Study on Theileria equi and Babesia caballi infection in equine in North Khorasan Province

Piroplasmosis in equids is a hemoprotozoan tickborne disease with worldwide distribution caused by Theileria equi and Babesia caballi. The aim of this study was to investigate T. equi and B. caballi infections in equids in North Khorasan Province. Blood samples were collected from 206 equids including 100 Turkoman breed horses (Equus caballus) and 106 donkeys (Equus asinus) in 20 villages. Blood smears were prepared and stained with Geimsa method. T. equi was microscopically detected in nine blood smears including 5 (5%) horses and 4 (3.7%) donkeys. B. caballi was not observed. Any siginificant difference was not observed between the piroplasm infection and activity. It was concluded that T.equi infection is endemic in Turkoman breed horses and donkeys in North Khorasan province, Iran.