Immune and Inflammatory Response of Donkeys (Equus asinus) Tested Positive to Tick-borne Pathogens.
Authors: Cocco Raffaella, Rizzo Maria, Carta Carlo, Arfuso Francesca, Piccione Giuseppe, Luridiana Sebastiano, Crovace Alberto, Passino Eraldo Sanna, Sechi Sara
Journal: Journal of equine veterinary science
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Immune Responses in Donkeys with Tick-borne Infections Tick-borne pathogens represent an increasingly significant health threat to equids worldwide, yet their immunological effects in donkeys remain poorly characterised compared to horses. Researchers in Sardinia evaluated haematological and serum protein profiles across thirty donkeys distributed into five groups: uninfected controls, and separate cohorts infected with *Theileria equi*, *Ehrlichia equi*, *Rickettsia rickettsii*, or co-infected with all three pathogens. Infected donkeys demonstrated markedly reduced red blood cell counts, haemoglobin concentrations and platelet levels alongside suppressed lymphocyte and neutrophil populations, whilst eosinophil and basophil counts increased significantly; serum protein analysis revealed elevated total proteins and elevated α₂-, β- and γ-globulin fractions across all infected groups compared to controls (P < 0.05). These findings indicate a consistent inflammatory and immune activation pattern across single and multiple infections, though the study leaves unresolved questions about whether individual pathogen characteristics drive differential immune responses or whether donkey-specific immunity differs meaningfully from equine patterns. For practitioners, this work provides baseline haematological benchmarks for suspected tick-borne disease in donkeys and underscores the need for serological screening in endemic regions, though further research into pathogen-specific immunological signatures and optimal diagnostic protocols remains essential.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Tick-borne pathogen infections in donkeys cause measurable changes in complete blood count parameters; routine hematology can aid in diagnosis alongside serological testing
- •Anemia (reduced RBC, hemoglobin, platelets) is a consistent finding in infected donkeys and may require supportive care during treatment
- •Elevated globulin fractions suggest active immune response; this marker could help monitor treatment efficacy and recovery in affected animals
Key Findings
- •Infected donkeys showed significantly lower red blood cells, hemoglobin, platelets, lymphocytes and neutrophils compared to controls (P < 0.05)
- •Eosinophils and basophils were significantly elevated in infected animals
- •Serum total proteins, α2-, β-, and γ-globulins were significantly higher in infected versus control donkeys
- •Co-infected animals demonstrated combined immune and inflammatory responses across all three pathogens