Ocorrência de Babesia caballi e/ou Theileria equi em eqüinos de cavalgada do Recôncavo da Bahia

Abstract

Equine piroplasmosis is an infectious disease considered cosmopolitan and endemic in many tropical and subtropical areas of the world, being present even in temperate zones. It consists of an intra-erythrocytic pathology resulting from infection by protozoa of the genus Babesia caballi or Theileria equi, transmitted through the saliva of the ticks when they perform the blood repast and can affect all the equines. The present study had the objective of evaluating the occurrence of Babesia caballi and / or Theileria equi, by means of the smear of peripheral blood, in equine horses submitted to tests of cavalcade in the Recôncavo of Bahia with the course of approximately 14,5 Km and approximate duration of 5 hours, by peripheral blood smear. For this, blood samples were collected from 36 domestic horses over 20 months of age, males and females, of different breeds with a mean weight of 395.2 ± 49.0 kg. The animals were evaluated clinically by means of physical examination evaluating mucous, heart and respiratory rates, rectal temperature, capillary filling time and degree of dehydration. Blood samples were taken to perform the erythrogram and to search for hematopoiesis in peripheral blood smears. No changes were observed in the mean haematological parameters. There was a slight increase in mean HR and RR above normal values both before and after exercise, with 2.7% (1/36) appearing hyperthermia before exercise and 41.6% (15/36) After exercise. The occurrence of Babesia caballi and / or Theileria equi was found in 27.7% (10/36). The low occurrence found in the present study, possibly due to the low sensitivity of this technique.