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Veterinary parasitology2011; 178(1-2); 180-183; doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2010.12.036

Serological prevalence of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi in horses of Lara State, Venezuela.

Abstract: The main objective of this study was to demonstrate the occurrence of equine piroplasmosis (EP) in horses of Lara State, Venezuela, and to correlate it with the factors host's sex and age in order to know the epidemiology of this disease at the Venezuelan Centroccidental Region. Antibody levels to Babesia caballi and Theileria equi were assessed in 360 equine serum samples, collected from 9 municipalities of Lara State, using an ELISA technique with recombinant antigens and monoclonal antibodies (Mabs). Antibodies to B. caballi were found in 254 horses (70.6%), whereas 181 animals (50.3%) were detected as seropositives to T. equi. In addition, 128 samples (35.56%) were seropositives to both hemoparasites. There were no significant differences between the seropositivity to B. caballi and T. equi with the factors sex and age of the horses. These results show that Lara State is an enzootic area for equine piroplasmosis, and are a contribution to a partial knowledge of the dynamic of this disease in Venezuela.
Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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Publication Date: 2011-01-11 PubMed ID: 21273001DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2010.12.036Google 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 examined the presence and prevalence of equine piroplasmosis, a parasite-borne equine disease, in horses within Lara State, Venezuela, revealing high rates of seropositivity for Babesia caballi and Theileria equi and confirming the area as enzootic for this disease.

Objectives and Methodology

  • The main aim of the study was to investigate the rate of equine piroplasmosis, a disease caused by the parasites Babesia caballi and Theileria equi, in the horse population of Lara State, Venezuela. The study also sought to correlate the disease prevalence with certain factors including the host’s sex and age.
  • The researchers used an ELISA technique with recombinant antigens and monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) to assess the level of antibodies to the two parasites in 360 equine serum samples collected from 9 municipalities within Lara State.

Findings

  • The study revealed that 254 out of the 360 horses (70.6%) were found to have antibodies to Babesia caballi, indicating that they had been exposed to this parasite.
  • Mildly lower but still significant, 181 horses (50.3%) were detected to have antibodies to Theileria equi, pointing to exposure to this parasite as well.
  • Interestingly, the study found that 128 of the samples (35.56%) were seropositive to both hemoparasites, suggesting a considerable overlap in infection rates between these two parasites.
  • Despite the high seropositivity rates, there were no significant differences found in relation to the sex and age of the horses – indicating that all horses, regardless of these factors, are at risk of infection.

Conclusions

  • Overall, this research confirms that equine piroplasmosis caused by Babesia caballi and Theileria equi is prevalent within the horse population of Lara State in Venezuela.
  • The results provide important insights suggesting that Lara State is an enzootic area for equine piroplasmosis and contributes to the understanding of the dynamics of this disease in the region.

Cite This Article

APA
Mujica FF, Perrone T, Forlano M, Coronado A, Meléndez RD, Barrios N, Alvarez R, Granda F. (2011). Serological prevalence of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi in horses of Lara State, Venezuela. Vet Parasitol, 178(1-2), 180-183. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2010.12.036

Publication

Veterinary parasitology
ISSN: 1873-2550
NlmUniqueID: 7602745
Country: Netherlands
Language: English
Volume: 178
Issue: 1-2
Pages: 180-183

Researcher Affiliations

Mujica, Franklin F
  • Unidad de Investigación en Parasitología Veterinaria, Decanato de Ciencias Veterinarias (DCV), Universidad Centroccidental Lisandro Alvarado (UCLA), Barquisimeto, Estado Lara, Venezuela. fmujica67@hotmail.com
Perrone, Trina
    Forlano, María
      Coronado, Alfredo
        Meléndez, Roy D
          Barrios, Nailuj
            Alvarez, Rafael
              Granda, Fernando

                MeSH Terms

                • Animals
                • Babesia / classification
                • Babesiosis / blood
                • Babesiosis / epidemiology
                • Babesiosis / veterinary
                • Horse Diseases / blood
                • Horse Diseases / epidemiology
                • Horse Diseases / parasitology
                • Horses
                • Seroepidemiologic Studies
                • Theileria / classification
                • Theileriasis / blood
                • Theileriasis / epidemiology
                • Venezuela / epidemiology

                Citations

                This article has been cited 7 times.
                1. 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).
                  doi: 10.3390/pathogens10040445pubmed: 33917822google scholar: lookup
                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).
                  doi: 10.3390/pathogens9110926pubmed: 33171698google scholar: lookup
                3. 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.
                  doi: 10.1017/S0031182020001407pubmed: 32741382google scholar: lookup
                4. 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.
                  doi: 10.1051/parasite/2017015pubmed: 28497743google scholar: lookup
                5. Sumbria D, Das Singla L, Sharma A. Theileria equi and Babesia caballi infection of equids in Punjab, India: a serological and molecular survey. Trop Anim Health Prod 2016 Jan;48(1):45-52.
                  doi: 10.1007/s11250-015-0917-1pubmed: 26387094google scholar: lookup
                6. Guidi E, Pradier S, Lebert I, Leblond A. Piroplasmosis in an endemic area: analysis of the risk factors and their implications in the control of Theileriosis and Babesiosis in horses. Parasitol Res 2015 Jan;114(1):71-83.
                  doi: 10.1007/s00436-014-4161-9pubmed: 25280516google scholar: lookup
                7. Altay K, Erol U, Sahin OF, Ulucesme MC, Aytmirzakizi A, Aktas M. Survey of tick-borne pathogens in grazing horses in Kyrgyzstan: phylogenetic analysis, genetic diversity, and prevalence of Theileria equi. Front Vet Sci 2024;11:1359974.
                  doi: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1359974pubmed: 38746933google scholar: lookup
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