Clinical investigation on Theileria equi and Babesia caballi infections in Italian donkeys.
Authors: Laus Fulvio, Spaterna Andrea, Faillace Vanessa, Veronesi Fabrizia, Ravagnan Silvia, Beribé Francesca, Cerquetella Matteo, Meligrana Marina, Tesei Beniamino
Journal: BMC veterinary research
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Theileria equi and Babesia caballi in Italian Donkeys Piroplasm infections (caused by *Theileria equi* and *Babesia caballi*) are well-documented in equines, yet clinical manifestations and haematological responses in donkeys remain poorly characterised despite increasing interest in donkey health and welfare across Europe. Laus and colleagues conducted a clinical investigation of naturally infected Italian donkeys, documenting clinical signs, blood parameters, and pathological findings to establish how donkey responses differ from those typically observed in horses. The research revealed distinct clinical presentations and laboratory abnormalities in donkey piroplasmosis that diverge notably from equine disease patterns, providing the first detailed clinical dataset for this species. These findings carry significant implications for practitioners managing donkeys in endemic regions, as diagnostic thresholds, treatment protocols, and expected clinical courses developed for horses may not reliably apply; practitioners should anticipate different symptomatology and haematological markers when evaluating donkeys with suspected piroplasm infections. Given donkeys' increasing prominence in therapeutic, breeding, and working contexts across the UK and Europe, understanding their distinctive responses to piroplasm infections is essential for accurate diagnosis, appropriate clinical decision-making, and optimised management strategies tailored specifically to this species rather than extrapolated from equine protocols.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Donkeys respond differently to piroplasm infections than horses—do not assume equine clinical signs or disease progression will be identical in donkey patients
- •Treatment and management protocols developed for equine piroplasmosis may not be directly applicable to donkeys; species-specific approaches are needed
- •Clinicians should be alert to atypical presentations in donkeys with tick-borne parasitic infections and seek donkey-specific diagnostic and therapeutic guidance
Key Findings
- •Clinical presentation and pathological findings of natural piroplasm infection in donkeys differ from those documented in horses
- •Donkeys require species-specific clinical and therapeutic approaches for infectious disease management
- •First clinical and clinical pathology data characterizing donkey piroplasmosis presented in the literature