Seroprevalence refers to the measurement of the presence of specific antibodies in the blood serum of horses, indicating exposure to particular pathogens or diseases. This metric is used to assess the spread of infectious diseases within equine populations and can help in understanding the epidemiology of these conditions. Seroprevalence studies involve the collection and analysis of blood samples to determine the proportion of horses that have been exposed to a specific infectious agent. These studies provide valuable data for disease surveillance, control, and prevention strategies. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that focus on the seroprevalence of various infectious diseases in horses, exploring their distribution, risk factors, and implications for equine health management.
Ganbaatar O, Batbaatar V, Kimura T, Ganzorig S, Tseren-Ochir EO, Suzuki Y, Takai S.ELISA antibody titers against Rhodococcus equi strain ATCC 6939 were measured in serum samples collected from 644 horses aged 1-21 years at 13 provinces and the capital of Mongolia, of which 631 (98%) samples showed values of approximately zero. The mean antibody titers in the 14 areas ranged from -0.08 to -0.01. Nine samples (1.4%) exhibited titers of 0.1-0.2, and surprisingly, four horses (0.6%) each aged 2, 5, 8, and 9 years demonstrated positive values in the range of 0.3-0.8. Considering the age resistance characteristic of this disease, the positive horses were hypothesized to exhibit no...
Ye T, Li XM, Tan WX, Wang CL, Jiang J, Zhao Q.Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic infectious disease caused by T. gondii, a widely distributed obligate intracellular parasite. It has received widespread attention because it can infect a large number of domestic and wild animals, thereby posing a threat to public health and the economy on a global scale. Among them, equine animals are critical intermediate hosts. However, studies on T. gondii infection in equine animals are currently not systematic on a global scale. For this purpose, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: This study searched for relevant studies in six signi...
Schwarzer A, Ziegler U, Fertey J, Kreuz M, Vahlenkamp TW, Groschup MH, Ulbert S.West Nile virus (WNV), Usutu virus (USUV) and tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) are worldwide endemic zoonotic orthoflaviviruses, often co-circulating in the same areas. Serological studies in animals, mostly birds and horses, are important means to monitor the spread of these viruses and the infection risks for humans. However, cross-reactive antibodies to these structurally similar flaviviruses frequently impact serological differentiation in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), hence time-consuming virus neutralization tests (VNTs) have to be employed in laboratories with high bi...
Żmudzki J, Ostrowska M, Arent Z, Frant M, Kochanowski M, Nowak A, Zębek S, Kalinowski D, Podgórska K.Leptospirosis in horses is associated with various clinical signs, potentially leading to fatal outcomes. Additionally, the disease may pose a zoonotic risk to individuals involved in handling infected animals. Implementing a serological monitoring programme in the equine population is one of the key tools used to reduce the risk of transmission of Leptospira infections to humans. Objective: To provide new insights into the seroprevalence of leptospirosis in domestic horses in Poland. Methods: Serological monitoring program. Methods: Data were collected from serological surveys of horse serum ...
Imandar M, Javadi A, Abdollahpour G, Mahale PRS, Qanbari A, Mirzaalimohammadi M, Taherkhani E, Olfatifar M, Nikkhahi F, Eslahi AV, Badri M.Leptospirosis, a global zoonotic disease caused by pathogenic Leptospira spp., poses significant health risks to both animals and humans. This study aimed to assess the seroprevalence of antibodies against Leptospira interrogans serovars in stabled horses in Qazvin province, Northwest Iran. From January 2023 to April 2024, a total of 83 blood samples were collected from asymptomatic horses using the microscopic agglutination test (MAT). Results indicated a seroprevalence of 40.96% (95% CI: 31-52), with notable variations among regions: 38.89% (95% CI: 27-52) in Qazvin, 38.46% (95% CI: 18-64) i...
Gonzalez-Obando J, Jaimes-Dueñez J, Zuluaga-Cabrera A, Forero JE, Diaz A, Rojas-Arbeláez C, Ruiz-Saenz J.Equine influenza is a highly contagious disease caused by the equine influenza virus (EIV). The occurrence of EIV outbreaks in America is associated with low levels of vaccination coverage. In Colombia, no seroprevalence evaluation has been carried out to estimate the distribution of the virus within the country. Our aim was to perform a sero-epidemiological survey of equine influenza infections and to identify associated risk factors in horses from four departments of Colombia. Serological testing was carried out by using an ELISA for the detection of IgG antibodies against the influenza A vi...
