Analysis of Theileria equi diversity in The Gambia using a novel genotyping method

Theileria equi, one of the primary pathogens causing equine piroplasmosis, has previously been sub-classified into a number of clades on the basis of 18S SSU rRNA gene sequence diversity. This partitioning of the parasite population has potential implications for host immunity, treatment and vaccine development. To detect and identify different clade genotypes among and within individual equine blood samples, a novel PCR-based technique was designed and optimized. Theileria equi has only recently been described in The Gambia, and the developed genotyping technique was used to analyse blood samples taken from 42 piroplasmosis-positive horses and donkeys within the country. Three different T. equi genotypes were detected within the population, including the same genotype as the recently described Theileria haneyi, with 61.9% of individuals found to be infected with more than one genotype. Overall, there was a trend that males were more likely to have a multiple genotype infection. Thus, the novel genotyping technique has been shown to be effective in analysis of field populations and offers researchers a rapid method of identifying multiple T. equi genotypes both within individuals and equine populations in epidemiological studies.