title: Investigation of seroprevalence of Theileria equi and Babesia caballi in horses in Nigde province, Turkey.
abstract: The prevalence of equine piroplasmosis caused by Theileria equi and Babesia caballi in Nigde, in central Anatolia, Turkey has remained unknown. Serum samples were obtained from a total of 125 horses and were tested for antibodies to T. equi and B. caballi using the Indirect Fluorescence Antibody Test (IFAT). Twenty-three (18.4%) horses were seropositive for equine piroplasmosis. Anti-T. equi was observed in 16 horses (12.8%) while anti-B. caballi was detected in 12 horses (9.6%). In addition, 5 serum samples were positive for both parasites. The prevalence rates of antibodies to T. equi and B. caballi for female and male horses were statistically indifferent (p = 0.19 and 0.90). The difference between the seropositivity rates to T. equi among age groups was statistically insignificant (p = 0.44) while the difference to B. caballi among age groups is statistically significant (p = 0.01). Seropositivity rates ranged from 2.9% to 25.7% for T. equi and 2.9% to 14.3% for B. caballi from the selected districts in Nigde. A statistically significant difference on seropositivity rates for the study sites was observed for only T.equi (p = 0.03). This study indicates that T. equi is higher than B. caballi in Nigde.
authors.affiliation: Nigde University, Bor Higher School for Business, 51700, Bor-Nigde, Turkey. bkaratepe@nigde.edu.tr
authors.forename: Bilge
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Karatepe
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karatepe
authors.forename: Ayşe
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cakmak
authors.forename: Zafer
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Karaer
authors.forename: Gül
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ergün
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D001403:Babesia / Q000276:immunology; D001404:Babesiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect / Q000662:veterinary; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006736:Horses; D008297:Male; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D016794:Theileria / Q000276:immunology; D013801:Theileriasis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan