Equine piroplasmosis: An in-depth review

Equine piroplasmosis (EP) is a globally distributed tick-borne haemoprotozoan disease of equids caused primarily by Theileria equi and Babesia caballi. The infection spectrum ranges from subclinical carrier states to severe, life-threatening hemolytic anemia. EP poses veterinary, economic and trade challenges due to chronic carrier status, diagnostic complexities, and limitations of current therapeutics and control strategies. This review synthesizes current knowledge on taxonomy and etiology, life cycle and vectors, epidemiology and risk factors, pathogenesis and clinical manifestations, laboratory diagnosis (microscopy, serology, molecular methods), treatment and chemotherapeutic limitations, prevention and control strategies, and gaps and priorities for research and policy.