Molecular prevalence and genotypic diversity of Theileria equi and Babesia caballi infecting horses in Kyrgyzstan.

Equine piroplasmosis is caused by Theileria equi and Babesia caballi, which are hemoprotozoan parasites. Understanding the epidemiology and genotypes of T. equi and B. caballi is crucial for developing effective control strategies in endemic countries. However, the endemic status of these two parasite species remains uncertain in Kyrgyzstan due to lack of surveys. Our study, therefore, aimed to detect T. equi and B. caballi infections in Kyrgyzstan and identify their genotypes. Blood samples were collected from 226 horses across all seven provinces of Kyrgyzstan, namely Chuy, Issyk-Kul, Naryn, Talas, Jalal-Abad, Osh, and Batken. These blood samples were subjected to DNA extraction, followed by specific PCR assays targeting T. equi and B. caballi. We found that 56 (24.8%, confidence interval (CI): 19.6-30.8%) and 7 (3.1%, CI: 1.5-6.3%) of the tested horses were positive for T. equi and B. caballi infections, respectively. Theileria equi was detected in all surveyed provinces, whereas B. caballi was found in five provinces, except for Talas and Osh. Subsequent genotype-specific PCR assays showed that T. equi-positive horses harbored all five genotypes: A, B, C (also known as Theileria haneyi), D, and E. On the other hand, phylogenetic analysis of B. caballi rap-1 sequences detected the genotypes A and B1. The prevalence of T. equi and B. caballi suggests a potential risk of clinical equine piroplasmosis among horses in Kyrgyzstan, and the observed genotypic diversity underscores the challenges in managing the disease. Our findings emphasize the need for comprehensive control measures to effectively address equine piroplasmosis in Kyrgyzstan.

An epidemiological survey of vector-borne pathogens infecting cattle in Kyrgyzstan.

Cattle production is a major contributor to the national economy of Kyrgyzstan. Most cattle in Kyrgyzstan are managed via extensive systems and graze in communal pastures. As a result, infestations with ectoparasites are widespread, implying that various vector-borne diseases might be common in cattle. However, methods to control such infectious diseases are not available in Kyrgyzstan because the epidemiology of vector-borne pathogens (VBPs) infecting cattle remains unclear. The present study was therefore designed to survey Kyrgyz cattle for VBPs. We prepared blood DNA samples from 319 cattle in Kyrgyzstan and screened them with specific PCR assays for detecting Babesia bovis, Babesia bigemina, Babesia naoakii, Theileria annulata, Theileria orientalis, Trypanosoma evansi, Trypanosoma theileri, and Anaplasma marginale infections. Our findings indicated that the surveyed cattle were infected with six of the eight pathogens targeted, with the exceptions being B. naoakii and Try. evansi. The most common pathogen was T. orientalis (84.3%), followed by B. bigemina (47.6%), T. annulata (16.6%), A. marginale (11.6%), Try. theileri (7.2%), and B. bovis (2.5%). Additional screening of the B. bovis- and B. bigemina-negative samples with a Babesia genus-specific 18S rRNA PCR identified two positive samples, and sequencing analysis confirmed that each of them was infected with either Babesia major or Babesia occultans. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of B. bovis, B. bigemina, B. occultans, Try. theileri, and A. marginale infections in cattle in Kyrgyzstan. Our findings suggest that cattle in Kyrgyzstan are at high risk of infectious diseases caused by VBPs.