Tissue (re)distribution of Trypanosoma equiperdum in venereal infected and blood transfused horses.
Abstract: Dourine, caused by Trypanosoma equiperdum, is a life-threatening venereal disease in equidae. So far, there is no clear evidence on how and when stallions become infectious, nor which tissues are affected by the parasite in diseased animals. Post-infection, after a transient, temporary phase of parasitaemia, the parasite disperses to different tissues in an unknown distribution pattern. This study describes the distribution of the parasite after infection by artificial insemination (AI) or blood transfusion. Mares (N = 4) were artificially inseminated with T. equiperdum spiked semen whereas stallions (N = 4) were infected by blood transfusion. The course of the disease was monitored by parasitological (Woo) and molecular (PCR) tests and clinical signs and haematological parameters were recorded. At 120 days post infection, horses had a full necropsy, histopathology and PCR. A similar pattern of parasitaemia, disease progression and tissue distribution were seen in all horses. Ejaculated semen in the preclinical stage and epididymal semen in the chronic stage of the disease was positive on PCR and caused infection in mice. Cymelarsan® treatment in the chronic stage did not result in a clinico-haematological or histopathological improvement. At necropsy, lesions were observed in the nervous and reproductive system. Histopathological lesions were most severe in the peripheral nerves and associated ganglia, the testicles and genital mucosae with multifocal infiltration of lymphocytes, plasma cells and histocytes. The parasites disseminated to several tissues including the nervous system, testicles and semen. The results indicate that transmission of T. equiperdum is possible through semen even from symptomless stallions post-treatment.
Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2019-03-27 PubMed ID: 30981311DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2019.03.007Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research paper discusses a study which investigated how the parasite Trypanosoma equiperdum, causing a deadly venereal disease in equidae, distributes in the body after infection through artificial insemination or blood transfusion, and uncovers that transmission can occur through semen, even from symptomless stallions after treatment.
Study Design
- The study consisted of artificially inseminating mares (total 4) using semen spiked with T. equiperdum. Whereas, stallions (total 4) were infected through blood transfusion.
- A close watch was kept on the disease course, tracked via parasitological (Woo) and molecular (PCR) tests. Clinical signs along with haematological parameters were duly recorded.
- A full body necropsy was conducted on the horses, 120 days after infection, combined with histopathology and PCR.
Findings
- The finding highlighted the similar pattern of parasitaemia, disease progression and tissue distribution observed in all horses regardless of their gender or method of infection.
- In the preclinical stage, semen ejaculated was tested positive on PCR and was infectious in mice. The same result was observed in the case of epididymal semen during the chronic stage of the disease.
- The administered treatment using Cymelarsan in the chronic stage did not show any discernible clinico-haematological or histopathological improvement in horses.
- Severe lesions were identifed during necropsy, particularly in the nervous system and reproductive system.
- Parasites dispersed to several tissues, including the nervous system, testicles and semen, as observed post-infection.
Conclusions
- This research indicates that the transmission of T. equiperdum is possible through semen, even from stallions that do not show symptoms after treatment.
Implications
- The results of the study provide crucial insights for preventive methods and treatment strategies for dourine, the venereal disease caused by Trypanosoma equiperdum.
Cite This Article
APA
Yasine A, Daba M, Ashenafi H, Geldhof P, Van Brantegem L, Vercauteren G, Demissie T, Bekana M, Tola A, Van Soom A, Duchateau L, Goddeeris B, Govaere J.
(2019).
Tissue (re)distribution of Trypanosoma equiperdum in venereal infected and blood transfused horses.
Vet Parasitol, 268, 87-97.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2019.03.007 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Wollo University, School of Veterinary Medicine, P.O Box 1145, Dessie, Ethiopia; Addis Ababa University, College of Veterinary Medicine, P. O Box 34, Bishoftu, Ethiopia; Ghent University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium. Electronic address: yasineahmed11@gmail.com.
- Alage Agricultural college, P.O Box 77, Ziway Alage, Ethiopia.
- Addis Ababa University, College of Veterinary Medicine, P. O Box 34, Bishoftu, Ethiopia.
- Ghent University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium.
- Ghent University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium.
- Vet-Path bvba, 9991, Adegem, Belgium.
- Addis Ababa University, College of Veterinary Medicine, P. O Box 34, Bishoftu, Ethiopia.
- Addis Ababa University, College of Veterinary Medicine, P. O Box 34, Bishoftu, Ethiopia.
- Addis Ababa University, College of Veterinary Medicine, P. O Box 34, Bishoftu, Ethiopia.
- Ghent University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium.
- Ghent University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium.
- Ghent University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium; Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, 3001, Heverlee, Belgium.
- Ghent University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Arsenicals / therapeutic use
- Blood Transfusion
- Dourine / parasitology
- Horse Diseases / drug therapy
- Horse Diseases / parasitology
- Horse Diseases / transmission
- Horses / parasitology
- Male
- Mice
- Parasitemia / drug therapy
- Parasitemia / veterinary
- Peripheral Nerves / parasitology
- Peripheral Nerves / pathology
- Polymerase Chain Reaction
- Reproductive Tract Infections / parasitology
- Reproductive Tract Infections / pathology
- Semen / parasitology
- Spine / parasitology
- Spine / pathology
- Trypanocidal Agents / therapeutic use
- Trypanosoma / genetics
Citations
This article has been cited 3 times.- Rimayanti R, Khairullah AR, Mustofa I, Utomo B, Lestari TD, Utama S, Akintunde AO, Mulyati S, Hernawati T, Dawood AQ, Riady G, Khan IU, Rasad SD, Moses IB. Hidden menace: Understanding the devastating consequences of dourine disease in horses. Open Vet J 2025 Sep;15(9):3931-3942.
- Mesafint E, Dejene H, Maru M, Tarekegn ZS. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the prevalence of parasitic infections in equids in Ethiopia. J Parasit Dis 2023 Sep;47(3):451-464.
- Yasine A, Ashenafi H, Geldhof P, Van Brantegem L, Vercauteren G, Bekana M, Tola A, Van Soom A, Duchateau L, Goddeeris B, Govaere J. Histopathological lesions in reproductive organs, distal spinal cord and peripheral nerves of horses naturally infected with Trypanosoma equiperdum. BMC Vet Res 2019 May 28;15(1):175.
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