Serological diagnosis of <i>Besnoitia bennetti</i> infection in donkeys (<i>Equus asinus</i>)

Ness, SallyAnne A L; Schares, Gereon; Peters‐Kennedy, Jeanine; Mittel, Linda D.; Bowman, Dwight D.; Mohammed, Hussni O.; Divers, Thomas J.

doi:10.1177/1040638714550180

Cited by 13 publications

(15 citation statements)

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“…Similarly, in a study of equine besnoitiosis caused by B. bennetti, Ness et al. () recently reported the presence of Western blot seronegative animals with clinical signs. Moreover, previous authors showed that endemic bovine besnoitiosis involves a high percentage of unapparent infections related to fluctuations in antibody levels, clinical recoveries and barely detectable mild clinical signs that may lead to false‐negative results (Bigalke, ; Liénard et al., ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 83%

Clinical and Serological Dynamics ofBesnoitia besnoitiInfection in Three Endemically Infected Beef Cattle Herds

Gutiérrez-Expósito

Ortega‐Mora

García-Lunar

et al. 2015

Transbound Emerg Dis

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The dynamics of bovine besnoitiosis were studied in an area where the disease is endemic. A four-year longitudinal study was conducted for the first time in three infected beef cattle herds located in the Urbasa-Andía Mountains (Navarra, Spain). Each herd was visited four to seven times, and clinical and serological prevalence rates and incidence rates were estimated. Clinical inspections to identify compatible clinical signs with the disease stages were conducted at the beginning and end of the study. Serological assessment was initially performed by ELISA. Seronegative animals with clinical signs and seropositive animals with relative index per cent (RIPC) values lower than 30 that did not increase during the study period were analysed by Western blot to optimize the sensitivity and specificity of the ELISA test. Clinical prevalence rates were slightly higher (62% on average) than the seroprevalence rates (50% on average), and tissue cysts located in the vestibulum vaginae and sclera were the most frequently detected clinical signs. The proportion of seropositive animals with clinical signs varied from 16.7% to 73.6% among the herds, and 17% of cattle with clinical signs proved to be seronegative by both serological tests. An average 22% serological incidence rate was also reported in addition to clinical incidence rates that varied from 12.5% to 16.7%. Additionally, parasitemia was investigated in the herd that showed the highest clinical and seroprevalence rates. Only one PCR positive blood sample was detected. Thus, the role that blood may play in parasite transmission needs to be further investigated. Infected herds maintained both high prevalence and incidence rates in the absence of control measures and a high number of parasite carriers. Finally, economic impact studies on reproductive and productive losses associated with besnoitiosis need to be performed to implement a cost-benefit control programme.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 83%

Clinical and Serological Dynamics ofBesnoitia besnoitiInfection in Three Endemically Infected Beef Cattle Herds

Gutiérrez-Expósito

Ortega‐Mora

García-Lunar

et al. 2015

Transbound Emerg Dis

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“…cysts in donkeys [ 18 ]; the presence of cysts in the buccal mucosa has been rarely described [ 28 ]. Visualizing cysts in two (nares and scleral) or more locations correctly identified 83% of infected donkeys [ 16 ]. Serology is less invasive than histological examination and is a better choice for detection of subclinical infection [ 16 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Serum from a cow chronically infected with B. besnoiti was used as a positive control, whereas serum samples from uninfected cattle and donkeys were used as negative controls. Serum was considered positive when at least four out of ten bands of specific tachyzoites antigens (45, 40, 37, 34, 30, 27, 22, 17, 16 and 15 kDa) were observed [ 5 , 16 ]. Figure 4 shows the results of the western blot.…”

Section: Case Presentationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Including B. besnoiti , ten species are described, infecting four and six species of large or small animals, respectively [ 2 ]. Among ungulates, Besnoitia bennetti infects horses, donkeys and zebras and was described prior to 1992 in Africa (Sudan and South Africa) [ 2 , 9 – 12 ] and in the USA [ 13 – 15 ] where donkey besnoitiosis is considered as an emerging disease [ 16 , 17 ]. The most striking clinical sign shared with cattle besnoitiosis is the development of multifocal pinpoint parasitic cysts in the skin, between the nares, on the internal and external pinnae, limbs and perineum and along the limbal margin of the sclera.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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First evidence of Besnoitia bennetti infection (Protozoa: Apicomplexa) in donkeys (Equus asinus) in Belgium