Dachraoui K, Ben Osman R, Ben Slama S, Sayadi A, Maachach Y, Trifi M, Labidi I, Lachheb J, Badr C, Larbi I, Zhioua E.A total of 20 horses belonging to the Pasteur Institute of Tunis used for the production of therapeutic serum antiscorpion venom were tested for the presence of antibodies anti-West Nile virus (WNV) during the 2023 outbreak of West Nile disease that affected humans and horses in Tunisia. Of the 20 samples tested in November 2023 by enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay (ELISA), five were positive, leading to a seroprevalence of 25%. Since the number of horses is not substantial, all samples were tested also by virus microneutralization test (MNT) using the Tunisian strain of WNV lineage 1 isolate...
Duaso J, Perez-Ecija A, Navarro A, Martínez E, De Las Heras A, Mendoza FJ.Equine piroplasmosis (EP) is an endemic parasitic disease in southern European countries, such as Spain. Andalusia, the most southwestern region of Europe, is the community with the highest number of registered horses and farms in Spain and one of the main international exporters of Andalusian (Spanish Purebred) horses worldwide. Considering the current expansion of this disease and the possible effect of climate change on its prevalence, studying the EP prevalence in this region is compelling. Molecular (PCR) and serological methods (cELISA and IFAT) were used to study the true and apparent p...
Crisman EC, Furr M, Ramachandran A.To determine the seroprevalence of Francisella tularensis in horses in Oklahoma and to describe factors associated with seropositivity. Unassigned: In this observational study, 238 frozen equine serum samples were tested for F tularensis by microagglutination assay (MAT). Samples were collected from 36 of 77 Oklahoma counties from 2021 through 2023. Exclusion criteria included insufficient sample quantity, cross-reactivity to Brucella abortus, and county outside of Oklahoma. The Fisher exact test was used to compare the proportion of positive tests by year, river basin, and topographic region....
Picanço EMB, Assis FFV, Peleja PL, Sousa ABB, Barrêto Júnior RA, Lima RF, Neves KAL, Minervino AHH.This study aimed to determine the prevalence of antibodies against equine brucellosis in three distinct equid groups (farm animal, urban carthorse, and sport horse) in Western Pará, Brazil, and to identify associated risk factors. A cross-sectional study, involving 75 farms across 14 municipalities, sampled 1069 equids composed of urban carthorses and sport horses. Serum samples were tested for antibodies against spp. using the buffered acidified plate antigen (BAPA) test for screening, followed by the serum agglutination in tubes with 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME) for confirmation. Univariate an...
Firdausy LW, Fikri F, Wicaksono AP, Çalışkan H, Purnama MTE.Equine infectious anemia (EIA) is a lentiviral disease affecting members of the Equidae family, with global distribution and significant implications for animal health and biosecurity. Despite numerous individual reports, a comprehensive synthesis of its global prevalence and risk factors remains lacking. This study aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the global prevalence of EIA, identify diagnostic trends, and evaluate factors associated with heterogeneity across studies. Unassigned: A systematic search was conducted in six major databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web ...
Granella MCS, Mendes RP, da Silva Casa M, Ribeiro GSN, Sangioni LA, Vogel FSF, Braünig P, Ferian PE, Salbego FZ, Schwarz DGG, Fonteque JH.Protozoan Neospora spp. is known to negatively affect horses reared in rural and urban environments, being studied for causing abortion, neonatal mortality and central nervous system disorders in horses. This study aimed to verify the occurrence of anti-Neospora spp. antibodies in horses bred in rural and urban areas from southern Brazil and the risk factors associated with infection. The study consisted of 400 horses, which 241 were bred in rural areas and 159 in urban areas. The detection of serum anti-Neospora spp. antibodies was determined using Immunofluorescence Antibody Test (IFAT). The...
Franco JJ, Gonzálvez M, Cano-Terriza D, Barbero-Moyano J, Jose-Cunilleras E, Alguacil E, García J, García-Bocanegra I.Equine viral arteritis is a notifiable infectious disease with sanitary and economic implications at a global scale. A cross-sectional serosurvey was performed to determine the exposure of equids to the Alphaarterivirus equid [Equine Arteritis Virus (EAV)] in three regions in western Europe. Serum samples from 1425 equids (1196 horses, 104 donkeys, and 125 mules/hinnies) from Catalonia (northeastern Spain), Andalusia (southern Spain) and southeastern United Kingdom (UK) were collected during the period 2011-2023. The overall EAV seroprevalence in EAV-unvaccinated equids was 9.7 % (138/1425; 9...
Elmahallawy EK, Hassan MF, Cano-Terriza D, Albalawi NO, Fajardo T, Gouda AA, Atiba A, Hendawy A, Villena I, Barakat AM, Alzaylaee H, Almería S....Toxoplasmosis, caused by the intracellular protozoan (), continues to be a widespread parasitic zoonotic disease globally. The seroepidemiology of infection in Egyptian equids, particularly donkeys, remains insufficiently explored. The present study was designed to assess the seroprevalence of in equines from Northern Egypt. Unassigned: A total of 360 serum samples from two equine species (157 horses and 203 donkeys) were obtained during 2023. The Modified Agglutination Test (MAT, cut-off of 1:25) was used to screen for the anti- antibodies. The study also analyzed potential risk factors th...
