Laboratorio de Fisiología de Parásitos, CBB, IVIC, 1020A, Caracas, Venezuela.
Vet Parasitol. 2013 Sep 1;196(1-2):37-43. doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2013.02.004. Epub 2013 Mar 5.
The focus of this study was the detection of equine piroplasmosis in Distrito Capital, Miranda, Aragua, Guárico and Apure States from Venezuela, using two methods: Competitive-Inhibition ELISA and multiplex PCR and the analysis of the possible differences in occurrence in relation to the primary purpose of the horses, which is related to varied degrees of exposure to tick. Antibody levels to Babesia caballi and Theileria equi were assessed in 694 equine serum samples using Competitive-Inhibition ELISA, while PCR assays were performed in 136 horses, using two sets of oligonucleotides to establish the presence of T. equi, B. caballi or both. The overall seroprevalence of equine piroplasmosis was 50.2%, antibodies to B. caballi were found in 161 horses (23.2%), whereas 97 (14.0%) were seropositive to T. equi and 90 (13.0%) were positives to both parasites (mixed infections). PCR determinations (n=136) showed a prevalence of 66.2%, distributed in 84 (61.8% positives) for T. equi and, 6 (4.4%) were positive to both parasites. The cELISA showed higher levels of prevalence of B. caballi and mixed infections, as compared to the PCR method. This discrepancy can be explained by the different parameters that are evaluated by each technique, PCR detect the parasite itself, while cELISA detects antibodies to the parasite. By PCR, the highest prevalence was found in Apure state, where 92.3% of the samples were positive to T. equi infections. In this locality, free grazing animals are used for livestock management. This high prevalence may be linked to the tick species present in that area. More epidemiological studies will be necessary to assess the epidemiological status of equine piroplasmosis in Venezuela.
竞争抑制 ELISA 和多重 PCR，从委内瑞拉的 Distrito Capital、Miranda、Aragua、Guárico 和 Apure 州检测马媾疫锥虫病，分析与马的主要用途（与蜱的不同程度接触有关）相关的发生差异。使用竞争抑制 ELISA 评估 694 份马血清样本中抗巴贝斯虫 caballi 和泰勒虫 equi 的抗体水平，同时使用两套寡核苷酸对 136 匹马进行 PCR 检测，以确定 T. equi、B. caballi 或两者的存在。马媾疫锥虫病的总血清流行率为 50.2%，发现 161 匹马（23.2%）存在抗 B. caballi 抗体，97 匹马（14.0%）对 T. equi 呈血清阳性，90 匹马（13.0%）对两种寄生虫均呈阳性（混合感染）。PCR 测定（n=136）显示流行率为 66.2%，其中 84 份（61.8%阳性）为 T. equi 阳性，6 份（4.4%）为两种寄生虫阳性。cELISA 显示出比 PCR 方法更高的 B. caballi 和混合感染的流行率。这种差异可以用每种技术评估的不同参数来解释，PCR 检测寄生虫本身，而 cELISA 检测寄生虫的抗体。通过 PCR，在 Apure 州发现了最高的流行率，其中 92.3%的样本对 T. equi 感染呈阳性。在这个地方，自由放牧的动物用于畜牧业管理。这种高流行率可能与该地区存在的蜱种有关。需要进行更多的流行病学研究来评估委内瑞拉马媾疫锥虫病的流行病学状况。
