THEILERIA EQUI INFECTION IN WORKING HORSES OF PAKISTAN: EPIDEMIOLOGY, MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION, AND HEMATOBIOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS

Ahmed Raza; Muhammad Ijaz; Khalid Mehmood; Arslan Ahmed; Muhammad Umar Javed; Farwa Anwaar; Hamza Rasheed; Nauman Zaheer Ghumman

doi:10.1645/23-58

THEILERIA EQUI INFECTION IN WORKING HORSES OF PAKISTAN: EPIDEMIOLOGY, MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION, AND HEMATOBIOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS

J Parasitol. 2024 Feb 1;110(1):79-89. doi: 10.1645/23-58.

Authors

Ahmed Raza¹, Muhammad Ijaz¹, Khalid Mehmood², Arslan Ahmed¹, Muhammad Umar Javed¹, Farwa Anwaar¹, Hamza Rasheed¹, Nauman Zaheer Ghumman¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Outfall Road, Lahore, Pakistan 54000.
² Department of Theriogenology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Outfall Road, Lahore, Pakistan 54000.

PMID: 38421025
DOI: 10.1645/23-58

Abstract

Theileria equi is 1 of the emerging and prevailing tick-borne hemoprotozoans adversely affecting the equids worldwide, including Pakistan. The current study aimed to investigate the prevalence and molecular characterization of T. equi in working horses (n = 194), the comparative efficacy of different diagnostic tests, associated risk factors, and hematobiochemical analysis. The blood samples of horses were subjected to microscopic examination, cELISA, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and the results revealed a prevalence of 9.79, 21.13, and 13.40%, respectively, for T. equi in working horses. The comparison of microscopy and cELISA results with PCR showed that cELISA had higher sensitivity (84.62%), but lower specificity (88.69%) and accuracy (88.14%) in comparison to microscopy (57.69, 97.62, and 92.27%). Molecular characterization of T. equi by phylogenetic analysis revealed a 61% resemblance of study isolates with each other OL662926, OL662925, and 82% similarity with isolate OL662924 while also showing homology with T. equi isolates of South Africa, South Korea, India, Pakistan, and Brazil. The risk factor analysis revealed a significant association (P < 0.05) of tick control status, previous tick history, tick infestation, house hygiene, deworming/vaccination, and the presence of other livestock species with T. equi infection in horses. The hematobiochemical profile revealed a significant (P < 0.05) decrease in red blood cells (RBCs), hemoglobin (Hb), packed cell volume (PCV), white blood cells (WBCs), platelet (PLT), phosphorus, and an increase in lymphocytes, granulocytes, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), glucose, bilirubin, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and creatinine in T. equi-infected horses. The current study is the first comprehensive report for comparative evaluation of microscopy, cELISA, and PCR, assessment of epidemiological risk factors as well as hematobiochemical variations due to T. equi infection in Pakistan.

Keywords: Theileria equi; Comparative evaluation; Hematobiochemical profile; Microscopy; PCR; cELISA.

MeSH terms

Animals
Babesia*
Babesiosis* / epidemiology
Cattle
Horse Diseases* / diagnosis
Horse Diseases* / epidemiology
Horses
Molecular Epidemiology
Pakistan / epidemiology
Phylogeny
Theileria*
Theileriasis* / diagnosis
Theileriasis* / epidemiology
Ticks*