Seroprevalence of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi in the Swiss horse population |
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| Authors: | Liv Sigg Vincent Gerber Bruno Gottstein Marcus G. Doherr Caroline F. Frey |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Equine Clinic, Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Berne, Switzerland;2. Institute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Berne, Departement Paraclinics, Länggass-Strasse 122, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland;3. Veterinary Public Health Institute, Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Berne, Switzerland;1. Labor am Zugersee, 6331 Hünenberg, Switzerland;2. IDEXX-Diavet AG, 8806 Bäch, Switzerland;3. Institute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Berne, Switzerland;4. Instituto de Investigatión en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ciudad Real, Spain;5. Institute of Veterinary Bacteriology, Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Berne, Switzerland;1. Department of Pathological Morphology and Parasitology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Palackého 1, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic;2. Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Calea M?n??tur 3-5, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania;3. Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brani?ovská 31, 37005 ?eské Budějovice, Czech Republic;5. Institute of Vertebrate Biology Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Květná 8, 603 65 Brno, Czech Republic;6. Liberec Zoo, Masarykova, 1347/31, 460 01 Liberec, Czech Republic;1. College of Veterinary Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 702-701, Republic of Korea;2. Korea National College of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hwaseong, Gyeonggi 445-760, Republic of Korea;3. Gyeongbuk Livestock Research Institute, Youngju, Gyeongbuk 750-871, Republic of Korea;1. The Donkey Sanctuary Kenya, P.O. Box 24203-00502, Nairobi, Kenya;2. Analabs Limited, P.O. Box 162-00625, Kangemi, Kenya;3. The University of Edinburgh, Division of Infection and Pathway Medicine, College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine Chancellor''s Building, 49 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, United Kingdom;1. National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, Ministry of Health, WHO Collaborating Center for Tropical Diseases, Shanghai 200025, China;2. Clinical Laboratory, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland;3. Center for Clinical Studies, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 260, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland;1. University of Turin, Dept. of Veterinary Sciences, Largo Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco, To, Italy;2. University of Turin, Dept. of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, Largo Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco, To, Italy |
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| Abstract: | In Switzerland, the prevalence and incidence of equine piroplasma parasite (EPP) infections are unknown. In order to obtain a first insight into the prevalence, a representative sample of 689 sera of horses from Switzerland was serologically tested for the presence of antibodies directed against T. equi and B. caballi using the Indirect Fluorescence Antibody Test (IFAT). A total of 50 (7.3%) horses were seropositive for EPP: overall, the seroprevalence of T. equi was significantly higher than that of B. caballi (p = 0.002). The seropositivities in indigenous horses (animals bred and raised in Switzerland) and in imported horses were 4.8% (11/230) and 8.5% (39/459), respectively. Unlike in indigenous horses, where no significant difference in seroprevalences could be observed between the two parasite species, the seroprevalence of T. equi was significantly higher (p < 0.001) than that of B. caballi in imported horses. Horses imported from France, Spain and Portugal exhibited a significantly higher seroprevalence, and horses imported from Germany a significantly lower seroprevalence of EPP compared to indigenous horses. There were no associations between sex, age, weight loss, surgery or blood transfusions with T. equi and B. caballi seroprevalences.The overall seroprevalence of 7.3% clearly shows that infection with EPP is a threat to the health of the horses in Switzerland. With the presumed expansion of permissive tick vectors, EPP infections will potentially increase in importance in the future. Therefore, continuous monitoring is mandatory. |
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