Seroprevalence of Babesia caballi Infection in Horses in the North Khorasan Province of Iran

Seroprevalence of Babesia caballi Infection in Horses in the North Khorasan Province of Iran

Equine piroplasmosis is a hemoprotozoan tick-borne disease with worldwide distribution, caused by Babesia caballi and Theileria equi . The aim of this study was to investigate the seroprevalence of B. caballi infection in horses from the North Khorasan Province of Iran. Association between seropositivity of piroplasm infection and host-related factors including age, gender and activity were also analyzed. Blood samples were collected from 194 apparently healthy horses from May 2011 to August 2012. Blood smears were prepared and stained by Giemsa method and the serum samples were tested by indirect immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT). B. caballi was not detected in the blood smears but antibodies against B. caballi were found in 8 (4.12%) samples. No significant difference was obsereved between piroplasm infection with hostrelated factors in horses.