title: Seroepidemiologic studies on Babesia caballi and Babesia equi infections in Japan.
abstract: Antibodies to Babesia caballi and Babesia equi were examined on a total of 2,019 horse serum samples that had been collected in 1971-1973 by the National Institute of Animal Health by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using recombinant proteins and by Western-blot analysis. Based on the criterion for positivity by ELISA, 5.4% (109/2,019) and 2.2% (44/2,019) had antibodies against B. caballi and B. equi, respectively. The ELISA-positive sera were further examined by Western blot; 30/109 for B. caballi and 2/ 44 for B. equi were positive for native B. caballi or B. equi, but none of them was seropositive for both infections. Based on the results of this study, further investigations should be required to survey horses that have arrived in Japan relatively recently and tick vectors of equine Babesia using ELISA with some recombinant protein, a parasite detection method in an in vitro culture of equine Babesia, and PCR testing.
authors.affiliation: National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiromi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ikadai
authors.forename: Akiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nagai
authors.forename: Xuenan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xuan
authors.forename: Ikuo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Igarashi
authors.forename: Kamio
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsugihiko
authors.forename: Naotoshi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tsuji
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Oyamada
authors.forename: Naoyoshi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Kozo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujisaki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D001403:Babesia / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001404:Babesiosis / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000662:veterinary; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D006736:Horses; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan