Genetic Characterization of Piroplasms in Donkeys and Horses from Nigeria

Abstract

Equine piroplasmosis (EP) is a tick-borne disease of equids, caused by the two haemoprotozoal parasites: Theileria equi and Babesia caballi. Nigeria constitutes a major crossroads of animal transport in West Africa and may serve as a factor in EP dissemination in the region. The study aim was to characterize EP parasites in donkeys and horses in northern Nigeria using a molecular approach. Blood was collected from 57 donkeys and 47 horses. EP infection was detected and characterized by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Twenty five donkeys (43.8%) were infected with T. equi, five (8.8%) with B. caballi, three (5.3%) with dual infections. Four horses (8.5%) were infected by T. equi and none by B. caballi. Four of the five known T. equi 18S rRNA genotypes (A, B, C and D) were identified. Theileria equi ema-1 and ema-2 genes were amplified in only 2 and 10 samples, respectively, showing no genetic variation. All B. caballi isolates were classified as rap-1 genotype A1. Twenty-two (42.3%) of the donkeys were positive for anti-T. equi antibodies and 29 (55.8%) were positive for anti-B. caballi antibodies, using immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT). The study results demonstrate high genetic variation within T. equi parasites, suggesting that donkeys may be reservoirs of EP parasites in West Africa.

Survey of tick-borne pathogens in grazing horses in Kyrgyzstan: phylogenetic analysis, genetic diversity, and prevalence of Theileria equi

“…Molecular diagnostic techniques, especially PCR, stand out with their superiority in both specificity and sensitivity in the diagnosis of EP. In recent years, these methods have been widely used in epidemiological studies (46)(47)(48)(49)(50). Although the presence of different TBPs in cattle, sheep, and dogs (HM species, B. vogeli, B. vulpes, A. centrale, A. capra, A. phagocytophilum-like 1, A. ovis, B. major, T. annulata, and T. orientalis) has been previously reported in Kyrgyzstan (14,15,(31)(32)(33)(34)(35)(36), this study is the first molecular study investigating TBPs in horses in the country.…”

Molecular and Serological Detection of Piroplasms in Horses from Nigeria

“…Recently, a Theileria species 18S rDNA variant was elevated as a distinct species [2]. Recent investigations using phylogenetic analysis of rDNA showed Theileria piroplasm variants from horses in Nigeria, including T. haneyi [21,41].…”

Tick-Borne Diseases of Humans and Animals in West Africa

“…In West Africa, antibodies against T equi have been detected in horses and donkeys from Nigeria [180,181]. Theileria equi DNA has been detected in horses, donkeys, and asymptomatic dogs from Nigeria [38,51,[182][183][184], and in horses from Ghana [185] and Senegal [186]. In ticks, T. equi DNA was detected in Rh.…”

“…Babesia caballi is also an agent of equine piroplasmosis (see theileriosis above) which occurs in most countries of the world where the competent Dermacentor, Rhipicephalus, and Hyalomma vectors are found [207]. The DNA of B. caballi has been detected in horses from Senegal [186] and Nigeria [183,184] and in Am. variegatum and Rh.…”