Pádua GT, Tavares MA, de Lima NJ, Paula WVF, Dos Santos GC, Neves LC, Bittencourt RBM, Paludo RLDR, Cardoso ERN, da Silva BBF, Pádua BR....This study sought to investigate the presence of anti- spp. antibodies in georeferenced serum samples from equids across all regions of the state of Goiás, while also presenting variables that indicate risk factors for the circulation of rickettsiae, and evaluating the presence of rickettsial DNA in ticks collected from equids and the surrounding environment in the municipalities of Uruaçu and Porangatu, located in the northern region of the state. A total of 1156 equid serum samples provided by the Goiás Agricultural Defense Agency (Agrodefesa) were analyzed for antibodies against 4 antig...
Streng K, Holicki CM, Hesson JC, Graham H, Chandler F, Krol L, Blom R, Münger E, van der Linden A, Koenraadt CJM, Schrama M, de Saint Lary CB....We report Sindbis virus circulation in the Netherlands based on serologic evidence found in 6 resident wild birds and 3 horses (2021-2022). Tested mosquitoes were molecularly negative, and humans were serologically negative. Veterinarians and health practitioners in the Netherlands should be aware of the importance of surveillance for Sindbis virus.
Martins AS, Romanowski TNA, Campos JS, Vieira RC, Silva TA, Borsanelli AC.Brucellosis is a zoonosis caused by bacteria of Brucella genus, which affects domestic and wild animals and humans. In horses, the infection can be caused by Brucella canis, Brucella suis or Brucella abortus, through the ingestion of contaminated food, contact of bacteria with skin wounds or through the respiratory tract, manifesting with signs such as fistulous withers and reduced performance. The present study aimed to evaluate the seroprevalence of Brucella abortus infection in equids in the state of Goiás. Sampling was carried out on 299 farms across 132 municipalities, with a total of 89...
Yessinou RE, Farougou S, Olopade JO, Oluwayelu DO, Happi A, Happi C, Groschup M.Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a tick-borne zoonotic viral disease prevalent in Africa. While infection is asymptomatic in animals, it can cause severe illness with hemorrhagic manifestations and high mortality rates in humans. This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence and potential risk factors of CCHF in wild (rodents, birds) and domestic (cattle, horses) animals in Benin. A cross-sectional study was carried out from 2022 to 2024 with the assistance of cattle breeders, hunters, farmers and bushmeat sellers in 15 districts found in three agroecological zones in the country. ...
Leishmaniosis is a vector-borne and zoonotic disease with major sanitary implications at global scale. In Europe, Leishmania infantum is the only endemic etiologic agent, which has been previously reported in a wide range of mammal. However, the information about the role of equids in the L. infantum epidemiology is limited. We aimed to assess the seroprevalence and identify potential risk factors associated with L. infantum seropositivity in equine populations across several European countries. A total of 1364 equids, including 1005 horses, 240 donkeys and 119 mules/hinnies from Spain, Italy,...
Talib MT, Nasir A, Kashif M, Rahman A, Rehman AU, Akbar H, Nadeem A, Howe DK, Azam MN.The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of anti-Neospora (N.) caninum and anti-N. hughesi antibodies in horses and to appraise the associated risk factors in the two central districts (Jhang and Toba Tek Singh) of Punjab Province, Pakistan. A total of 300 horse sera were analyzed for the presence of antibodies to Neospora spp. using a competitive ELISA. The overall prevalence of antibodies against Neospora species in horses was 25 % (75/300; 95 % CI 20.1-29.9). The prevalence of antibodies to N. caninum and N. hughesi species was 12.3 % (37/300; 95 % CI 8.6-16) and 19.3 % (5...
Alayil AL, Horwood PF, Gummow B, Picard JA, Joone CJ.Leptospira species are found worldwide, favouring tropical regions, and infect a wide range of animal species. Although renal persistence in infected individuals and excretion in urine is thought to be the primary mechanism of disease transmission, recent reports have suggested that persistence in the reproductive tract may be a feature in certain species, including the horse. The aim of this study was to investigate leptospiral infection, particularly within the reproductive tract, in healthy, non-breeding mares. Serum and endometrial swab samples were collected from 50 mares from the James C...
Jabar Aziz K, Mikaeel FB, Azeez SH, Bilal SJ.Equine neosporosis is an intracellular protozoan disease with a global distribution, affecting a diverse range of warm-blooded animals. Neospora caninum Dubey, Carpenter, Speer, Topper et Uggla, 1988 is associated with foetal loss, neurological disease and abortion in equids. No information was available regarding equine N. caninum infection among equids in Iraq. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the prevalence rate of N. caninum in equines by using a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (c-ELISA). A total of 329 blood samples randomly selected from equines, comprising 268 ...
