A field evaluation of PCR for the routine detection of Babesia equi in horses.
We report on a study that evaluated the usefulness of PCR for the routine detection of Babesia equi in horses. The blood from a total of 105 horses comprising both sick and apparently healthy animals were examined for the presence of B. equi using both Wright-Giemsa-stained blood smears and PCR. Microscopic analysis of Giemsa-stained blood smears revealed 10/105 animals positive for Babesia, compared to 16/105 for the primary PCR and 36/105 for the nested PCR. Three of the 10 samples positive by Wright-Giemsa-stain were negative by PCR for B. equi. However, evidence is presented that these samples contained B. caballi and not B. equi. The Wright-Giemsa-stain was shown to identify Babesia in mostly clinically ill animals while the nested PCR detected the organism in a large number of apparently healthy animals. The results of this study suggest that the nested PCR is superior to both Wright-Giemsa-stained and primary PCR methods, and should be considered for the routine detection of B. equi in both healthy and clinically ill horses.
Rampersad
Joanne
J
School of Agriculture, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad, Trinidad and Tobago.
Cesar
Ernest
E
Campbell
Mervin D
MD
Samlal
Michael
M
Ammons
David
D
D000818:Animals; D001403:Babesia / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001404:Babesiosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D002353:Carrier State / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D006736:Horses; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000592:standards / Q000662:veterinary*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014300:Trinidad and Tobago / Q000453:epidemiology
D016054:DNA, Protozoan