Tick-borne pathogens in carthorses from Foz do Iguaçu City, Paraná State, southern Brazil: A tri-border area of Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina.
Abstract: Tick-borne diseases (TBD) constitute an important group of illness affecting animals and humans worldwide. In Brazil, carthorses are frequently exposed to ticks and tick-borne pathogens, leading to impairment of horse performance and imposing restrictions by the international veterinary authorities for the importation of horses. Accordingly, this study has aimed to i) determine the prevalence of the TBD agents Theileria equi, Babesia caballi, Ehrlichia spp., and hemotropic mycoplasmas in carthorses, ii) identify the tick species parasitizing the animals, and iii) determine factors associated with exposure/infection in Foz do Iguaçu City, Parana state, southern Brazil. A total of 103 carthorses were screened for anti-T. equi and anti-Ehrlichia spp. antibodies by indirect fluorescent antibody assays (IFA). Samples were also tested by PCR assays targeting the 18S rRNA gene of T. equi and B. caballi, and 16S rRNA gene of hemoplasmas. Additionally, PCR assays targeting the 16S rRNA, disulfide bond formation protein (dsb) and tandem repeat proteins 36 (trp36) genes of Ehrlichia spp. were also performed. Antibodies to T. equi and Ehrlichia spp. were detected in 43/103 (41.75%; 95% CI: 32.10-51.88%) and 5/103 (4.85%; 95% CI: 1.59-10.97%) horses by IFA, respectively. DNA of T. equi and B. caballi were found in 25/103 (24.27%; 95% CI: 16.36-33.71%) and 10/103 (9.71%; 95% CI: 4.75-17.13%) carthorses, respectively, and all tested negative for Ehrlichia spp. and hemoplasmas. All sequences showed ≥99% identity with multiple T. equi and B. caballi 18S rRNA gene sequences deposited in GenBank. Overall, 191 Dermacentor nitens ticks were collected from 25/103 (24.27%) animals. Carthorses older than 5 years were more likely to be positive for T. equi (p < 0.05). In conclusion, equine piroplasmosis agents are highly prevalent in carthorses from Foz do Iguaçu City. The low prevalence of Ehrlichia spp. found may be due to the absence of Amblyomma ticks infesting animals, which should be further investigated.
Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2019-08-18 PubMed ID: 31446256DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2019.08.008Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research article focuses on the prevalence of tick-borne diseases (TBD) in carthorses in Foz do Iguaçu City, Paraná State, southern Brazil. The study also identifies the tick species parasitizing the animals and determines factors associated with exposure or infection.
Objective and Methodology
- The primary aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of Theileria equi, Babesia caballi, Ehrlichia spp., and hemotropic mycoplasmas in carthorses.
- Further, it also strives to identify various tick species that parasitize these horses.
- The third objective is to find out the different factors associated with the exposure or infection.
- The researchers screened a total of 103 carthorses for anti- T. equi and anti-Ehrlichia spp. antibodies using indirect fluorescent antibody assays (IFA).
- At the same time, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests targeting the 18S rRNA gene of T. equi and B. caballi, and 16S rRNA gene of hemoplasmas were also performed.
- In addition, another set of PCR tests targeting the 16S rRNA, disulfide bond formation protein (dsb), and tandem repeat proteins 36 (trp36) genes of Ehrlichia spp. were also carried out.
Results
- The study found that antibodies to T. equi and Ehrlichia spp. were detected in 43/103 (41.75%) and 5/103 (4.85%) horses by IFA, respectively.
- DNA of T. equi and B. caballi were discovered in 25/103 (24.27%) and 10/103 (9.71%) carthorses.
- All tested negative for Ehrlichia spp. and hemoplasmas.
- All sequences showed ≥99% identity with numerous T. equi and B. caballi 18S rRNA gene sequences in the GenBank.
- Of the total sample, 191 Dermacentor nitens ticks were found on 25/103 (24.27 %) animals.
- Carthorses older than five years had a higher likelihood of being positive for T. equi.
Conclusion
- The findings conclude that equine piroplasmosis agents are significantly prevalent in the carthorses from Foz do Iguaçu City.
- The low prevalence of Ehrlichia spp. found could be attributed to the absence of the Amblyomma ticks infesting the animals, which warrants further investigation.
Cite This Article
APA
Valente JDM, Mongruel ACB, Machado CAL, Chiyo L, Leandro AS, Britto AS, Martins TF, Barros-Filho IR, Biondo AW, Perotta JH, Campos ANS, Vidotto O, Labruna MB, Aguiar DM, Vieira TSWJ, Vieira RFC.
(2019).
Tick-borne pathogens in carthorses from Foz do Iguaçu City, Paraná State, southern Brazil: A tri-border area of Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina.
Vet Parasitol, 273, 71-79.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2019.08.008 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Paraná - UFPR, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Paraná - UFPR, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Paraná - UFPR, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.
- Unidade de Vigilância em Zoonoses, Secretaria Municipal de Saúde, Foz do Iguaçu, Paraná, Brazil.
- Unidade de Vigilância em Zoonoses, Secretaria Municipal de Saúde, Foz do Iguaçu, Paraná, Brazil.
- Unidade de Vigilância em Zoonoses, Secretaria Municipal de Saúde, Foz do Iguaçu, Paraná, Brazil.
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Paraná - UFPR, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Paraná - UFPR, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Paraná - UFPR, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.
- Laboratório de Virologia e Rickettsioses, Universidade Federal do Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil.
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil.
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
- Laboratório de Virologia e Rickettsioses, Universidade Federal do Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil.
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Paraná - UFPR, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Paraná - UFPR, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil; Global One Health initiative (GOHi), The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA. Electronic address: rvieira@ufpr.br.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Brazil
- Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect
- Horse Diseases / microbiology
- Horse Diseases / parasitology
- Horses
- RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / genetics
- RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / genetics
- Theileria / genetics
- Tick Infestations / microbiology
- Tick Infestations / parasitology
- Tick Infestations / veterinary
- Tick-Borne Diseases / microbiology
- Tick-Borne Diseases / parasitology
- Ticks / microbiology
- Ticks / parasitology
Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- Elsawy BSM, Nassar AM, Alzan HF, Bhoora RV, Ozubek S, Mahmoud MS, Kandil OM, Mahdy OA. Rapid Detection of Equine Piroplasms Using Multiplex PCR and First Genetic Characterization of Theileria haneyi in Egypt.. Pathogens 2021 Oct 31;10(11).
- Torres R, Hurtado C, Pérez-Macchi S, Bittencourt P, Freschi C, de Mello VVC, Machado RZ, André MR, Müller A. Occurrence and Genetic Diversity of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi in Chilean Thoroughbred Racing Horses.. Pathogens 2021 Jun 7;10(6).
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