Sreenivasan CC, Naveed A, Uprety T, Soni S, Jacob O, Adam E, Wang D, Li F.Using metagenomic sequencing we identified equine rotavirus group B (ERVB) of ruminant origin in foal diarrhea outbreaks in the 2021 foaling season. To further investigate ERVB occurrence and determine its environmental stability, we collected mare and foal fecal samples from different farms in Central Kentucky during the 2022 foaling season. The RT-qPCR-based analyses showed that ERVB genome was detected in 16.67 % (42/252) of surveyed mare samples and 26.56 % (34/128) of foal samples. Furthermore, 94.12 % (16/17) of collected soil samples and 100 % (13/13) of water samples obtained f...
Cornell TR, Fye BL, Nyassi E, Ceesay F, Jallow M, Langendonk RF, Wootton DG, Pinchbeck G, Scantlebury CE.Exposure rates to species, the causative agent of equine epizootic lymphangitis (EL), are unknown amongst working equids in The Gambia. The primary aims of this study were to estimate anti- antibody seroprevalence in the equid population in rural The Gambia and to explore risk factors for seropositivity. Unassigned: A nationwide cross-sectional study was conducted (February-July 2022), representing baseline measurements of a longitudinal cohort study. Horses ( 463) and donkeys ( = 92) without EL signs were recruited in 18 study sites. Following informed owner consent, equid clinical and m...
Shams F, Jokar M, Abdous A, Mohammadi P, Abbassioun A, Seuberlich T, Rahmanian V.Neospora spp. and Toxoplasma gondii are two closely related protozoan parasites that are widely distributed throughout the world. Horses can act as intermediate hosts for both parasites and can acquire disease. Blood samples were taken from 487 clinically healthy horses from 17 different mechanized stables in Tehran, the capital of Iran, during September and November of 2022. IFAT and ELISA were employed to detect antibodies directed against Neospora spp. and T. gondii. The anti-N. caninum antibodies were detected in 52 of the horses (10.67%) based on IFAT and in 86 of the 487 horses (17.65%) ...
Mekata H, Yamada K, Umeki K, Yamamoto M, Ochi A, Umekita K, Kobayashi I, Hirai T, Okabayashi T.Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is a fatal zoonosis caused by ticks in East Asia. As SFTS virus (SFTSV) is maintained between wildlife and ticks, seroepidemiological studies in wildlife are important to understand the behavior of SFTSV in the environment. Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan, is an SFTS-endemic area, and approximately 100 feral horses, called Misaki horses (Equus caballus), inhabit Cape Toi in Miyazaki Prefecture. While these animals are managed in a wild-like manner, their ages are ascertainable due to individual identification. In the present study, we conducted a s...
Axt CW, Springer A, Strube C, Jung C, Naucke TJ, Müller E, Schäfer I.Equine piroplasmosis (EP) is caused by (.) and/or (.) . The aim was to assess the percentage of positive test results for EP in horses in Europe and to identify risk factors for pathogen contact/infection. This study included results from PCR and competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay testing requested by European veterinarians between 2008 and 2021. Binary bivariate logistic regression was used to analyze risk factors. A total of 4060 horses were included. PCR testing was positive in 9.7% (154/1589), serology for in 15.2% (393/2591) and for in 6.8% (175/2578). The odds of positive...
Pala S, Martínez-Sáez L, Llobat L, Marín-García PJ.Leishmaniasis and toxoplasmosis are two of the most common parasitic zoonoses. Leishmaniasis is endemic to 98 countries around the world, whereas toxoplasmosis is widely distributed throughout the world, causing significant health expenditure. Horses can play a relevant role in the transmission of the disease, being a silent reservoir, as clinical signs are not common. Serum samples from 166 horses living in eastern Spain (Mediterranean basin) were analysed to determine the presence of antibodies against Leishmania spp. and T. gondii by ELISA (Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay.) The risk facto...
Pusterla N, Lawton K, Barnum S.Adult horses are susceptible to equine coronavirus (ECoV) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), although, only ECoV has been linked to clinical disease. Little information is available regarding the seroprevalence against ECoV and SARS-CoV-2 in adult healthy horses. The goal of the present study was to determine the seroprevalence against two coronaviruses known to infect horses using convenience samples collected from horses recently imported from Europe to the United States from 2019 to 2023. A total of 385 banked serum samples were tested against ECoV and SARS-Co...
