Prevalence of Theileria equi and Babesia caballi infections in horses belonging to resource-poor farmers in the north-eastern Free State Province, South Africa.
Abstract: The prevalence of Theileria equi and Babesia caballi infections in the north-eastern Free State Province of South Africa was determined by examination of thin and thick Giemsa-stained blood smears, IFAT and PCR. No parasites were detected by microscopy from any blood samples collected at five study sites, Qwaqwa, Kestell, Harrismith, Vrede and Warden. Of the tested serum samples, 28/29 (96.5%), 20/21 (95.2%) and 42/42 (100%) were positive by IFAT for T. equi infections in Harrismith, Kestell and Qwaqwa, respectively, and 5/29 (17.2%), 13/21 (61.9%) and 30/42 (71.4%) were sero-positive for B. caballi infections in Harrismith, Kestell and Qwaqwa, respectively. All DNA samples from the study sites were negative for B. caballi infections by PCR, but five samples, two from each of Kestell and Warden and one from Vrede, were PCR positive for T. equi infections. The high prevalence of antibodies against T. equi and B. caballi in the sampled horses indicates that the animals had been exposed to T. equi and B. caballi infections but the absence of parasitaemia and very low number of positive PCR samples, however, imply that T. equi and B. caballi are endemically stable in the north-eastern Free State Province.
Publication Date: 2008-09-16 PubMed ID: 18788207DOI: 10.4102/ojvr.v75i2.12Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This study focuses on examining the prevalence of Theileria equi and Babesia caballi, two types of parasites, in horses from resource-poor farmers in the Free State Province of South Africa. Using several diagnostic tools, researchers found that while a high percentage of horses carried antibodies for these parasites, indicating exposure, a low number of horses showed any active infections.
Study Method and Findings
- The research targeted horses from resource-poor farmers in five locations in the Free State Province of South Africa – Qwaqwa, Kestell, Harrismith, Vrede, and Warden.
- The test methods employed were blood smear examinations, Indirect Fluorescent Antibody Test (IFAT) and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR).
- Blood smears from horses across all locations revealed no parasites under microscopic examination.
- However, results varied when testing serum samples for antibodies. 96.5% of samples from Harrismith, 95.2% from Kestell, and 100% from Qwaqwa tested positive for T. equi antibodies. For B. caballi antibodies, the positive results were lower – 17.2% in Harrismith, 61.9% in Kestell, and 71.4% in Qwaqwa.
- The PCR tests revealed no B. caballi infections in any of the samples from the study sites, but five samples (two from Kestell and Warden and one from Vrede) tested positive for T. equi.
Study Implications
- The presence of antibodies against T. equi and B. caballi indicates that the horses have been exposed to these parasites.
- However, the absence of active parasites in their blood and low number of positive PCR results for these infections suggest that the parasites are endemically stable in the area.
- This endemic stability implies that while the horses have been exposed to the parasites, they are not currently suffering from active infections. This could be due to acquired immunity or other factors that the study does not specify.
- The findings of this study can direct strategies for managing Theileria equi and Babesia caballi infections in horses bred in similar conditions.
Cite This Article
APA
Motloang MY, Thekisoe OM, Alhassan A, Bakheit M, Motheo MP, Masangane FE, Thibedi ML, Inoue N, Igarashi I, Sugimoto C, Mbati PA.
(2008).
Prevalence of Theileria equi and Babesia caballi infections in horses belonging to resource-poor farmers in the north-eastern Free State Province, South Africa.
Onderstepoort J Vet Res, 75(2), 141-146.
https://doi.org/10.4102/ojvr.v75i2.12 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- University of the Free State, Qwaqwa Campus, Phuthaditjhaba, 9866 South Africa. motloangm@arc.agric.za
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Babesia / immunology
- Babesia / isolation & purification
- Babesiosis / epidemiology
- Babesiosis / veterinary
- Female
- Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horses
- Male
- Polymerase Chain Reaction / veterinary
- Prevalence
- South Africa / epidemiology
- Theileria / immunology
- Theileria / isolation & purification
- Theileriasis / epidemiology
Citations
This article has been cited 8 times.- Ledger KJ, Beati L, Wisely SM. Survey of Ticks and Tick-Borne Rickettsial and Protozoan Pathogens in Eswatini.. Pathogens 2021 Aug 17;10(8).
- Idoko IS, Edeh RE, Adamu AM, Machunga-Mambula S, Okubanjo OO, Balogun EO, Adamu S, Johnson W, Kappmeyer L, Mousel M, Ueti MW. Molecular and Serological Detection of Piroplasms in Horses from Nigeria.. Pathogens 2021 Apr 23;10(5).
- 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.
- Mshelia PW, Kappmeyer L, Johnson WC, Kudi CA, Oluyinka OO, Balogun EO, Richard EE, Onoja E, Sears KP, Ueti MW. Molecular detection of Theileria species and Babesia caballi from horses in Nigeria.. Parasitol Res 2020 Sep;119(9):2955-2963.
- Onyiche TE, Taioe MO, Ogo NI, Sivakumar T, Biu AA, Mbaya AW, Xuan X, Yokoyama N, Thekisoe O. Molecular evidence of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi in equines and ticks in Nigeria: prevalence and risk factors analysis.. Parasitology 2020 Sep;147(11):1238-1248.
- 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).
- 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.
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