Epidemiology of epizootic lymphangitis of carthorses in northern Ethiopia using conventional diagnostic methods and nest
- PDF / 892,218 Bytes
- 7 Pages / 595.276 x 790.866 pts Page_size
- 18 Downloads / 160 Views
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Open Access
Epidemiology of epizootic lymphangitis of carthorses in northern Ethiopia using conventional diagnostic methods and nested polymerase chain reaction Birhanu Hadush1*, Molla Michaelay1,2, Habtamu Taddele Menghistu1, Nigus Abebe1, Abreha Tesfaye Genzebu1, Habtom Kiros Bitsue1, Berihun Afera1, Bojia E. Duguma3, Getachew Gugsa4 and Gobena Ameni5
Abstract Background: Epizootic lymphangitis (EL), caused by Histoplasma capsulatum variety farciminosum (HCF) is a contagious, chronic disease of equines, characterized by development of nodular lesions in the lymph nodes, lymphatic vessels and skin. It is one of the most important diseases of equines in Ethiopia, causing significant economic loss, particularly in the livelihood of carthorse owners. To date there is neither effective diagnostic nor control measure implemented in the country. Furthermore, there is a shortage of data on the epidemiology of the disease in different regions of this country. The aim of this study was to investigate epidemiology of EL in northern Ethiopia, using the conventional methods as well as nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results: The presence of HCF genetic material was confirmed in 44% (84/191) of the carthorses. Subclinical infection was observed in 18.2% (22/121) of the apparently healthy carthorses. Considering the nested PCR as a gold standard, sensitivity and specificity of clinical examination were 74% and 92.5%, respectively, while the area under the ROC curve (AUR) was 0.83 (95% confidence interval, 0.77, 0.896). Moreover, a moderate (k = 0.675) agreement observed between the nested PCR and clinical examination. Conclusions: This study demonstrated widespread occurrence of EL in northern Ethiopia, and the advantage of the nested PCR in detecting infection of HCF, even before the clinical symptoms became apparent. Keywords: Epizootic lymphangitis, Gram stain, Histoplasma capsulatum var farciminosum, PCR
Background Ethiopia is home to 8.85 million donkeys, 2.01 million horses, and 0.46 million mules. With 2.01 million head of horses, Ethiopia accounts for about 34.5% of the total African equine population, and 3.45% of the global population [1]. In Ethiopia, equines are used for transportation of people and commodities, as well as in * Correspondence: [email protected] 1 College of Veterinary Sciences, Mekelle University, P.O. Box 2084, Mekelle, Ethiopia Full list of author information is available at the end of the article
support of crop production. These equids are exposed to both husbandry mismanagement and diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. Epizootic lymphangitis (EL), also called Equine histoplasmosis (EH), has been a priority disease of high morbidity and mortality with significant economic impact [2]. It is caused by Histoplasma (H.) capsulatum var. faciminosum (HCF); a dimorphic fungus that exists in soil as a mold and transforms into yeast forms once it parasitizes mammalian tissues. Most infections in humans are ascribed to Histoplasma (H.) capsulatum v
Data Loading...
