Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38549117›Full record

ArticleParasites & vectors2024

Diagnostic performance of a rapid immunochromatographic test for the simultaneous detection of antibodies to Theileria equi and Babesia caballi in horses and donkeys.

Frans Jongejan, Cheng Du, Elias Papadopoulos, Valeria Blanda, Santina Di Bella, Vincenza Cannella, Annalisa Guercio, Domenico Vicari, Sharon Tirosh-Levy, Amir Steinman and 5 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Parasites & vectors, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing 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

5 citing papers in PubMed, 3 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Research progress on diagnostic techniques for differentFrontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2025
    Review
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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

15 authors at 6 institutions in 6 countries.

Frans Jongejan *Vectors and Vector-Borne Diseases Research Programme, Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort, 0110, Republic of South Africa. Frans.Jongejan@up.ac.za.
Cheng Du *State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, China.
Elias PapadopoulosLaboratory of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, School of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, University Campus, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Valeria BlandaIstituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia "A.Mirri", Palermo, Sicily, Italy.
Santina Di BellaIstituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia "A.Mirri", Palermo, Sicily, Italy.
Vincenza CannellaIstituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia "A.Mirri", Palermo, Sicily, Italy.
Annalisa GuercioIstituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia "A.Mirri", Palermo, Sicily, Italy.
Domenico VicariIstituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia "A.Mirri", Palermo, Sicily, Italy.
Sharon Tirosh-LevyKoret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 7610001, Rehovot, Israel.
Amir SteinmanKoret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 7610001, Rehovot, Israel.
Gad BanethKoret School of Veterinary Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 7610001, Rehovot, Israel.
Sanna van KeulenTBD International BV, BioScience Center, Runderweg 6, 8219 PK, Lelystad, The Netherlands.
Iris HulsebosTBD International BV, BioScience Center, Runderweg 6, 8219 PK, Lelystad, The Netherlands.
Laura BergerTBD International BV, BioScience Center, Runderweg 6, 8219 PK, Lelystad, The Netherlands.
Xiaojun WangState Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, China. wangxiaojun@caas.cn.
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Della Sicilia · ITHebrew University of Jerusalem · ILWageningen University & Research · NLChinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences · CNAristotle University of Thessaloniki · GRHKV (Netherlands) · NL

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEquine piroplasmosis is caused by two tick-borne protozoan parasites, Theileria equi and Babesia caballi,, which are clinically relevant in susceptible horses, donkeys, and mules. Moreover, equine piroplasmosis significantly constrains international trading and equestrian events. Rapidly diagnosing both parasites in carrier animals is essential for implementing effective control measures. Here, a rapid immunochromatographic test for the simultaneous detection of antibodies to T. equi and B. caballi was evaluated using samples from horses and donkeys collected in Greece, Israel, and Italy. The results were compared with an improved competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) for detecting antibodies to both parasites using the same panel of samples.

methodsBlood samples were collected from 255 horses and donkeys. The panel consisted of 129 horses sampled at four locations in northern Greece, 105 donkeys sampled at four locations in Sicily, and 21 horses sampled at two locations in Israel. The rapid test and the cELISA were performed according to the manufacturer's instructions, and the results were subjected to a statistical analysis to determine the sensitivity and specificity of both tests and their association.

resultsThe immunochromatographic test provided a result within 15 min and can be performed in the field, detecting both pathogens simultaneously. The overall coincidence rate between the rapid test and the cELISA for detecting antibodies against T. equi was 93% and 92.9% for B. caballi. The rapid test's sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) for T. equi were above 91.5%. Sixteen samples were positive for both parasites in the rapid test and eight in the cELISA. Either test had no significant association between T. equi and B. caballi detection. The detection rates of both parasites were significantly higher in Italy than in Greece or Israel and in donkeys than in horses. The agreement for T. equi between the results of both tests was high in Greece (93.8%) and Italy (95.2%) and moderate in Israel (76.2%). For B. caballi, the specificity and NPV of the rapid test were high (94.2% and 98.3%, respectively), although the sensitivity and PPV were moderate (69.2% and 39.1%, respectively) due to the small sample size. However, for B. caballi, the sensitivity was higher with the rapid test.

conclusionsThe rapid test detected T. equi and B. caballi simultaneously in the field, potentially replacing laborious cELISA testing and is recommended for import/export purposes. The test can also be helpful for the differential diagnosis of clinical cases, since seropositivity may rule out equine piroplasmosis since it does not indicate current or active infection.

Indexed as

BabesiaBabesiosisCattle DiseasesHorse DiseasesTheileriaTheileriasisTicksAnimalsAntibodiesCattleEquidaeHorsesSicilyAntibodiesBabesia caballiCompetitive ELISADonkeysEquine piroplasmosisHorsesImmunochromatographic testTheileria equi

Identifiers

PMID38549117
PMCPMC10979598
OpenAlexW4393254539

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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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.