Equine piroplasmosis: assessing the threat to the UK and Ireland

Equine piroplasmosis (EP) is a disease of major welfare and economic concern. Despite a near ubiquitous prevalence globally, the UK and Ireland currently enjoy freedom from endemic EP disease. However, equines entering the UK and Ireland are not screened for EP, and populations of ticks capable of transmitting EP have been identified in England and Wales. Consequently, entry and establishment of EP is of great welfare and financial concern to the equine industry. This study, comprised of several aspects, set out to determine the threat of EP to the UK and Ireland. A survey of laboratory submissions identified an EP seroprevalence of 8 % and 3.5 % in UK and Irish samples respectively. Further screening of these samples with an optimised Babesia/Theileria catch-all 18S SSU rRNA nested PCR detected circulating Theileria equi parasite in a small (