Ovine babesiosis is an endemic tick-borne disease of small ruminants in the Middle East, European, and some African and Asian countries, including Turkey. This study assessed whether the endemic status of this disease was stable or instable, which is important for disease control efforts. For this aim, 4115 sheep blood samples were collected from 81 cities in the seven geographical regions of Turkey. The diagnosis of Babesia ovis was made using microscopic and serological techniques. Thin blood smears were prepared from anticoagulated venous blood. Serum samples were screened for specific antibodies using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT). Recombinant Babesia ovis secreted antigen 1 (rBoSA1) was used in the ELISA. The antigen slides used in the IFAT were prepared from the B. ovis-infected blood at a high level of parasitemia (5 %). The animals were divided into three groups according to their age: group I (one to six months), group II (6-12 months), and group III (older than one year). The endemic status of B. ovis was determined according to the inoculation rate (h value) calculations. Babesia spp. merozoites were observed in 40 (0.97 %) of the slides. Seropositivity rates were 29.89 % (1230/4115) and 49.16 % (2023/4115) by the ELISA and IFAT, respectively. According to the IFAT results, 31.7 %, 33.6 %, and 52.8 % of the animals were seropositive in groups I, II, and III, respectively. The inoculation rates of the animals indicated that the endemic status of ovine babesiosis was mostly instable throughout the country. Endemic stability was found only in group I from four regions (Central Anatolia, Eastern Anatolia, Aegean, and Mediterranean). Based on these results, the risk of clinical infection due to tick infestation was high when the maternal immunity and non-specific age resistance weakens or disappears. Thus, vaccination is needed to protect sheep against B. ovis infections in Turkey.

中文翻译：

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土耳其绵羊杆状杆菌病的地方性不稳定性：一项全国性的血清流行病学研究。

绵羊巴贝虫病是中东，欧洲以及包括土耳其在内的一些非洲和亚洲国家的小反刍动物的tick传播疾病。这项研究评估了这种疾病的流行状况是稳定还是不稳定，这对于疾病控制工作很重要。为此，从土耳其七个地理区域的81个城市收集了4115个羊血样本。利用显微镜和血清学技术诊断了羊驼贝母虫。从抗凝静脉血制备稀薄的血液涂片。使用酶联免疫吸附测定（ELISA）和间接荧光抗体测试（IFAT）筛选血清样品中的特异性抗体。ELISA中使用了重组牛卵杆菌巴氏杆菌分泌的抗原1（rBoSA1）。IFAT中使用的抗原玻片由B制备。卵巢感染的血液中有高水平的寄生虫血症（5％）。根据年龄将动物分为三组：第一组（一至六个月），第二组（6-12个月）和第三组（大于一年）。根据接种率（h值）的计算确定产卵双歧杆菌的流行状况。巴贝虫属 在40张（0.97％）的玻片中观察到裂殖子。ELISA和IFAT的血清阳性率分别为29.89％（1230/4115）和49.16％（2023/4115）。根据IFAT结果，在I，II和III组中，分别有31.7％，33.6％和52.8％的动物具有血清反应阳性。动物的接种率表明，在整个国家，绵羊杆状杆菌病的流行状况大多不稳定。仅在四个地区（中部安纳托利亚，东安纳托利亚，爱琴海和地中海）。根据这些结果，当母体免疫力和非特异性年龄抵抗力减弱或消失时，由于tick虫感染而导致临床感染的风险很高。因此，需要接种疫苗以保护绵羊免受土耳其的牛双歧杆菌感染。