Detecção de Theileria equi e Babesia caballi e anticorpos Anti-ehrlichia spp. em equídeos do Pantanal matogrossense, Brasil

Abstract

The present study evaluated equids from 26 ranches in the Pantanal region of Mato Grosso State. One hundred and twenty two equides were evaluated by means the Polimerase Chain Raction (PCR) to detect genes of Babesia, Theileria, Anaplasma, Ehrlichia and Neorickettsia and 109 were tested by means the Imunofluorescent Antibodie Test (IFAT) against Ehrlichia canis antigens. From the total tested in PCR, 17 (14.0%) equids were positive, and 16 yielded amplicons 100% identical to Theileria equi and one presented 99% of similarity to Babesia caballi available on GenBank. Positive equids were from 14 ranches (53.8%). Forty two (38.5%) equids were positive by IFAT and 27 showed titres of 40 (64.3%) and 15 showed titers of 320 (35.7%). From the total of 25 ranches evaluated in IFAT, 18 (52.0%) presented seropositive equids. Our results showed that T. equi and B. caballi are infecting equids in the municipalities of Poconé and Barra do Bugres and the presence of anti-Ehrlichia antibodies suggests that specie closed related to the genera Ehrlichia and Anaplasma are circulating among the equid local population. Moreover, the negative results in PCR possible is related to the chronic infection phase.