Equine piroplasmosis in Kelantan, Malaysia: Clinicohemato-biochemical alterations in subclinically and clinically infected equids.

Equine piroplasmosis (EP) is global disease of equids affect the international movement of horses and their industry. This work was conducted on a random collection of blood samples from a total of 306 equids (horses and ponies) comprising both clinically healthy (n=276) and clinically suspected animals (n=30) for EP from 53 stables in eight districts at Kelantan, Malaysia. Competitive-inhibition enzyme linked immunosorbent test (cELISA) was applied to detect the antibodies for Theileria equi and Babesia caballi and their titers in the serum. Hemato-biochemical parameters were analyzed from blood and serum samples from clinical and subclinical cases in comparison to healthy animals (n=25) a control group. The overall prevalence of EP infections (T. equi, B. caballi and both infections) in subclinical and clinical infected equids was 70.26 and 9.80 per cent, respectively. The subclinical infection in equids was statistically higher than that of clinical infection (P<0.05). Higher titration of T. equi antibodies in clinical infected cases ranged from 1/160 to 1/1280 in (n=27), whereas in B. caballi the titres ranged from 1/160 to 1/640 (n=26). Manifestation in clinical cases was the acute onset of the disease, with significant Hemato-biochemical changes. Whereas, equids with subclinical infection appeared healthy with absence of clinical signs and non-significant Hemato-biochemical alterations were seen as compared to clinical cases and healthy control groups.