Kaps M, Wenderoth J, Aurich J, Aurich C.Equine viral arteritis (EVA) can induce a persistent carrier state in stallions which then shed the virus via semen. About 30 years ago, obligatory EVA testing of stallions used for artificial insemination (AI) was implemented in the European Union. Information on the efficacy of these regulations on the prevalence of EVA in stallions are not yet available. Therefore, we retrospectively analyzed results of serological and virus antigen testing for EVA in sires of different age and breed referred to Vetmeduni Vienna for semen preservation or veterinary diagnostic procedures between 2001 and 202...
Drexler JF, Corman VM, Müller MA, Lukashev AN, Gmyl A, Coutard B, Adam A, Ritz D, Leijten LM, van Riel D, Kallies R, Klose SM, Gloza-Rausch F....Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is among the most relevant causes of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Research is complicated by a lack of accessible small animal models. The systematic investigation of viruses of small mammals could guide efforts to establish such models, while providing insight into viral evolutionary biology. We have assembled the so-far largest collection of small-mammal samples from around the world, qualified to be screened for bloodborne viruses, including sera and organs from 4,770 rodents (41 species); and sera from 2,939 bats (51 species). Three highly divergent...
Sangioni LA, Horta MC, Vianna MC, Gennari SM, Soares RM, Galvão MA, Schumaker TT, Ferreira F, Vidotto O, Labruna MB.We compared the rickettsial infection status of Amblyomma cajennense ticks, humans, dogs, and horses in both Brazilian spotted fever (BSF)-endemic and -nonendemic areas in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Most of the horses and few dogs from BSF-endemic areas had serologic titers against Rickettsia rickettsii antigens. In contrast, no dogs or horses from BSF-nonendemic areas had serologic titers against R. rickettsii antigens, although they were continually exposed to A. cajennense ticks. All human serum samples and ticks from both areas were negative by serologic assay and polymerase chain rea...
Komar N, Clark GG.West Nile virus (Flavivirus: Flaviviridae; WNV) has spread rapidly throughout the Caribbean Basin since its initial detection there in 2001. This report summarizes our current knowledge of WNV transmission in tropical America. Methods: We reviewed the published literature and consulted with key public health officials to obtain unpublished data. Results: West Nile virus infections first appeared in human residents of the Cayman Islands and the Florida Keys in 2001, and in apparently healthy Jamaican birds sampled early in 2002. Serologic evidence of WNV infection in 2002 was detected in horses...
Olson JG, Ksiazek TG, Gubler DJ, Lubis SI, Simanjuntak G, Lee VH, Nalim S, Juslis K, See R.Sera were collected from humans, cattle, horses, goats, ducks, chickens, wild birds, bats and rats in Lombok, Indonesia, and were tested by haemagglutination inhibition (HI) for antibodies to JE, ZIKA, CHIK and RR. Selected sera were tested by microneutralization tests for antibodies to the following viruses: JE, ZIKA, MVE, TMU, LGT, KUN, SEP, DEN-2, CHIK, RR, GET, SIN, BUN, BAT and BAK. Human sera had JE HI antibody in 135 (30%) of 446 tested. Neutralization tests indicated that DEN-2, ZIKA, TMU, KUN and SEP may have caused flavivirus infections. Antibodies to other arboviruses tested for wer...
Nedland H, Wollman J, Sreenivasan C, Quast M, Singrey A, Fawcett L, Christopher-Hennings J, Nelson E, Kaushik RS, Wang D, Li F.Influenza D virus (IDV) is a newly described influenza type of the Orthomyxoviridae virus family that was first isolated from diseased swine in 2011 and has subsequently been detected in cattle around the world in 2014. In addition, serological evidence for IDV infection in humans has been recently established. Despite all the progress, the full range of susceptible hosts for this novel virus has yet to be determined, but includes swine, bovine, small ruminants and human. This study was designed to determine if equine is a possible host to this newly emerging influenza virus. Three hundred and...
Pauvolid-Corrêa A, Campos Z, Juliano R, Velez J, Nogueira RM, Komar N.A recent study reported neutralizing antibodies to West Nile virus (WNV) in horses from four ranches of southern Pantanal. To extend that study, a serosurvey for WNV and 11 Brazilian flaviviruses was conducted with 760 equines, 238 sheep and 61 caimans from 17 local cattle ranches. Among the tested equines, 32 were collected from a ranch where a neurologic disorder outbreak had been recently reported. The sera were initially screened by using a blocking ELISA and then titrated by 90% plaque-reduction neutralization test (PRNT90) for 12 flaviviruses. Employing the criterion of 4-fold greater ti...
Malkinson M, Banet C.Surveys on wild birds conducted during the last two decades in Europe, notably Poland and the Czech Republic, to determine their infection rate with WN virus have revealed endemic foci of infection. Some species of seropositive birds were nonmigrators while others were hatchlings of migrating species. Persistently infected avian reservoirs are potential sources of viruses for mosquitoes that multiply in the temperate European zone in hot, wet summers. In the past, evidence for geographical circulation of WN viruses was based on antigenic analysis of strains from different countries while more ...
