Assessment of Prevalence and Molecular Characteristics of Piroplasma of Working Donkeys in Khartoum State, Sudan

Abstract

Limited research information is available on donkey health in the Sudan. The present study on the assessment of the prevalence and molecular characteristics of piroplasma was undertaken between April 2009 and April 2010 as part of a research project on the economic importance of donkey in Khartoum State, Sudan. Data were collected from 207 donkey owners using structured questionnaires. Blood smears of 193 donkeys were also examined. Out of these, 39 samples (20.21%) had piroplasma and 5(2.6%) microfilaria. Out of the 39 infected donkeys with piroplasma, 3 cases (1.55%) of them showed mixed infection of Anaplasma sp. Piroplasma affecting these Sudanese donkeys were further subjected to molecular characterization as Theileria equi (77.8%) and Babesia cabali (3%) using PCR-RFLP. The mean PCV was 32.8±4.5%, ranging between 25 and 44% for healthy donkeys and 30.7±4.5%, ranging between 21 and 44% for the infected donkeys. There was no significant differences in PCV% values (p>0.05) between the infected and non-infected donkeys. Few cases of tick infestation (1.5%) were observed in the investigated donkeys.