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Veterinary parasitology2010; 170(1-2); 170-175; doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2010.02.004

A seroepidemiological study of exposure to Toxoplasma, Leishmania, Echinococcus and Trichinella in equids in Greece and analysis of risk factors.

Abstract: The role of horses in the transmission of parasitic zoonoses either as a source of infection to vectors or through contamination of definitive hosts is gaining importance worldwide. For this reason sera from 773 equids including 753 horses, 13 mules and seven ponies in four regions of Greece were investigated by ELISA for the presence of IgG antibodies against Toxoplasma, Leishmania, Echinococcus and Trichinella. Anti-Toxoplasma antibodies were detected in all regions with an overall prevalence of 1.8%. In contrast, antibodies to Leishmania, Echinococcus, and Trichinella were present only in horses from the equestrian centre located in Attica region, but the status of Trichinella could not be confirmed. The seroprevalence of infection was 0.3% for Leishmania, 0.1% for Echinococcus and 0.1% for Trichinella. Only one horse was positive with a mixed infection of Toxoplasma, Leishmania and Trichinella. The following host characteristics were investigated for any significant effects on the prevalence of Toxoplasma infection: gender, age, species, origin of birth, activity, and location. The type of activity (p<0.05) and location (p<0.01) of the animals were found to be significant risk factors for Toxoplasma infection. The relative risk (RR) for Toxoplasma infection comparing the regions of Peloponnese and Thessaly to Attica were 6.92 and 6.78, respectively. Due to the very low prevalence of Echinococcus, Leishmania, and Trichinella infections, the associated risk factors were not analysed. The low seroprevalences observed suggest that the risk of infection from equids to people is very low, especially when consumption of horse meat is uncommon in this country.
(c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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Publication Date: 2010-02-12 PubMed ID: 20197215DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2010.02.004Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research explores the role of horses in transferring specific parasitic diseases by testing for anti-bodies of such diseases in several regions of Greece. It concluded that risk of transmission from horses to humans through meat consumption is very low due to the small number of equine population carrying these diseases.

Research Overview

  • To determine the role of equids, specifically horses, in the transmission of certain parasitic zoonotic diseases, a total of 773 equid samples were collected from four regions in Greece. These samples were tested using a method called ELISA for the presence of antibodies for four parasitic diseases: Toxoplasma, Leishmania, Echinococcus and Trichinella.
  • The specific demographic attributes of the horses that were examined included their gender, age, species, birth origin, activity, and location. This was to identify any potential risk factors for Toxoplasma infection.
  • The study detected the presence of antibodies for Toxoplasma in all regions of Greece, at an overall prevalence rate of 1.8%. Antibodies for the other three diseases were only found in horses from one specific region, Attica, with very low prevalence rates of 0.3% for Leishmania, and 0.1% each for Echinococcus and Trichinella.

Significant Findings

  • The analysis found that the activity and location of the horses were significant risk factors for Toxoplasma infection. Horses in the regions of Peloponnese and Thessaly were at an about seven times higher risk of infection compared to those in Attica.
  • Only one horse was found to have a mixed infection of Toxoplasma, Leishmania, and Trichinella.

Implications of the Research

  • Due to the very low prevalence of antibodies for three out of the four diseases tested in the equid population, the researchers did not analyze the potential risk factors for Echinococcus, Leishmania, and Trichinella infections.
  • The study concludes that because of these low prevalence rates, the risk of these diseases being transmitted from horses to humans through meat consumption is very low. This conclusion is particularly relevant for Greece where horse meat consumption is not common.

Cite This Article

APA
Kouam MK, Diakou A, Kanzoura V, Papadopoulos E, Gajadhar AA, Theodoropoulos G. (2010). A seroepidemiological study of exposure to Toxoplasma, Leishmania, Echinococcus and Trichinella in equids in Greece and analysis of risk factors. Vet Parasitol, 170(1-2), 170-175. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2010.02.004

Publication

Veterinary parasitology
ISSN: 1873-2550
NlmUniqueID: 7602745
Country: Netherlands
Language: English
Volume: 170
Issue: 1-2
Pages: 170-175

Researcher Affiliations

Kouam, Marc K
  • Department of Anatomy and Physiology of Farm Animals, Faculty of Animal Science and Hydrobiology, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos, Votanikos, Athens 11855, Greece.
Diakou, Anastasia
    Kanzoura, Vaia
      Papadopoulos, Elias
        Gajadhar, Alvin A
          Theodoropoulos, Georgios

            MeSH Terms

            • Animals
            • Antibodies, Helminth / blood
            • Antibodies, Protozoan / blood
            • Echinococcus / isolation & purification
            • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / veterinary
            • Greece
            • Horse Diseases / epidemiology
            • Horse Diseases / parasitology
            • Horses
            • Leishmania / isolation & purification
            • Parasitic Diseases, Animal / epidemiology
            • Parasitic Diseases, Animal / parasitology
            • Risk Factors
            • Seroepidemiologic Studies
            • Toxoplasma / isolation & purification
            • Trichinella / isolation & purification

            Citations

            This article has been cited 26 times.
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