Bursa Karacabey Harası’ndaki Atlarda Theileria equi ve Babesia caballi’nin Moleküler Prevalansı

Öz

Atlarda Theileria equi (T. equi) ve Babesia caballi'nin (B. caballi) neden olduğu at piroplazmozisi (EP) önemli sağlık sorunlarına ve ekonomik kayıplara neden olmaktadır. Epidemiyolojik açıdan önemli olmasına rağmen, Türkiye'de atlarda EP prevalansı hakkında sınırlı bilgi bulunmaktadır. Bu çalışmada harada daimî olarak bulunan ve aşım sezonunda çiftleştirilmek amacı ile Türkiye Jokey Kulübü Karacabey Pansiyon Harası’na getirilen 1518 at dâhil edildi. Atlardan alınan kan örneklerinde, T. equi ve B. caballi’yi tespit etmek amacı ile real-time PCR analizi gerçekleştirildi. Çalışmada, T. equi ve B. caballi etkenlerinin prevalansı %0.59 (9/1518) olarak belirlendi. Çalışmaya dahil edilen atların %0.39’unun sadece T. equi (n= 6), %0.07’sinin ise sadece B. caballi (n= 1) yönünden pozitif olduğu tespit edildi. Ayrıca bu atların %0.13’ü hem T. equi hem de B. caballi (n= 2) yönünden pozitif olduğu belirlendi. Çalışmamızda T. equi’nin moleküler prevalansı %0.53 (8/1518), B. caballi’nin ise %0.19 (3/1518) olarak belirlendi. Ayrıca çalışmada tespit edilen tüm enfekte atlar kısraktı. Çalışmada tespit edilen T. equi ve B. caballi etkenlerine ait moleküler prevalans değerlerinin daha önce Türkiye’de belirlenen moleküler prevalans değerlerinden oldukça düşüktü. Bu çalışmada, Bursa Karacabey Harası’ndaki at popülasyonunda T. equi ve B. caballi etkenlerine ait güncel moleküler prevalans değerleri ortaya konuldu.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Babesia caballi
• Theileria equi
• Moleküler prevalans

Molecular Prevalence of Theileria equi and Babesia caballi in Horses at the Bursa Karacabey Stud Farm

Öz

Equine piroplasmosis (EP) caused by Theileria equi (T. equi) and Babesia caballi (B. caballi) in horses leads to significant health problems and economic losses. Despite its epidemiological significance, there is limited information available on the prevalence of EP in horses in Turkiye. This study included 1,518 horses that were permanently kept at the stud farm and brought to the Turkiye Jockey Club Bursa Karacabey Pension Stud Farm during the breeding season for mating purposes. Blood samples collected from these horses were analyzed by real-time PCR to detect T. equi and B. caballi. The prevalence of T. equi and B. caballi was determined as 0.59% (9/1518). Findings indicate that 0.39% of the horses included in the study tested positive only for T. equi (n= 6), while 0.07% were positive only for B. caballi (n= 1). Furthermore, 0.13% of these horses tested positive for both T. equi and B. caballi (n= 2). The molecular prevalence of T. equi and B. caballi was 0.53% (8/1518) and 0.19% (3/1518), respectively. All infected horses identified in this study were mares. The molecular prevalence values of T. equi and B. caballi identified in this study were significantly lower than those previously reported in Turkiye. This study revealed the current molecular prevalence of T. equi and B. caballi in the horse population at Bursa Karacabey Stud Farm.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Babesia caballi
• Theileria equi
• molecular prevalence
• Horse