Kay BH, Boyd AM, Ryan PA, Hall RA.Host feeding patterns of mosquitoes were assessed through the identification of 865 blood meals collected from Brisbane during 2000-2001. Under natural conditions, mosquito feeding (including that of Culex annulirostris, Aedes vigilax, and Aedes notoscriptus) was primarily on dogs (37.4%), but also on birds (18.4%), horses (16.8%), brushtail possums (13.3%), humans (11.6%), and cats, flying foxes, and macropods, depending on site. From 1997 to 1999, sera (N=1706) were collected from dogs, cats, horses, flying foxes, and brushtail possums in the Brisbane area and were analyzed by microneutraliz...
Venter M, Human S, Zaayman D, Gerdes GH, Williams J, Steyl J, Leman PA, Paweska JT, Setzkorn H, Rous G, Murray S, Parker R, Donnellan C, Swanepoel R.Serologic evidence suggests that West Nile virus (WNV) is widely distributed in horses in southern Africa. However, because few neurologic cases have been reported, endemic lineage 2 strains were postulated to be nonpathogenic in horses. Recent evidence suggests that highly neuroinvasive lineage 2 strains exist in humans and mice. To determine whether neurologic cases are being missed in South Africa, we tested 80 serum or brain specimens from horses with unexplained fever (n = 48) and/or neurologic signs (n = 32) for WNV. From March 2007 through June 2008, using reverse transcription-PCR (RT-...
Horta MC, Labruna MB, Sangioni LA, Vianna MC, Gennari SM, Galvão MA, Mafra CL, Vidotto O, Schumaker TT, Walker DH.In serum samples obtained from all the healthy humans, horses, dogs, and donkeys present on three farms in the Pedreira Municipality, an endemic area for Brazilian spotted fever, an indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) detected antibodies against Rickettsia rickettsii in 17 (77.3%) horses, 5 (31.3%) dogs (titers ranging from 64 to 4,048), and none of 4 donkeys or 50 humans. Five canine and eight equine sera with high antibody titers to R. rickettsii were also tested by IFA against R. bellii, R. akari, and R. africae antigens. Sera from two horses and two dogs that showed similar high antibo...
de la Fuente J, Torina A, Caracappa S, Tumino G, Furlá R, Almazán C, Kocan KM.Although Anaplasma marginale was known to be endemic in Italy, the diversity of Anaplasma spp. from this area have not been characterized. In this study, the prevalence of Anaplasma spp. antibodies in randomly selected farm animals collected on the island of Sicily was determined by use of a MSP5 cELISA for Anaplasma spp. and an immunofluorescence test specific for Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Genetic variation among strains of Anaplasma spp. from animals and ticks was characterized using the A. marginale msp1alpha and the Anaplasma spp. msp4 genes. Eight species of ticks were collected and test...
Bażanów B, Jansen van Vuren P, Szymański P, Stygar D, Frącka A, Twardoń J, Kozdrowski R, Pawęska JT.West Nile virus (WNV) and Usutu virus (USUV) are members of the family Flaviviridae which, natural life cycles involve mosquito-bird-mosquito transmission. Both represent emerging viruses in Europe with potential to cause neuroinvasive disease in humans. This study investigates the seroprevalence of serum neutralizing antibodies to WNV and to USUV in birds and in horses in Poland. Antibodies against WNV and USUV were detected in 5 (35.7%) and in 1 (7.14%) of 14 birds and in 62 (15.08%) and in 115 (27.98%) of 411 horses, respectively. Twenty-one WNV serologically positive horses (33.87%) and 67...
King S, Rajko-Nenow P, Ashby M, Frost L, Carpenter S, Batten C.African horse sickness was confirmed in horses in Thailand during March 2020. The virus was determined to belong to serotype 1 and is phylogenetically closely related to isolates from South Africa. This is the first incidence of African horse sickness occurring in South East Asia and of serotype 1 outside of Africa.
Bosco-Lauth AM, Panella NA, Root JJ, Gidlewski T, Lash RR, Harmon JR, Burkhalter KL, Godsey MS, Savage HM, Nicholson WL, Komar N, Brault AC.Heartland virus (HRTV; Bunyaviridae: Phlebovirus) has recently emerged as a causative agent of human disease characterized by thrombocytopenia and leukopenia in the United States. The lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum L.) has been implicated as a vector. To identify candidate vertebrate amplification hosts associated with enzootic maintenance of the virus, sera and ticks were sampled from 160 mammals (8 species) and 139 birds (26 species) captured near 2 human case residences in Andrew and Nodaway Counties in northwest Missouri. HRTV-specific neutralizing antibodies were identified in north...
