title: Seroprevalence and risk factors associated with Babesia caballi and Theileria equi infections in donkeys from Southern Italy.
abstract: Equine piroplasmosis (EP) has been frequently described in donkeys in subtropical and tropical regions, but published data reflecting large scale surveys are very limited in Europe. The seroprevalence of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi was determined in a donkey population from Campania Region in Southern Italy using a commercial indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT), and the risk factors associated with the occurrence of the infection were assessed. Of 203 samples, the overall seroprevalence for EP was 57.1% (116/203), with 35.5% (72/203) for B. caballi and 44.3% (90/203) for T. equi. Co-infection was detected in 46 donkeys (22.6%). The distribution of IFAT antibody titres to B. caballi was: 1:80 (n= 67), 1:160 (n= 2), 1:320 (n= 3); while the distribution of IFAT antibody titres to T. equi was: 1:80 (n= 25), 1:160 (n= 42), 1:320 (n= 12), 1:640 (n= 8), 1:1280 (n= 3). All examined donkeys were asymptomatic, except one adult male (with a titre of 1:640 against T. equi) that showed clinical signs corresponding to the acute stage of EP, reported for the first time in Italy. The unique risk factor associated with a higher B. caballi seroprevalence was the presence of horses in the farms, while risk factors associated with a higher T. equi seroprevalence were poor body condition, presence of ruminants in the farms and milk production. The results indicate a high level of exposure in donkeys living in Southern Italy and suggest that donkeys may be an important reservoir of EP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples Federico II, Italy.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Piantedosi
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Portici, NA, Italy.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: D'Alessio
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Science, University of Magna Græcia, Catanzaro, Italy. Electronic address: adiloria@unicz.it.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Loria
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Portici, NA, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Di Prisco
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, Portici, NA, Italy.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Mariani
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples Federico II, Italy.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Neola
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Santoro
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples Federico II, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Montagnaro
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro, PD, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Capelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples Federico II, Italy.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Veneziano
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood; D001403:Babesia / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001404:Babesiosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D060085:Coinfection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D018397:Equidae; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect / Q000662:veterinary; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D016794:Theileria / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013801:Theileriasis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan
keywords: Babesia caballi; Donkey; Piroplasms; Theileria equi; Tick-borne disease