Rapid Detection of Equine Piroplasms Using Multiplex PCR and First Genetic Characterization of in Egypt

Overview

Journal Pathogens

Date 2021 Nov 27

PMID 34832570

Citations 8

Authors

Bassma S M Elsawy

Ahmed M Nassar

Heba F Alzan

Raksha V Bhoora

Sezayi Ozubek

Mona S Mahmoud

Omnia M Kandil

Olfat A Mahdy

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Equine Piroplasmosis (EP) is an infectious disease caused by the hemoprotozoan parasites , , and the recently identified species . Hereby, we used a multiplex PCR (mPCR) targeting the 18S rRNA gene of and for the simultaneous detection of EP in Egyptian equids and examined the presence of infections in Egypt. Blood samples from 155 equids (79 horses and 76 donkeys) collected from different governorates of Egypt were examined by mPCR and PCR targeting . The mPCR method revealed a prevalence of of 20.3% in horses and of 13.1% in donkeys and a prevalence of . of 1.2% in horses. . was not detected in donkeys in the current study. The mPCR method also detected coinfections with both species (2.5% and 1.3% in horses and donkeys, respectively). Additionally, we report the presence of in Egypt for the first time in 53.1% of the horse and 38.1% of the donkey tested samples. Coinfection with and was found in 13.5% of the samples, while infection with the three EP species was found in 1.9% of the samples.

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