Epidemiological investigation of equine piroplasmosis in China by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays

J Vet Med Sci. 2014 Apr;76(4):549-52. doi: 10.1292/jvms.13-0477. Epub 2013 Nov 29.

Abstract

The objective of this study is to investigate the seroprevalence of equine piroplasmosis in China. A total of 1990 sera were collected from clinically healthy horses in various districts located in ten different provinces of China and examined by using indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) with recombinant Theileria equi (T. equi) merozoite antigen 2 (rEMA-2) and Babesia caballi (B. caballi) 48-kDa rhoptry protein (rBc48), respectively. The results showed that 1,018 (51.16%) and 229 (11.51%) samples were positive for B. caballi and T. equi infection, respectively. The number of samples with mixed infection was 152 (7.64%). These results indicated that equine piroplasmosis was widespread in China.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigens, Protozoan / genetics
  • Antigens, Protozoan / immunology
  • Babesia / genetics
  • Babesia / immunology
  • Babesiosis / epidemiology*
  • China / epidemiology
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / veterinary
  • Horse Diseases / epidemiology*
  • Horse Diseases / parasitology*
  • Horses
  • Seroepidemiologic Studies
  • Theileria / genetics
  • Theileria / immunology

Substances

  • Antigens, Protozoan