Equine piroplasmosis in northern Algeria: Haematological and serological parameters


Published: Jul 10, 2022
Keywords:
Equine piroplasmosis cELISA Theileria equi Babesia caballi Haematological parameters Algeria
A Benfenatki
K Benfodil
K Miroud
S Zenia
D Khelef
K Ait-Oudhia
Abstract
Equine piroplasmosis is an acute, subacute or chronic tick-borne disease due to Babesia caballi and/or Theileria equi, affecting Equidae and causing economic losses to horse breeders and poor performances during tournaments. The objectives were fourfold: first to determine the seroprevalence of piroplasmosis in horses via cELISA, second to establish the haematological profile of piroplasmosis in horses of different Algerian areas through optical microscopy, third to identify the risk factors associated with the infection, and forth to try to elucidate any eventual correlation between piroplasmosis and anaemia. The study was carried out in different regions of northern Algeria. A total of 182 horses of both sexes were blood tested to estimate the prevalence of Theileria equi and Babesia caballi via competitive ELISA and to examine microscopically thin stained blood smears looking for haematological alterations using a standard cell counter. Parasites were detected in 42.9% of horses after microscopic examination of thin blood smears. The seroprevalence of equine piroplasmosis infection using competitive ELISA was 39% and 1,1% for Theileria equi and Babesia caballi respectively. Therefore, equine piroplasmosis is present in different regions of Algeria with a predominance of positivity in the central region (54,5%). Season (winter), region (central) and intended activity are the risk factors significantly associated with the prevalence of the disease. Anaemia was observed in 34,61% of individuals but there was no significant differences between positive and negative populations. Piroplasmosis is endemic in Algeria. Measures such as limiting horses’ mobility should be taken to reduce/prevent dissemination
Article Details
  • Section
  • Research Articles
Downloads
Download data is not yet available.
References
Al-Obaidi, Q. T., Arshad, M. M., Al-Sultan, I. I., Azlinda, A. . B., Mohd Azam, K. G. K. 2016. Comparison between microscopic examination and competitive ELISA for diagnosis of equine piroplasmosis in Kelantan, Malaysia. Mal J of Vet Res, 7(2), 23–29.
Alhassan, A., Pumidonming, W., Okamura, M., Hirata, H., Battsetseg, B., Fujisaki, K., Yokoyama, N., Igarashi, I., 2005. Development of a single-round and multiplex PCR method for the simultaneous detection of Babesia caballi and Babesia equi in horse blood. Vet. Parasitol. 129, 43–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2004.12.018
Aziz, K.J., Al-Barwary, L.T.O., 2019. Epidemiological study of equine piroplasmosis (Theileria equi and Babesia caballi) by microscopic examination and competitive-ELISA in Erbil Province North-Iraq. Iran. J. Parasitol. 14, 404–412. https://doi.org/10.18502/ijpa.v14i3.1479
Baptista, C., Lopes, M.S., Tavares, A.C., Rojer, H., Kappmeyer, L., Mendonça, D., Da Câmara Machado, A., 2013. Diagnosis of Theileria equi infections in horses in the Azores using cELISA and nested PCR. Ticks Tick. Borne. Dis. 4, 242–5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ttbdis.2012.11.008
Benchikh Elfegoun, M.C., Gharbi, M., Merzekani, Z., Kohil, K., 2018. Bovine piroplasmosis in the provinces of Skikda and Oum El Bouaghi (Northeastern Algeria): Epidemiological study and estimation of milk yield losses. Rev. d’Elev. Méd. Vét. des Pays Trop. https://doi.org/10.19182/remvt.31519
Benfenatki, A., Younes Bouacida, N.S., Ait Oudhia, K., Khelef, D., 2016. Prevalence of Theileria equi infection in Algiers urban area using cELISA and microscopic examination. Asian J. Anim. Vet. Adv. 11, 511–515. https://doi.org/10.3923/ajava.2016.511.515
Camacho, A.T., Guitian, F.J., Pallas, E., Gestal, J.J., Olmeda, A.S., Habela, M.A., Telford, S.R., Spielman, A., 2005. Theileria (Babesia) equi and Babesia caballi infections in horses in Galicia, Spain. Trop. Anim. Health Prod. 37, 293–302. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-005-5691-
Climates to travel [WWW Document], n.d. URL : https://www.climatestotravel.com/climate/algeria (accessed 4.1.20).
Farah, A.W., Hegazy, N.A., Romany, M.M., Soliman, Y.A., Daoud, A.M., 2003. Molecular detection of Babesia equi in infected and carrier horses by polymerase chain reaction. Egypt. J. Immunol. 10, 73–9.
Gaba, E., 2020. Wikipedia [WWW Document]. URL https://fr.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fichier:Algeria_location_map.svg (accessed 4.12.20).
