Prevalence and hematological criteria of piroplasmosis in horses of different ages, sex, and breed in Accra Metropolis, Ghana

Equine piroplasmosis is reported to be mostly endemic in tropical and subtropical regions of the world including Africa. The disease is of major negative economic significance by affecting the trade of horses as well as leading to poor performance of horses and death. The study was aimed at ascertaining the prevalence of equine piroplasmosis and its associated hematological changes in horses in the Accra Metropolis. Simple random sampling technique was used to sample a total of 101 horses from the Shangrilla, Osu, and the Burma Camp. Whole blood samples were obtained from the jugular vein of all sampled horses and subjected to microscopy and complete blood count analysis. Data collected was subjected to descriptive statistics and independent t -test using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26.0. Statistical significance was tested at a 5% significance level ( P -value ≤ 0.05). The overall prevalence of equine piroplasmosis was 3.96% of which Theileria spp. was the only piroplasm identified. The mixed breed of horses was most infected as compared to the foreign and indigenous breeds. The location of horses had a significant effect on the prevalence of equine piroplasmosis. With respect to the blood parameters, there was a significant reduction in the packed cell volume (PCV) for the infected horses as compared to the uninfected horses. Equine piroplasms exist in horses in Ghana; hence, further studies should be carried out in order regions to obtain a nationwide view of equine piroplasms in Ghana using serology and molecular diagnostic techniques.