Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38355717›Full record

ArticleIrish veterinary journal2024

First report of Besnoitia bennetti in Irish donkeys: an emerging parasitic disease in Europe.

Stacy H Tinkler, Luca Villa, Maria Teresa Manfredi, Nicola Walshe, Hanne Jahns

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Irish veterinary journal, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
1.5field-weighted citation impact, top 21% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 3 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Molecular surveillance and genetic diversity ofFrontiers in veterinary science · 2026
    Article
  2. Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2025
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Stacy H TinklerVeterinary Department, The Donkey Sanctuary Ireland, Hannigan's Farm, Liscarroll, Mallow Co. Cork, Ireland.
Luca VillaDepartment of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Via Dell'Università, 6, 26900, Lodi, Italy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2013-3997
Maria Teresa ManfrediDepartment of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Via Dell'Università, 6, 26900, Lodi, Italy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9623-9475
Nicola WalshePathobiology Section, School of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, D04W6F6, Ireland.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1822-702X
Hanne JahnsPathobiology Section, School of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, D04W6F6, Ireland. Hanne.jahns@ucd.ie.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6944-154X
University College Dublin · IEUniversity of Milan · IT

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThis is the first report of Besnoitia bennetti in donkeys in Ireland. B. bennetti, an apicomplexan protozoan parasite specific to equids, is an emerging pathogen in Europe. This parasite forms chronic intracytoplasmic cysts in cells of the mesenchymal lineage, mainly fibroblasts, in the skin, sclera and mucosa. Clinical signs in affected equine hosts vary from mild to severe debilitating disease. Little is known of the phylogeny, epidemiology or transmission of B. bennetti infection in donkeys, mules or horses. CASE PRESENTATION: Two cases of besnoitiosis in donkeys are presented. Both donkeys were born and raised in theSouthwest of Ireland. The first case was a 2.5-year-old donkey that had a suspect sarcoid removed, while the second case,a 2-year-old donkey, had a biopsy of nodular dermatitis of the muzzle. Diagnosis was made by histopathology and the parasite species, B. bennetti, was confirmed by PCR followed by sequencing and microsatellite analysis. Both donkeys had high antibody titres against Besnoitia spp. Small (0.5 mm) scleral, conjunctival and dermal cysts over the muzzle were subsequently observed in both animals. Treatment with trimethoprim sulfadiazine for 30 days did not lead to clinical resolution. The findings are compared to the cases of besnoitiosis in donkeys reported in the past 10 years throughout Europe.

conclusionsBesnoitiosis should be considered as a differential diagnosis for chronic skin disease particularly in cases of cutaneous masses, non-pruritic dermatitis, and dermatitis that is not responsive to treatment in donkeys and other equids. Future studies are needed to investigate the prevalence of the disease in Irish donkeys, the spread of the disease and the potential impact on the health and welfare of the donkeys.

Indexed as

DermatitisEmerging diseaseEquus asinusParasiteProtozoaSarcoidScleral cysts

Identifiers

PMID38355717
PMCPMC10865628
OpenAlexW4391820873

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.