García-Bocanegra, I., Arenas-Montes, A., Hernández, E., Adaszek, Ł., Carbonero, A., Almería, S., Jaén-Téllez, J.A., Gutiérrez-Palomino, P., Arenas, A., 2013. Seroprevalence and risk factors associated with Babesia caballi and Theileria equi infection in equids. Vet. J. 195, 172–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2012.06.012
Gray, J.S., Dautel, H., Estrada-Peña, A., Kahl, O., Lindgren, E., 2009. Effects of Climate Change on Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases in Europe. Interdiscip. Perspect. Infect. Dis. https://doi.org/10.1155/2009/593232
Hinchcliff, K.W., Kaneps, A.J., Geor, R.J., 2004. Equine Sports Medicine and Surgery, Equine Sports Medicine and Surgery. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-7020-2671-3.X5001-6
Kerario, I.I., Simuunza, M., Laisser, E.L.K., Chenyambuga, S., 2018. Exploring knowledge and management practices on ticks and tick-borne diseases among agro-pastoral communities in Southern Highlands, Tanzania. Vet. World. https://doi.org/10.14202/vetworld.2018.48-57
Knowles, D.P., Kappmeyer, L.S., Perryman, L.E., 1994. Specific immune responses are required to control parasitemia in Babesia equi infection. Infect. Immun. 62, 1909–13. https://doi.org/10.1128/iai.62.5.1909-1913.1994
Kraemer, D., 2018. Variation intra-journalière de l’activité des tiques Ixodes ricinus en fonction des données météorologiques. DVM thesis.
Le Metayer, A., 2007. Seroprevalence des piroplasmoses equines en france entre 1997 et 2005. Ecole nationale veterinaire d’alfort.
Maslin, J., Beugnet, F., Davoust, B., Klotz, F., 2004. Babésioses. EMC - Mal. Infect. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.emcmi.2004.07.003
Maurin, E., 2017. Guide pratique de médecine équine, MED’COM. ed.
Oduori, D.O., Onyango, S.C., Kimari, J.N., MacLeod, E.T., 2015. A field survey for the seroprevalence of Theileria equi and Babesia caballi in donkeys from Nuu Division, Kenya. Ticks Tick. Borne. Dis. 6, 683–688. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ttbdis.2015.05.015
OIE, 2018. Equine piroplasmosis, in: Terrestrial Manuel. pp. 1310–1319.
Onyiche, T.E., Suganuma, K., Igarashi, I., Yokoyama, N., Xuan, X., Thekisoe, O., 2019. A review on equine piroplasmosis: Epidemiology, vector ecology, risk factors, host immunity, diagnosis and control. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16101736
Ribeiro, I.B., Câmara, A.C.L., Bittencourt, M. V., Marçola, T.G., Paludo, G.R., Soto-Blanco, B., 2013. Detection of Theileria equi in spleen and blood of asymptomatic piroplasm carrier horses. Acta Parasitol. 58, 218–22. https://doi.org/10.2478/s11686-013-0127-9
Salib, F.A., Youssef, R.R., Rizk, L.G., Said, S.F., 2013. Epidemiology, diagnosis and therapy of Theileria equi infection in giza, egypt. Vet. World 6, 76–82. https://doi.org/10.5455/vetworld.2013.76-82
Schnittger, L., Rodriguez, A., Florin-Christensen, M., Morrison, D., 2012. Babesia: A world emerging. Infect. Genet. Evol. 12, 1788–809.
Sevinc, F., Maden, M., Kumas, C., Sevinc, M., Ekici, O.D., 2008. A comparative study on the prevalence of Theileria equi and Babesia caballi infections in horse sub-populations in Turkey. Vet. Parasitol. 156, 173–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2008.06.006
Silva, M.G., Graça, T., Suarez, C.E., Knowles, D.P., 2013. Repertoire of Theileria equi immunodominant antigens bound by equine antibody. Mol. Biochem. Parasitol. 182, 109–15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molbiopara.2013.03.002
Thrall, M.A., Baker, D.C., Campbell, terry W., DeNicola, D., Fettman, M.J., Duane Lassen, E., Rebar, A., Weiser, G., 2004. Vet Hemato and Clin Chemist.
Van der Kolk, J.H., Veldhuis Kroeze, E.J.B., 2013. Infectious Diseases of the Horse : Diagnosis, pathology, management, and public health.
Wang, M., Guo, W., Igarashi, I., Xuan, X., Wang, X., Xiang, W., Jia, H., 2014. Epidemiological investigation of equine piroplasmosis in China by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. J. Vet. Med. Sci. 76, 549–52. https://doi.org/10.1292/jvms.13-0477
Wilson, D., 2011. Clinical veterinary advisor: The horse, Clinical Veterinary Advisor: The Horse. https://doi.org/10.1016/C2009-0-38641-9
Ziam, H., Ababou, A., Kazadi, J.M., Harhoura, K.H., Aissi, M., Geysen, D., Berkvens, D., 2016. Prévalences et signes cliniques associés des piroplasmoses bovines dans les Wilayates d’Annaba et El Tarf, Algérie. Rev. Med. Vet. (Toulouse).
Zobba, R., Ardu, M., Niccolini, S., Chessa, B., Manna, L., Cocco, R., Pinna Parpaglia, M.L., 2008. Clinical and Laboratory Findings in Equine Piroplasmosis. J. Eq Vet. Sci. 28, 301–8.
Most read articles by the same author(s)