Control of equine piroplasmosis in Brazil

The importance of equine piroplasmosis control in endemic countries has increased in recent years and plays an important role to maintain the international market open to the horse industry. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the occurrence of equine piroplasmosis (Babesia equi or Theileria equi and Babesia caballi) in Brazil - a country where the disease occurs endemically - in different climatic conditions, and to evaluate the results of a strategy for tick control in order to decrease infection rates. Blood samples were taken from 720 horses on 28 farms from different regions and subjected for complement fixation testing. The strategy was based on the control of the tick population by spraying the horses with acaricides, treating positive horses and preventing cattle and horses from grazing together. A significant association was found in the prevalence of antibody titres in tropical and subtropical areas. A significantly lower prevalence rate occurred on those farms where measures to control tick population were established. Farms in endemic countries may significantly reduce the prevalence of equine piroplasmosis by establishing measures to control the tick population and treating chronic carrier horses. Additional measures for controlling ticks in tropical areas are also discussed.The articles have been scanned in colour with a HP Scanjet 5590; 600dpi. Adobe Acrobat v.9 was used to OCR the text and also for the merging and conversion to the final presentation PDF-format.mn201

Concentrações de creatino quinase, aspartato aminotransferase e desidrogenase lática em potros do nascimento até os seis meses de idade Concentration of creatine kinase, aspartate aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase in foals from birth up to sixth month

Dez potros da raça Puro Sangue de Corrida (PSC), de ambos os sexos, foram avaliados quanto à concentração das enzimas séricas creatino quinase (CK), aspartato aminotransferase (AST) e deshidrogenase lática (DHL). Foram colhidas amostras sangüíneas diariamente do 1º ao 7ºdia de vida e depois aos 15, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 e 180 dias de idade. A concentração da CK mostrou um decréscimo significativo (p< 0,0003) do1º ao 7º dia de idade, e variação também significativa (p< 0,0044) entre o 15º dia de vida até os seis meses. A AST apresentou elevação significativa (p< 0,0001) até os 102 dias de idade, sofrendo posterior declínio até o 6º mês. A DHL apresentou decréscimo significativo (p< 0,0002) nas suas concentrações entre os 15 e 120 dias de idade, com posterior elevação até o 6º mês. Aos seis meses de idade as concentrações séricas de CK, AST e DHL, estão próximas as de eqüinos adultos.<br>Ten Thoroughbred foals, male and female, had the seric concentration of creatine kinase (CK), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) determined. Blood samples were collected every day from days 1 to 7 and on days 15, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 of age. CK activity decreased significantly (p< 0.0003) in the first week and showed significant variation between day 15 and 6 months of age. AST showed a significant (p< 0.0001) increase in its values until 102 days of age, decreasing subsequently until 6 months of age. LDH values decreased significantly (p< 0.0002) between days 15 and 120, increasing subsequently until 6 months of age. At 6 months of age CK, AST and LDH activities were close to those of adult horses

Serodiagnosis of Babesia equi in horses submitted to exercise stress Diagnóstico sorológico de infestação por Babesia equi em eqüinos submetidos ao estresse do exercício

A complement fixation test (CFT), performed in microtitre plates, based upon the use of crude antigenic preparation of Babesia equi was adapted for the detection of antibodies in serum of infected horses. The indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were also used for the immunodiagnosis of B. equi. Serum samples from 15 apparently healthy horses, previously conditioned to a high-speed equine treadmill, were taken before and after exercise. All the samples analyzed were positive for B. equi infection. There were no significant differences (P<0.01) between these 3 tests, or the condition of rest or stress. The combined use of CFT and IFAT or ELISA should be recommended in order to enable veterinary services to more efficiently prevent introduction of infected horses into disease-free areas.<br>A reação de fixação do complemento (RFC), realizada em microplacas, utilizando-se antígeno bruto de Babesia equi, foi adaptada para a detecção de anticorpos em soros de eqüinos infectados. A reação de imunofluorescência indireta (RIFI) e o ensaio imunoenzimático (ELISA) também foram utilizados para o imunodiagnóstico de B. equi. Amostras de soro foram obtidas de 15 eqüinos aparentemente sadios, submetidos a treinamento físico em esteira rolante de alto desempenho, sendo as amostras colhidas antes e após os exercícios. Todas as amostras testadas foram positivas para B. equi. Não houve diferença significativa (P<0,01) entre estes 3 testes sorológicos, ou entre a condição de estresse e repouso. A combinação da RFC com a RIFI ou ELISA pode ser recomendada a fim de evitar a entrada de eqüinos portadores em áreas consideradas livres da doença