title: Comparison of diagnostic methods to detect piroplasms in asymptomatic cattle.
abstract: This study was carried out to compare different diagnostic techniques to reveal the presence of piroplasms in asymptomatic cattle kept at pasture. Nineteen blood samples were collected from animals of two different areas of Emilia Romagna Region of Italy and processed for microscopic observation, PCR, serological test (IFAT) for Babesia bovis and Babesia bigemina antibodies and in vitro cultivation. The cultures were performed on both bovine and ovine erythrocytes. Seventeen blood smears (89%) were positive for piroplasms, while PCR was positive on 18 samples (95%). DNA sequencing of 18S rRNA identified the piroplasms as Theileria spp. In vitro cultures were successful for 6 samples (32%) cultured on bovine blood and subsequent identified these as Babesia major by PCR. On IFAT analyses of 16 samples, 36.8% resulted positive for B. bovis and 31.6% positive for B. bigemina. These results show, in the same animals, the co-infection with Babesia spp. and Theileria spp.; the detection of B. major was possible only using the in vitro cultures.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica Veterinaria e Patologia Animale, Università degli Studi di Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra, 50, 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia (BO), Italy. roberta.galuppi@unibo.it
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Galuppi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bonoli
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aureli
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cassini
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marcer
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Foley
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Tampieri
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D058345:Asymptomatic Infections; D001403:Babesia / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001404:Babesiosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D060085:Coinfection / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique / Q000662:veterinary; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008853:Microscopy / Q000662:veterinary; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010274:Parasitology / Q000379:methods; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D015995:Prevalence; D016053:RNA, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000032:analysis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012756:Sheep; D016794:Theileria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013801:Theileriasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D016053:RNA, Protozoan; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S