Detection of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi in Blood from Equines from Four Indigenous Communities in Costa Rica

A cross-sectional study was carried out in four indigenous communities of Costa Rica to detect presence and prevalence of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi and to investigate factors associated with presence of these hemoparasites. General condition of horses (n=285) was evaluated, and hematocrits...

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Main Authors: María Fernanda Posada-Guzmán, Gaby Dolz, Juan José Romero-Zúñiga, Ana Eugenia Jiménez-Rocha
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2015-01-01
Series:Veterinary Medicine International
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/236278
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author María Fernanda Posada-Guzmán
Gaby Dolz
Juan José Romero-Zúñiga
Ana Eugenia Jiménez-Rocha
author_facet María Fernanda Posada-Guzmán
Gaby Dolz
Juan José Romero-Zúñiga
Ana Eugenia Jiménez-Rocha
author_sort María Fernanda Posada-Guzmán
collection DOAJ
description A cross-sectional study was carried out in four indigenous communities of Costa Rica to detect presence and prevalence of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi and to investigate factors associated with presence of these hemoparasites. General condition of horses (n=285) was evaluated, and hematocrits and hemoglobin were determined from blood samples of 130 horses, which were also analyzed using blood smears, nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and immunosorbent assay (c-ELISA). The general condition of the horses (n=285) in terms of their body and coat was between regular and poor, and hematocrit and hemoglobin average values were low (19% and 10.65 g/dL, resp.). Erythrocyte inclusions were observed in 32 (24.6%) of the samples. Twenty-six samples (20.0%) gave positive results for B. caballi and 60 (46.2%) for T. equi; 10 horses (7.7%) showed mixed infection, when analyzed by PCR. Using c-ELISA, it was found that 90 (69.2%) horses had antibodies against B. caballi and 115 (88.5%) against T. equi, while 81 (62.3%) showed mixed reactions. There were no factors associated with the presence of B. caballi and T. equi. These results contrast with results previously obtained in equines in the Central Valley of Costa Rica.
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spelling doaj-art-9cc5a49a7b244d00b5c170ee761026f62025-08-20T03:38:14ZengWileyVeterinary Medicine International2090-81132042-00482015-01-01201510.1155/2015/236278236278Detection of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi in Blood from Equines from Four Indigenous Communities in Costa RicaMaría Fernanda Posada-Guzmán0Gaby Dolz1Juan José Romero-Zúñiga2Ana Eugenia Jiménez-Rocha3Maestría en Enfermedades Tropicales, Posgrado Regional en Ciencias Veterinarias Tropicales, Universidad Nacional, Campus Presbítero Benjamín Nuñez, P.O. Box 86, 3000 Heredia, Costa RicaMaestría en Enfermedades Tropicales, Posgrado Regional en Ciencias Veterinarias Tropicales, Universidad Nacional, Campus Presbítero Benjamín Nuñez, P.O. Box 86, 3000 Heredia, Costa RicaPrograma de Investigación en Medicina Poblacional, Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional, Campus Presbítero Benjamín Nuñez, P.O. Box 86, 3000 Heredia, Costa RicaLaboratorio de Parasitología, Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional, Campus Presbítero Benjamín Nuñez, P.O. Box 86, 3000 Heredia, Costa RicaA cross-sectional study was carried out in four indigenous communities of Costa Rica to detect presence and prevalence of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi and to investigate factors associated with presence of these hemoparasites. General condition of horses (n=285) was evaluated, and hematocrits and hemoglobin were determined from blood samples of 130 horses, which were also analyzed using blood smears, nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and immunosorbent assay (c-ELISA). The general condition of the horses (n=285) in terms of their body and coat was between regular and poor, and hematocrit and hemoglobin average values were low (19% and 10.65 g/dL, resp.). Erythrocyte inclusions were observed in 32 (24.6%) of the samples. Twenty-six samples (20.0%) gave positive results for B. caballi and 60 (46.2%) for T. equi; 10 horses (7.7%) showed mixed infection, when analyzed by PCR. Using c-ELISA, it was found that 90 (69.2%) horses had antibodies against B. caballi and 115 (88.5%) against T. equi, while 81 (62.3%) showed mixed reactions. There were no factors associated with the presence of B. caballi and T. equi. These results contrast with results previously obtained in equines in the Central Valley of Costa Rica.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/236278
spellingShingle María Fernanda Posada-Guzmán
Gaby Dolz
Juan José Romero-Zúñiga
Ana Eugenia Jiménez-Rocha
Detection of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi in Blood from Equines from Four Indigenous Communities in Costa Rica
Veterinary Medicine International
title Detection of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi in Blood from Equines from Four Indigenous Communities in Costa Rica
title_full Detection of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi in Blood from Equines from Four Indigenous Communities in Costa Rica
title_fullStr Detection of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi in Blood from Equines from Four Indigenous Communities in Costa Rica
title_full_unstemmed Detection of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi in Blood from Equines from Four Indigenous Communities in Costa Rica
title_short Detection of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi in Blood from Equines from Four Indigenous Communities in Costa Rica
title_sort detection of babesia caballi and theileria equi in blood from equines from four indigenous communities in costa rica
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/236278
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