Equine piroplasmosis can be difficult to diagnose due to the variable and non-specific clinical signs exhibited by infected horses. Further complicating testing, false positive and false negative results can occur on common tests.

Piroplasmosis, considered an exotic disease in the United States, was recently discovered in horses in 11 states as an investigation into an outbreak in Texas expands (read more). Animal health authorities are testing epidemiologically linked horses, but which test should they use?

Researchers from the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory in Dubai, UAE, recently noted in a study that tests for equine piroplasmosis need to be both specific and sensitive, yielding few false results.

Currently, the immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) tests are the blood tests of choice for diagnosing latent infections. The research group used these tests, as well as a newer DNA-based assay called TaqMan real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), to test 105 blood samples from athletic horses in Dubai