Kaynakça

1. Acici M, Umur S, Guvenc T, Arslan HH, Kurt M. Seroprevalence of equine babesiosis in the Black Sea region of Turkey. Parasitol Intl 2008; 57(2): 198-200.
2. Akkoyun Z, Oguz B. Seroprevalance of Theileria equi and Babesia caballi in horses of Mus provice, Turkey. Alex J Vet Sci 2019; 60(1): 22-9.
3. Altay K, Erol U, Sahin OF, Ulucesme MC, Aytmirzakizi A, Aktas M. Survey of tick-borne pathogens in grazing horses in Kyrgyzstan: phylogenetic analysis, genetic diversity, and prevalence of Theileria equi. Front Vet Sci 2024; 11: 1359974.
4. Axt CW, Springer A, Strube C, Jung C, Naucke TJ, Müller E, Schäfer I. Molecular and serological detection of vector-borne pathogens responsible for equine piroplasmosis in Europe between 2008 and 2021. Microorganisms 2024; 12(4): 816.
5. Bahrami Si Ghadrdan AR, Mirabdollahi SM, Fayed MR. Diagnosis of subclinical equine theileriosis in center of Iran using parasitological and molecular methods. Trop Biomed 2014; 31(1): 110-7.
6. Bartolomé Del Pino LE, Nardini R, Veneziano V, Iacoponi F, Cersini A, Autorino GL, Buono F, Scicluna M. Babesia caballi and Theileria equi infections in horses in Central-Southern Italy: Sero-molecular survey and associated risk factors. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2016; 7(3): 462-9.
7. Camino E, Buendia, A, Dorrego A, Pozo P, de Juan L, Dominguez L, Cruz-Lopez F. Sero-molecular survey and risk factors of equine piroplasmosis in horses in Spain. Equine Vet J 2021; 53(4): 771–9.
8. Duaso J, Perez-Ecija A, Navarro A, Martínez E, De Las Heras A, Mendoza FJ. True prevalence and seroprevalence of piroplasmosis in horses in Southwestern Europe. Animals 2025a; 15(14): 2047.