Saad MD, Hussein HA, Bashandy MM, Kamel HH, Earhart KC, Fryauff DJ, Younan M, Mohamed AH.Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is an important cause of hepatitis among young Egyptian adults with high seroprevalence rates seen in both rural areas of the Nile Delta and in suburban Cairo. Because natural antibodies to HEV have been detected in animals and zoonotic transmission is postulated, we surveyed work horses in Cairo for evidence of HEV exposure and viremia. Sera from 200 Cairo work horses were tested by ELISA for the presence of IgG anti-HEV antibody revealed a seropositivity of 13%. Among 100 samples processed for detection of viral genome by means of nested polymerase chain reaction (N-P...
Ahmadnejad F, Otarod V, Fallah MH, Lowenski S, Sedighi-Moghaddam R, Zavareh A, Durand B, Lecollinet S, Sabatier P.We report the first large-scale serosurvey for West Nile virus (WNV) conducted in the equine population in Iran. Blood samples were obtained in 2008-2009 from 1054 equines collected from 260 districts located in 27 provinces. The overall seroprevalence rate for WNV neutralizing antibodies was 23·7%. Marked geographical variations were observed as province-specific seroprevalence rates ranged from 1% to 88%, the highest values being observed in the southern and western parts of the country. The presence of IgM-positive animals (n=9) indicated a recent circulation of WNV in several provinces. L...
Barbic L, Vilibic-Cavlek T, Listes E, Stevanovic V, Gjenero-Margan I, Ljubin-Sternak S, Pem-Novosel I, Listes I, Mlinaric-Galinovic G, Di Gennaro A....We report the first serological evidence of Usutu virus (USUV) infection in horses in Croatia. During 2011, 1380 horse serum samples from healthy animals were collected from six northern Croatian counties. All samples were first screened for West Nile virus (WNV) immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Sixty-nine WNV ELISA-reactive samples were further tested for WNV antibodies by a virus neutralization assay (VN assay) and plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT), and USUV by a VN assay and tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) antibodies by PRN...
Pauvolid-Corrêa A, Morales MA, Levis S, Figueiredo LT, Couto-Lima D, Campos Z, Nogueira MF, da Silva EE, Nogueira RM, Schatzmayr HG.Despite evidence of West Nile virus (WNV) activity in Colombia, Venezuela and Argentina, this virus has not been reported in most South American countries. In February 2009, we commenced an investigation for WNV in mosquitoes, horses and caimans from the Pantanal, Central-West Brazil. The sera of 168 horses and 30 caimans were initially tested using a flaviviruses-specific epitope-blocking enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (blocking ELISA) for the detection of flavivirus-reactive antibodies. The seropositive samples were further tested using a plaque-reduction neutralisation test (PRNT90) for ...
Torina A, Vicente J, Alongi A, Scimeca S, Turlá R, Nicosia S, Di Marco V, Caracappa S, de la Fuente J.The objective of this study was to characterize the observed prevalence of tick-borne pathogens (TBP) in domestic animals in Sicily, Italy during 2003-2005. Serological (competitive ELISA and indirect immunofluorescence antibody, n = 3299) and DNA tests (polymerase chain reaction and reverse line blot, n = 2565) were conducted on horse, donkey, cattle, sheep, goat, pig and dog samples. Pathogens analysed included Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, Rickettsia, Babesia and Theileria species, and Coxiella burnetii. The most prevalent TBP were Anaplasma and Babesia species. The results reported herein suggeste...
Blitvich BJ, Fernandez-Salas I, Contreras-Cordero JF, Marlenee NL, Gonzalez-Rojas JI, Komar N, Gubler DJ, Calisher CH, Beaty BJ.Serum samples were obtained from 24 horses in the State of Coahuila, Mexico, in December 2002. Antibodies to West Nile virus were detected by epitope-blocking enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and confirmed by plaque reduction neutralization test in 15 (62.5%) horses. We report the first West Nile virus activity in northern Mexico.
Laus F, Veronesi F, Passamonti F, Paggi E, Cerquetella M, Hyatt D, Tesei B, Fioretti DP.In order to investigate the prevalence of tick-borne diseases, equine piroplasmosis, equine granulocytic anaplasmosis and Lyme borreliosis in Central Italy, blood samples from 300 horses were analyzed for the presence of antibodies against Babesia caballi, Theileria equi, Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Borrelia burgdorferi using the IFAT. The blood samples were also subjected to PCR assays in order to detect pathogen DNA. A total of 78 (26.0%) and 123 (41.0%) horses were found to be seropositive for B. caballi and T. equi, respectively, while 41 (13. 4%) and 21 (7.0%) horses were, respectively,...
