Seroepidemiology of Sarcocystis neurona, Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora spp. among horses in the south of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil

Abstract

The present study used the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) to determine the seroprevalence of Sarcocystis neurona, Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora spp., and evaluated the variables associated with these infections among 506 apparently healthy horses, reared in the south of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. This study was conducted between April 2012 and October 2013. Among the horses, the true prevalence of S. neurona was 26% (95% CI: 22.0-30.4%), T. gondii 19.9% (95% CI: 15.5-24.8%) and Neospora spp. 23.9% (95% CI: 19.9-28.1%); and among the farms, 88.3% (95% CI: 74.4-91.6%), 71.6% (95% CI: 41-92.8%) and 85% (95% CI: 70.7-96.1%), respectively. Regarding mixed infection, 17 horses (3.4%) were seropositive for both S. neurona and T. gondii, 16 (3.2%) for T. gondii and Neospora spp. and 14 (2.8%) for S. neurona and Neospora spp. The associations between seropositivity and variables relating to the structure of the farm, management and health were analyzed using the logistic regression analysis, through the generalized estimating equations (GEE). The results suggest that the south of Minas Gerais is an enzootic area for S. neurona, T. gondii and Neospora spp. among horses, with prevalence of asymptomatic subclinical or chronic infections.

Antibodies against Apicomplexa protozoa and absence sarcocysts in heart tissues from horses in southern Brazil

“…In the present study, seropositivity to T. gondii was 47.2% (93/197), which is high when compared to similar studies (DUBEY et al, 1999a, b), but similar results were found in Egypt (GHAZY et al, 2007). In state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, Ribeiro et al (2016) showed a wide dispersion of T. gondii among horse farms, revealing that in 71.6% of the assessed farms, at least one presented one seropositive equine. The great differences in seroprevalence may be associated with various factors, including the type of feed given and the source of the water provided to animals; the intrinsic resistance to infection of horses tested; the population density of domestic or wild cats in the environment; environmental conditions; and the type of diagnostic test used (KOUAM et al, 2010).…”

“…T. gondii infections in equines have been reported in Brazil, with variable antibody detection rates (DUBEY et al, 1999a;RIBEIRO et al, 2016). In the present study, seropositivity to T. gondii was 47.2% (93/197), which is high when compared to similar studies (DUBEY et al, 1999a, b), but similar results were found in Egypt (GHAZY et al, 2007).…”

“…is relatively high when compared with another study performed in southern Brazil, in which 15.4% seropositivity was found in draft horses (SANGIONI et al, 2011) and 23.9% detected in horses from state of Minas Gerais (RIBEIRO et al, 2016). Moreover, Hoane et al (2006) detected a very low prevalence (2.5%) of antibodies against Neospora spp.…”

Occurrences of antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora spp., and Sarcocystis neurona in horses and dogs in the municipality of Pauliceia, São Paulo, Brazil

“…In Brazil different rates of occurrence of antibodies against T. gondii, Neospora spp., and S. neurona among horses, and antibodies against T. gondii and N. caninum in dogs have been reported (LOCATELLI-DITTRICH et al, 2006;PAULAN et al, 2013;GENNARI et al, 2016;RIBEIRO et al, 2016).…”

“…and anti-S. neurona antibodies in horses were similar to what has been found in other studies in Brazil. Ribeiro et al (2016) found that 23.9% (107/506) and 26% (117/506) of the horses were seropositive for Neospora spp. and S. neurona, respectively in Minas Gerais, by means of IFAT.…”