9. Duaso J, Perez-Ecija A, Martínez E, Navarro A, De Las Heras A, Mendoza FJ. Assessment of common hematologic parameters and novel hematologic ratios for predicting piroplasmosis infection in horses. Animals 2025b; 15(10): 1485.
10. Erol U, Pekkaya S, Babür C, Beyhan YE, Kuzugüden F, Balkaya I, Demir P, Ütük AE. Investigation of Theileria equi, Babesia caballi, Neospora spp. and Toxoplasma gondii by serological methods in horse breed for touristic purpose in Nevşehir province. Kocatepe Vet J 2022; 15(2): 161-6.
11. Facile V, Magliocca M, Dini FM, Imposimato I, Mariella J, Freccero F, Urbani L, Rinnovati R, Sel E, Gallina L, Castagnetti C, Galuppi R, Battilani M, Balboni, A Molecular diagnosis and identification of equine piroplasms: Challenges and insights from a study in northern Italy. Animals 2025; 15(3): 437.
12. Grandi G, Molinari G, Tittarelli M, Sassera D, Kramer LH. Prevalence of Theileria equi and Babesia caballi infection in horses from northern Italy. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2011; 11(7): 955-6.
13. Guidi E, Pradier S, Lebert I, Leblond A. Piroplasmosis in an endemic area: Analysis of the risk factors and their implications in the control of Theileriosis and Babesiosis in horses. Parasitol Res 2015; 114(1): 71-83.
14. Guven E, Avcioglu H, Deniz A, Balkaya İ, Abay U, Yavuz Ş, Akyüz M. Prevalence and molecular characterization of Theileria equi and Babesia caballi in jereed horses in Erzurum, Turkey. Acta Parasitol 2017; 62(1): 207-13.
15. Hacilarlioglu S, Bilgic HB, Karagenc T, Aydin HB, Toker H, Kanlioglu H, Pekagirbas M, Bakirci S. Molecular detection and prevalence of equine piroplasmosis and other blood parasites in equids of Western Aegean Türkiye. Vet Sci 2025; 12(9): 826.
16. Jaffer O, Abdishakur F, Hakimuddin F. Riya A, Wernery U, Schuster RK. A comparative study of serological tests and PCR for the diagnosis of equine piroplasmosis. Parasitol Res 2010; 106(3): 709-13.
17. Karatepe B, Karatepe M, Çakmak A, Karaer Z, Ergün G. Investigation of seroprevalence of Theileria equi and Babesia caballi in horses in Nigde province, Turkey. Trop Anim Health Prod 2009; 41(1): 109-13.
18. Kizilarslan F, Yildirim A, Duzlu O, Inci A, Onder Z, Ciloglu A. Molecular detection and characterization of Theileria equi and Babesia caballi in horses (Equus ferus caballus) in Turkey. J Equine Vet Sci 2015; 35(10): 830-5.
19. Kouam MK, Kantzoura V, Gajadhar AA, Theis JH, Papadopoulos E, Theodoropoulos G. Seroprevalence of equine piroplasms and host-related factors associated with infection in Greece. Vet Parasitol 2010; 169(3-4): 273-8.
20. Mendoza FJ, Pérez-Écija A, Kappmeyer LS, Suarez CE and Bastos RG. (2024) New insights in the diagnosis and treatment of equine piroplasmosis: pitfalls, idiosyncrasies, and myths. Front Vet Sci 2024; 11: 1459989.
21. Mohammad-Naseri A, Shokrani H, Rahmani-Shahraki A. Equine piroplasmosis in asymptomatic horses of Western Iran: Comparison of microscopic examination and multiplex PCR. Acta Parasitol 2024; 69(1): 813-8.
22. Moretti A, Mangili V, Salvatori R, Maresca C, Scoccia E, Torina A, Moretta I, Gabrielli S, Tampieri MP, Pietrobelli M. Prevalence and diagnosis of Babesia and Theileria infections in horses in Italy: A preliminary study. Vet J 2010; 184(3): 346-50.
23. Nadal C, Chanet C, Delaunay C, Pitel PH, Marsot M, Bonnet SI. Risk factors for tick infestation and equine piroplasmosis infection among draught horses in France. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2025; 16(3): 102468.
24. Oncel T, Vural G, Gicik Y, Arslan MO. Detection of Babesia (Theileria) equi (Laveran, 1901) in horses in the Kars province of Turkey. Turkiye Parazitol Derg 2007; 31(3): 170-2.
25. Onyiche TE, Suganuma K, Igarashi I, Yokoyama N, Xuan X, Thekisoe O. A review on equine piroplasmosis: Epidemiology, vector ecology, risk factors, host immunity, diagnosis and control. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2019; 16(10): 1736.
26. Qablan MA, Obornik M, Petrzelkova KJ, Sloboda M, Shudiefat MF, Horin P, Lukeš J, Modrý D. Infections by Babesia caballi and Theileria equi in Jordanian equids: epidemiology and genetic diversity. Parasitology 2013; 140(9): 1096-103.
27. Rüegg SR, Torgerson P, Deplazes P, Mathis A. Age-dependent dynamics of Theileria equi and Babesia caballi infections in southwest Mongolia based on IFAT and/or PCR prevalence data from domestic horses and ticks. Parasitol 2007; 134(7): 939-47.
28. Sevinc F, Maden M, Kumas C, Sevinc M, Ekici OD. A comparative study on the prevalence of Theileria equi and Babesia caballi infections in horse sub-populations in Turkey. Vet Parasitol 2008; 156(3-4): 173-7.
29. Tirosh-Levy S, Gottlieb Y, Fry LM, Knowles DP, Steinman A. Twenty years of equine piroplasmosis research: Global distribution, molecular diagnosis, and phylogeny. Pathogens 2020; 9(11): 926.
30. Wise LN, Pelzel-McCluskey AM, Mealey RH, Knowles DP. Equine piroplasmosis. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract 2014; 30(3): 677-93.
31. Yang G, Chen Y, Chen K, Hu Z, Li J, Wang J, Guo W, Wang X, Du C. Prevalence and molecular epidemiology of the novel equine parasite Theileria haneyi in China. Equine Vet J 2025; 1-12.