Species-specific serodiagnosis of equine piroplasma infections by means of complement fixation test (CFT), immunofluorescence (IIF), and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
Abstract: The increasing horse trade requires a reliable immunodiagnosis of equine piroplasma infections due to import restrictions imposed by various countries, including the United States of America. It was the aim of our investigations to establish the suitability of serological tests for the detection of parasite carriers and, eventually, to differentiate between Babesia caballi and B. equi infections. The investigations were carried out on 11 ponies with experimentally-induced B. caballi and/or B. equi infection. The infections were confirmed by the demonstration of parasites in blood smears 2-13 days post infection (PI). The complement fixation test (CFT), the indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were employed for the demonstration of antibodies, and different antigen preparations were tested for their suitability. Antibodies could be demonstrated by all three tests. Complement-fixing antibodies disappear after 2-3 months PI in B. caballi-infected horses, while the IIF and ELISA gave positive results during latent infection. A reliable serodiagnosis thus requires the use of the CFT and IIF, since parasite carriers may appear seronegative by the CFT. Serological differentiation between B. caballi and B. equi was possible by CFT and, to a certain extent, by IIF during early infection, but not by ELISA. The successful treatment of B. caballi infections with Berenil could only be confirmed serologically by IIF.
Publication Date: 1986-03-01 PubMed ID: 3518216DOI: 10.1016/0304-4017(86)90091-9Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Antibodies
- Babesia
- Clinical Study
- Complement Fixation
- Diagnosis
- Disease Diagnosis
- Disease Treatment
- Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA)
- Equine Diseases
- Equine Health
- Horses
- Immunofluorescence Assay
- Immunology
- Infection
- Infectious Disease
- Parasites
- Piroplasmosis
- Serodiagnosis
- Theileria equi
- Veterinary Medicine
- Veterinary Research
Summary
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The research focuses on the development of effective serological tests to identify equine piroplasma infections in horses, especially infections caused by Babesia caballi and Babesia equi.
Background
- The increasing global horse trade and various import restrictions by many countries, including the already stringent import conditions of the USA, necessitate reliable detection methods of equine piroplasma infections.
- Piroplasma infections in horses, particularly those caused by Babesia caballi and Babesia equi, can be challenging to diagnose and differentiate.
- These infections are confirmed by identifying parasites in blood smears, a technique which can yield results between 2-13 days following an infection (post-infection or PI).
Methodology
- The research utilised an experimental infection model on 11 ponies with induced B. caballi and/or B. equi infections.
- The authors employed three serological diagnostic tests: Complement fixation test (CFT), Indirect immunofluorescence (IIF), and Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
- Researchers tested different antigen preparations to determine their suitability and efficacy for these tests.
Findings and Conclusions
- All three diagnostic tests (CFT, IIF, and ELISA) successfully identified antibodies associated with the parasites.
- The complement-fixing antibodies detected by the CFT test typically disappear after 2-3 months post-infection in B. caballi-infected horses.
- However, both IIF and ELISA tests provided positive results during the latent stage of the infection.
- To ensure a reliable diagnosis, the authors recommend the combined usage of CFT and IIF, as solely relying on CFT may result in false negatives in horses that carry the parasites but do not show symptoms.
- The serological differentiation between B. caballi and B. equi was possible during early infection through CFT and to a lesser extent, through IIF, but not by ELISA.
- Successful treatment of B. caballi infections with Berenil, a trypanocidal drug, could only be serologically confirmed using IIF.
Cite This Article
APA
Weiland G.
(1986).
Species-specific serodiagnosis of equine piroplasma infections by means of complement fixation test (CFT), immunofluorescence (IIF), and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
Vet Parasitol, 20(1-3), 43-48.
https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-4017(86)90091-9 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Antibodies / analysis
- Antigens, Protozoan / immunology
- Babesia / immunology
- Babesiosis / diagnosis
- Babesiosis / immunology
- Babesiosis / parasitology
- Complement Fixation Tests / veterinary
- Cross Reactions
- Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / veterinary
- Female
- Fluorescent Antibody Technique / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horse Diseases / immunology
- Horse Diseases / parasitology
- Horses
- Immunoglobulin G / immunology
- Male
- Species Specificity
Citations
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