Molecular detection of equine piroplasms in donkeys (Equus asinus) in North Khorasan province, Iran.

Equine piroplasmosis is a tickborne disease of equids with worldwide distribution, caused by Theileria equi and Babesia caballi. The aim of this study was molecular detection of T. equi and B. caballi in donkeys in northeastern Iran and investigate the association between positivity of piroplasm infection and host-related factors. In the present study, Blood samples were collected from 106 apparently healthy donkeys (Equus asinus) in North Khorasan province, Iran. Blood smears were prepared and stained by giemsa method. DNA was extracted from blood and then multiplex-PCR was done for detection of any piroplasms infection. According to the results, four donkeys showed T. equi in blood smears but B. caballi was not found. Also, fifty four donkeys (50.94%) showed T. equi infection using multiplex-PCR. No siginificant difference was observed between the frequency of T. equi infection with host-related factors in donkeys. This is the first report on the molecular detection of eqiune piroplamosis in donkeys in Iran. Also, no significant association was found between the rate of T. equi infected animals.