID: 9352563
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research article discusses a study conducted on the prevalence of equine piroplasmosis, a disease caused by parasites Babesia equi and Babesia caballi, in the Central Mongolia region among horses. The study utilized cultured parasites as antigens to achieve higher accuracy in the indirect fluorescent antibody test.
Research Methodology
- The researchers conducted an indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT). This test is usually performed using antigens derived from infected erythrocytes of horses.
- Instead of collecting antigens from infected horses, the researchers successfully cultured B. equi and B. caballi parasites in vitro, which were then used as the source of antigens for the test.
- The established protocols for the tests were altered for repeatable results. The best results were obtained from cultures with 3-4% parasitized erythrocytes.
- The researchers found that up to a 1/40 dilution of the control sera resulted in cross-reactions on the heterologous antigen. A reciprocal titre of 80 was considered positive as a result.
Study Results
- Specific fluorescence of Babesia parasites and/or erythrocyte membranes was observed in positive samples.
- The antigen test was tested on 15 Babesia-free horse sera from Japan, all of which tested negative in the IFAT, implying the test’s specificity for detecting positive cases was high.
- 110 field-horse sera taken from Central Mongolia were tested for the disease. The results showed that a significant majority of the horses, 88.2%, were seropositive for B. equi and 84.5% were seropositive for B. caballi, indicating that these organisms are endemic in this area.
Implications and Conclusion
- The study confirmed that there is a high prevalence of equine piroplasmosis among horses in Central Mongolia. Horses in the region are highly susceptible to infections from both B. equi and B. caballi parasites.
- The use of in vitro cultured parasites as antigens in the IFAT test showed reliable results and could potentially offer a more scalable and practical test material source compared to infected erythrocytes from horses.
- This research presents a relevant contribution to disease mapping and offers insights for further diseases prevention and control strategies in the region.
Cite This Article
APA
Avarzed A, De Waal DT, Igarashi I, Saito A, Oyamada T, Toyoda Y, Suzuki N.
(1997).
Prevalence of equine piroplasmosis in Central Mongolia.
Onderstepoort J Vet Res, 64(2), 141-145.
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Research Centre for Protozoan Molecular Immunology, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido, Japan.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Antibodies, Protozoan / blood
- Antigens, Protozoan / immunology
- Babesia / isolation & purification
- Babesiosis / epidemiology
- Babesiosis / immunology
- Cross Reactions
- Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / immunology
- Horses
- Mongolia / epidemiology
- Prevalence
Citations
This article has been cited 16 times.- 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.
- Mahmoud MS, Kandil OM, Abu El-Ezz NT, Hendawy SHM, Elsawy BSM, Knowles DP, Bastos RG, Kappmeyer LS, Laughery JM, Alzan HF, Suarez CE. Identification and antigenicity of the Babesia caballi spherical body protein 4 (SBP4).. Parasit Vectors 2020 Jul 22;13(1):369.
- Narankhajid M, Yeruult C, Gurbadam A, Battsetseg J, Aberle SW, Bayartogtokh B, Joachim A, Duscher GG. Some aspects on tick species in Mongolia and their potential role in the transmission of equine piroplasms, Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Borrelia burgdorferi L.. Parasitol Res 2018 Nov;117(11):3557-3566.
- Ionita M, Nicorescu IM, Pfister K, Mitrea IL. Parasitological and molecular diagnostic of a clinical Babesia caballi outbreak in Southern Romania.. Parasitol Res 2018 Jul;117(7):2333-2339.
- Hong SH, Anu D, Jeong YI, Abmed D, Cho SH, Lee WJ, Lee SE. Molecular detection and seroprevalence of Babesia microti among stock farmers in Khutul City, Selenge Province, Mongolia.. Korean J Parasitol 2014 Aug;52(4):443-7.
- Salim BO, Hassan SM, Bakheit MA, Alhassan A, Igarashi I, Karanis P, Abdelrahman MB. Diagnosis of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi infections in horses in Sudan using ELISA and PCR.. Parasitol Res 2008 Oct;103(5):1145-50.
- Rashid HB, Chaudhry M, Rashid H, Pervez K, Khan MA, Mahmood AK. Comparative efficacy of diminazene diaceturate and diminazene aceturate for the treatment of babesiosis in horses.. Trop Anim Health Prod 2008 Aug;40(6):463-7.
- Hirata H, Yokoyama N, Xuan X, Fujisaki K, Suzuki N, Igarashi I. Cloning of a novel Babesia equi gene encoding a 158-kilodalton protein useful for serological diagnosis.. Clin Diagn Lab Immunol 2005 Feb;12(2):334-8.
- Kuboki N, Inoue N, Sakurai T, Di Cello F, Grab DJ, Suzuki H, Sugimoto C, Igarashi I. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification for detection of African trypanosomes.. J Clin Microbiol 2003 Dec;41(12):5517-24.
- Huang X, Xuan X, Yokoyama N, Xu L, Suzuki H, Sugimoto C, Nagasawa H, Fujisaki K, Igarashi I. High-level expression and purification of a truncated merozoite antigen-2 of Babesia equi in Escherichia coli and its potential for immunodiagnosis.. J Clin Microbiol 2003 Mar;41(3):1147-51.
- Boonchit S, Xuan X, Yokoyama N, Goff WL, Wagner G, Igarashi I. Evaluation of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with recombinant rhoptry-associated protein 1 antigen against Babesia bovis for the detection of specific antibodies in cattle.. J Clin Microbiol 2002 Oct;40(10):3771-5.
- Hirata H, Ikadai H, Yokoyama N, Xuan X, Fujisaki K, Suzuki N, Mikami T, Igarashi I. Cloning of a truncated Babesia equi gene encoding an 82-kilodalton protein and its potential use in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.. J Clin Microbiol 2002 Apr;40(4):1470-4.
- Samuel T, Böse R. The 18 kDa antigen of Theileria equi is a specific but less abundant protein also expressed by parasites cultured in vitro.. Vet Res Commun 2001 Apr;25(3):169-78.
- Xuan X, Igarashi I, Tanaka T, Fukumoto S, Nagasawa H, Fujisaki K, Mikami T. Detection of antibodies to Babesia equi in horses by a latex agglutination test using recombinant EMA-1.. Clin Diagn Lab Immunol 2001 May;8(3):645-6.
- Xuan X, Larsen A, Ikadai H, Tanaka T, Igarashi I, Nagasawa H, Fujisaki K, Toyoda Y, Suzuki N, Mikami T. Expression of Babesia equi merozoite antigen 1 in insect cells by recombinant baculovirus and evaluation of its diagnostic potential in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.. J Clin Microbiol 2001 Feb;39(2):705-9.
- Avarzed A, Igarashi I, De Waal DT, Kawai S, Oomori Y, Inoue N, Maki Y, Omata Y, Saito A, Nagasawa H, Toyoda Y, Suzuki N. Monoclonal antibody against Babesia equi: characterization and potential application of antigen for serodiagnosis.. J Clin Microbiol 1998 Jul;36(7):1835-9.
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