Liénard

Nabuco²,

Vandenabeele

et al. 2018

Parasites Vectors

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BackgroundBesnoitiosis is caused by different species of intracellular protozoan parasites belonging to the family Sarcocystidae and affecting multiple host species worldwide. Including B. besnoiti, ten species are described infecting animals. Among ungulates, Besnoitia bennetti infects horses, donkeys and zebras and was described in Africa and in the USA where donkey besnoitiosis is considered as an emerging disease.Case presentationA two-year-old male donkey was purchased in May 2016 in poor body condition (cachexia, alopetic areas and pruritus mainly on neck and head) by the present owner in Le Roeulx (Belgium) from a milk producing donkey farm in Frasnes-lez-Buissenal (Belgium). Shortly after its purchase and shearing, the donkey presented with crusts, hyperkeratosis (both flanks and neck) anorexia and cachexia. A treatment with phoxim was given with no improvement. A cutaneous biopsy of hyperkeratotic skin was performed in July. It showed a perivascular eosinophilic infiltrate with a large thick walled cyst located in the dermis containing numerous bradyzoites. This was highly suggestive of besnoitiosis. Several skin biopsy samples were obtained for qPCR analysis and confirmed the presence of Besnoitia spp. DNA. Further laboratory diagnosis tests were performed (western blot and rDNA sequencing) confirming Besnoitia bennetti aetiology for the male. For the female, the punch-biopsy, haematology and qPCR were negatives but the western blot showed the presence of antibodies directed to Besnoitia spp. Further clinical examination performed in August highlighted scleral pinhead sized cysts (pearl) in the right eye and between nares. Another ten-year-old female donkey purchased in France and sharing the same accommodation showed a good clinical condition, but a thorough clinical examination showed the presence of numerous cysts on the inner face of upper labial mucosa. A daily treatment based on sulfamethaxzole and trimethoprim (Emdotrim 60% Mix®, 30 mg/kg) was given orally and some improvement was noticed.ConclusionThis is the first evidence of Besnoitia bennetti infection (Protozoa: Apicomplexa) in donkeys (Equus asinus) in Belgium.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s13071-018-2993-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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“…were reported to affect both horses and donkeys. Besnoitiosis in equids, caused by Besnoitia bennetti, is considered an emerging disease of donkeys in the United States [1]. Besnoitia spp.…”

Section: Accepted Manuscriptmentioning

confidence: 99%

First detection of anti- Besnoitia spp. specific antibodies in horses and donkeys in Italy

Villa

Gazzonis

Álvarez‐García

et al. 2018

Parasitology International

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Among Apicomplexa protozoa infecting equids, Besnoitia spp., Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora spp. represent important issues from a sanitary and zootechnical viewpoint. However, only scarce epidemiological data are available on the spread of the infections in horses and donkeys in Europe. Therefore, a serosurvey was planned to estimate the prevalence of these Sarcocystidae species in Italian equids. Serum samples from 268 horses and 18 donkeys raised in Italy were collected and serologically analyzed to detect anti-Besnoitia spp., anti-T. gondii and anti-Neospora spp. antibodies: an approach based on an initial screening by in-house ELISA followed by a confirmatory WB was used. Two horses (0.7%) and four donkeys (22.2%), showed antibodies anti-Besnoitia spp. Ten horses (3.7%) resulted positive to T. gondii and one of these (0.4%) was seropositive also to Neospora spp. This is the first detection of anti-Besnoitia spp. specific antibodies in Italian horses and donkeys. The study confirmed the circulation of Besnoitia spp. among equids in Europe. Low prevalence of T. gondii and Neospora spp. in horses raised in Italy was reported. Nevertheless, it is noteworthy to consider that consumption of horse meat could represent a source for human toxoplasmosis.

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Serological diagnosis of Besnoitia bennetti infection in donkeys (Equus asinus)

Cited by 13 publications

References 14 publications

Clinical and Serological Dynamics ofBesnoitia besnoitiInfection in Three Endemically Infected Beef Cattle Herds

Clinical and Serological Dynamics ofBesnoitia besnoitiInfection in Three Endemically Infected Beef Cattle Herds

First evidence of Besnoitia bennetti infection (Protozoa: Apicomplexa) in donkeys (Equus asinus) in Belgium

First detection of anti- Besnoitia spp. specific antibodies in horses and donkeys in Italy

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