Seroprevalence and risk factors associated with Babesia caballi and Theileria equi infections in donkeys from Southern Italy.
Abstract: Equine piroplasmosis (EP) has been frequently described in donkeys in subtropical and tropical regions, but published data reflecting large scale surveys are very limited in Europe. The seroprevalence of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi was determined in a donkey population from Campania Region in Southern Italy using a commercial indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT), and the risk factors associated with the occurrence of the infection were assessed. Of 203 samples, the overall seroprevalence for EP was 57.1% (116/203), with 35.5% (72/203) for B. caballi and 44.3% (90/203) for T. equi. Co-infection was detected in 46 donkeys (22.6%). The distribution of IFAT antibody titres to B. caballi was: 1:80 (n= 67), 1:160 (n= 2), 1:320 (n= 3); while the distribution of IFAT antibody titres to T. equi was: 1:80 (n= 25), 1:160 (n= 42), 1:320 (n= 12), 1:640 (n= 8), 1:1280 (n= 3). All examined donkeys were asymptomatic, except one adult male (with a titre of 1:640 against T. equi) that showed clinical signs corresponding to the acute stage of EP, reported for the first time in Italy. The unique risk factor associated with a higher B. caballi seroprevalence was the presence of horses in the farms, while risk factors associated with a higher T. equi seroprevalence were poor body condition, presence of ruminants in the farms and milk production. The results indicate a high level of exposure in donkeys living in Southern Italy and suggest that donkeys may be an important reservoir of EP.
Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2014-09-30 PubMed ID: 25457263DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2014.09.025Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research article explores the prevalence and potential risk factors of two infectious diseases, Babesia caballi and Theileria equi, among donkeys in Southern Italy. The study identifies a high level of exposure among the donkey population and suggests that donkeys could serve as a crucial reservoir for these infections.
Study Purpose and Method
- The research aimed to establish the seroprevalence of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi infections in donkeys within the Campania Region of Southern Italy. The study utilized a commercial indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) to identify the presence of these diseases.
- As additional objectives, the study also sought to identify any risk factors associated with these infectious diseases’ distribution and occurrence.
Key Findings
- Out of the 203 samples evaluated from the donkey population, the researchers found an overall prevalence of the equine piroplasmosis (EP) diseases at 57.1%.
- Within the detected infections, 35.5% tested positive for B. caballi, and 44.3% tested positive for T. equi, indicating a high prevalence of these infections within this population.
- Co-infection (the simultaneous presence of both infections within individual animals) was detected in 22.6% of the donkeys that were part of the study.
- Despite the high level of detected infections, the entire donkey population, except for one adult male donkey, was asymptomatic. The one symptomatic donkey showed clinical signs corresponding to the acute stage of equine piroplasmosis.
Risk Factors
- The key risk factor associated with a higher B. caballi prevalence was the presence of horses within the sampled farms.
- Risk factors contributing to higher T. equi prevalence included poor body condition, presence of ruminants within the farms and milk production.
Implications of the Study
- The findings of this research reveal a high level of exposure to these diseases among donkeys in southern Italy.
- These findings suggest that donkeys could serve as an important reservoir for these infections, thereby indicating the need for further studies and preventive measures to control their distribution.
Cite This Article
APA
Piantedosi D, D'Alessio N, Di Loria A, Di Prisco F, Mariani U, Neola B, Santoro M, Montagnaro S, Capelli G, Veneziano V.
(2014).
Seroprevalence and risk factors associated with Babesia caballi and Theileria equi infections in donkeys from Southern Italy.
Vet J, 202(3), 578-582.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2014.09.025 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples Federico II, Italy.
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Portici, NA, Italy.
- Department of Health Science, University of Magna Græcia, Catanzaro, Italy. Electronic address: adiloria@unicz.it.
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Portici, NA, Italy.
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Portici, NA, Italy.
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples Federico II, Italy.
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples Federico II, Italy.
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro, PD, Italy.
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples Federico II, Italy.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Antibodies, Protozoan / blood
- Babesia / immunology
- Babesia / isolation & purification
- Babesiosis / epidemiology
- Babesiosis / parasitology
- Coinfection / epidemiology
- Coinfection / parasitology
- Coinfection / veterinary
- Equidae
- Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect / veterinary
- Italy / epidemiology
- Prevalence
- Risk Factors
- Seroepidemiologic Studies
- Theileria / immunology
- Theileria / isolation & purification
- Theileriasis / epidemiology
- Theileriasis / parasitology
Citations
This article has been cited 12 times.- Coultous R, Gotić J, McCann M, Sutton D, Beck R, Shiels B. Novel equi merozoite antigen (ema-1) gene heterogeneity in a geographically isolated Theileria equi population in Croatia. Parasit Vectors 2022 Oct 31;15(1):401.
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- Coultous RM, Sutton DGM, Boden LA. A risk assessment of equine piroplasmosis entry, exposure and consequences in the UK. Equine Vet J 2023 Mar;55(2):282-294.
- Perrucci S, Guardone L, Altomonte I, Salari F, Nardoni S, Martini M, Mancianti F. Apicomplexan Protozoa Responsible for Reproductive Disorders: Occurrence of DNA in Blood and Milk of Donkeys (Equus asinus) and Minireview of the Related Literature. Pathogens 2021 Jan 22;10(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).
- Zhao S, Wang H, Zhang S, Xie S, Li H, Zhang X, Jia L. First report of genetic diversity and risk factor analysis of equine piroplasm infection in equids in Jilin, China. Parasit Vectors 2020 Sep 9;13(1):459.
- 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, 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.
- Laus F, Spaterna A, Faillace V, Veronesi F, Ravagnan S, Beribé F, Cerquetella M, Meligrana M, Tesei B. Clinical investigation on Theileria equi and Babesia caballi infections in Italian donkeys. BMC Vet Res 2015 Apr 28;11:100.
- Villa L, Cafiso A, Cialini C, Olivieri E, Allievi C, Pintore E, Garippa G, Manfredi MT, Bazzocchi C. Serological and molecular insights into tick-borne pathogens in wild donkeys from an unexplored Mediterranean nature reserve. Curr Res Parasitol Vector Borne Dis 2025;7:100267.
- Mendoza FJ, Pérez-Écija A, Kappmeyer LS, Suarez CE, Bastos RG. New insights in the diagnosis and treatment of equine piroplasmosis: pitfalls, idiosyncrasies, and myths. Front Vet Sci 2024;11:1459989.
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