AUTHOR=Dyab Ahmed Kamal , Mohamed Sara Abdel-Aal , Abdel-Aziz Fatma Mohamed , Gareh Ahmed , Osman Fathy , Elgohary Fatma A. , Hassan Ehssan Ahmed , Alsowayeh Noorah , Alzaylaee Hind , Ahmed Abd Al-Rahman S. , Bravo-Barriga Daniel , Elmahallawy Ehab Kotb 

TITLE=Microscopic and molecular detection of piroplasms among sheep in Upper Egypt

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Veterinary Science

VOLUME=11

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2024.1373842

DOI=10.3389/fvets.2024.1373842

ISSN=2297-1769

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Introduction</title><p>Blood parasites pose a significant threat to livestock production in southern Egypt, yet there is a scarcity of information regarding their circulation and epidemiology in sheep in this region. This study aimed to investigate the seroprevalence of blood parasite infections in sheep in Assiut governorate, Upper Egypt.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>A total of 400 blood samples were collected from sheep of varying ages and genders. The preliminary screening for the presence of piroplasms, mainly <italic>Babesia</italic> and <italic>Theileria</italic> spp., via microscopic examination, followed by investigation of the potential risk factors linked with the exposure to infection. Moreover, molecular identification of both parasites on some of positive samples was performed using PCR targeting <italic>Babesia</italic> 18S rRNA and <italic>Theileria annulata</italic> Tams1 gene.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>The microscopic examination revealed that among the examined sheep, there was an overall prevalence of blood parasites at 44% (176 out of 400), with <italic>Babesia</italic> spp. observed in 14% (56 out of 400) and <italic>Theileria</italic> spp. in 30% (120 out of 400). Furthermore, the infection rate was non-significantly higher in young animals (50%) compared to adults (38.5%) (<italic>P</italic> = 0.246). Male sheep exhibited a significantly higher vulnerability to both parasites' infection (63.3%) compared to females (35.7%) (<italic>P</italic> = 0.011). Interestingly, the prevalence of both blood parasites was significantly higher during the cold season (66.1%) compared to the hot season (15.9%) (<italic>P</italic> = &lt; 0.001). The molecular analysis identified the presence of <italic>Babesia ovis</italic> and <italic>Theileria annulata</italic> among a subsample of the positive sheep's bloods films. The identified species were recorded in the GenBank™ databases and assigned specific accession numbers (OQ360720 and OQ360719 for <italic>B. ovis</italic>), and (OP991838 for <italic>T. annulata</italic>).</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusions</title><p>Taken together, this study confirms a high prevalence of piroplasmosis and offers epidemiological and molecular insights into blood parasites in sheep from Upper Egypt, highlighting the importance of detecting these parasites in various hosts and their competent vectors (ticks).</p></sec>