Fukunaga Y, Kumanomido T, Kamada M.Getah virus is a member of the genus Alphavirus in the family Togaviridae and has been frequently isolated from mosquitoes. Seroepizootiologic studies indicate that the virus is mosquito-borne and widespread, ranging from Eurasia to southeast and far eastern Asia, the Pacific islands, and Australasia. The natural host animal of the virus was not known until the first recognized occurrence of Getah virus infection among racehorses in two training centers in Japan in 1978. Outbreaks of clinical disease due to Getah virus infection occur infrequently, and only one outbreak has been reported outsi...
Ripoll CM, Remondegui CE, Ordonez G, Arazamendi R, Fusaro H, Hyman MJ, Paddock CD, Zaki SR, Olson JG, Santos-Buch CA.Between November 1993 and March 1994, a cluster 6 pediatric patients with acute febrile illnesses associated with rashes was identified in Jujuy Province, Argentina. Immunohistochemical staining of tissues confirmed spotted fever group rickettsial infection in a patient with fatal disease, and testing of serum of a patient convalescing from the illness by using an indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) demonstrated antibodies reactive with spotted fever group rickettsiae. A serosurvey was conducted among 16 households in proximity to the index case. Of 105 healthy subjects evaluated by IFA, 1...
Vasconcelos PF, Da Rosa JF, Da Rosa AP, Dégallier N, Pinheiro Fde P, Sá Filho GC.An overview of ecological, epidemiological and clinical findings of potential arthropod-borne encephalitis viruses circulating in the Amazon Region of Brazil are discussed. These viruses are the Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), Western Equine Encephalitis (WEE), St. Louis Encephalitis (SLE), Mucambo (MUC) and Pixuna (PIX). These last two are subtypes (III and IV) of Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis virus. The areas of study were the highways and projects of development, as well as places where outbreaks of human diseases caused by arboviruses had been detected. These viruses are widespread in ...
Walter S, Rasche A, Moreira-Soto A, Pfaender S, Bletsa M, Corman VM, Aguilar-Setien A, García-Lacy F, Hans A, Todt D, Schuler G....The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major human pathogen. Genetically related viruses in animals suggest a zoonotic origin of HCV. The closest relative of HCV is found in horses (termed equine hepacivirus [EqHV]). However, low EqHV genetic diversity implies relatively recent acquisition of EqHV by horses, making a derivation of HCV from EqHV unlikely. To unravel the EqHV evolutionary history within equid sister species, we analyzed 829 donkeys and 53 mules sampled in nine European, Asian, African, and American countries by molecular and serologic tools for EqHV infection. Antibodies were found in...
Conner ME, Darlington RW.Fecal samples from 86 foals with diarrhea were examined by electron microscopy during a 2.5 year period. Of these, 26 (30%) were positive for rotavirus. All of the cases were found in epizootic areas. The disease was produced in an experimental foal by inoculation via stomach tube of a bacteria-free fecal filtrate containing rotavirus. Examination of postmortem tissues from the duodenum and jejunum of 2 naturally infected foals and an experimentally infected foal revealed replicating virus in the intestinal epithelial cells. A limited survey of complement-fixing antibody to rotavirus in horses...
Birhanu H, Fikru R, Said M, Kidane W, Gebrehiwot T, Hagos A, Alemu T, Dawit T, Berkvens D, Goddeeris BM, Büscher P.African animal trypanosomosis, transmitted cyclically by tsetse flies or mechanically by other biting flies, causes serious inflictions to livestock health. This study investigates the extent of non-tsetse transmitted animal trypanosomosis (NTTAT) by Trypanosoma (T.) evansi and T. vivax in domestic animals in the tsetse-free regions of Northern Ethiopia, Afar and Tigray. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted on 754 dromedary camels, 493 cattle, 264 goats, 181 sheep, 84 donkeys, 25 horses and 10 mules. The microhaematocrit centrifugation technique was used as parasitological test. Plas...
Zoonoses and public healthDecember 23, 2009
Volume 57, Issue 3 211-219 doi: 10.1111/j.1863-2378.2009.01303.x
Calistri P, Giovannini A, Savini G, Monaco F, Bonfanti L, Ceolin C, Terregino C, Tamba M, Cordioli P, Lelli R.After 10 years, West Nile virus (WNV) re-emerged in Italy in August 2008. As on 31 December 2008, the infection affected eight Provinces in three Regions (Emilia Romagna, Veneto, Lombardy), where a total of 794 cases of WNV infection in 251 equine stables were detected on the basis of the clinical signs and as a result of a serological screening in horses living in the area. Only 4.0% (32/794) of the serologically positive animals showed clinical signs, and the 32 clinical cases were reported in 18 different farms. The observed case-fatality rate was 15.6% (5/32). The confirmed clinical cases ...
