Brazilian donkeys (Equus asinus) have a low exposure to Neospora spp.
Abstract: Donkeys (Equus asinus) are closely related to horses and are known to be infected by several equine pathogens. Neospora caninum and Neospora hughesi are protozoan parasites that infect horses, but they were not confirmed in donkeys up to this date. The aim of this study was to evaluate the exposure of donkeys (Equus asinus) to Neospora spp. using tachyzoites of N. caninum as antigen and employing two common serologic methods, IFAT and immunoblot. Sera from 500 donkeys were obtained from 30 municipalities in Bahia state and tested by IFAT. Two of 500 sera were positive for Neospora spp. by IFAT with antibody titers of 100, and recognized a 37kDa antigen in immunoblot. Approximately 22% of the samples showed strong apical reactions and/or incomplete fluorescence, what may cause confusion in the interpretation of IFAT. We concluded that Neospora spp. are possibly of minor importance for Brazilian donkeys. Future studies are necessary to prove that Neospora spp. can naturally infect donkeys.
Publication Date: 2015-10-09 PubMed ID: 26444065DOI: 10.1590/S1984-29612015057Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research article is about a study evaluating the exposure of Brazilian donkeys to Neospora species, a type of parasite, and concludes that these parasites are possibly of minor importance for these donkeys.
Objective of the Study
- The main goal of this research was to examine the exposure of Brazilian donkeys (Equus asinus) to a protozoan parasite: Neospora spp. This was done using Neospora caninum tachyzoites as the antigen and two common serologic methods, IFAT (Indirect Fluorescent Antibody Test) and immunoblot.
Methods Used
- Samples of sera from 500 donkeys were collected from 30 municipalities in the Bahia state.
- These samples were tested using an IFAT. This common serological method is used to measure the antibody level in the serum against the Neospora spp.
- Immunoblotting was also used. It’s a method employed in molecular biology, biochemistry, and immunogenetics to detect specific proteins in a sample of tissue homogenate or extract.
Results
- Out of the 500 sera samples tested, only two were found to be positive for Neospora spp. by using the IFAT method. The antibody titers were 100, and these antibodies recognized a 37kDa antigen in immunoblotting.
- Around 22% of the tested samples showcased strong apical reactions or imperfect fluorescence, which could potentially lead to confusion when interpreting the results of the IFAT.
Conclusions
- Based on the findings of this study, the researchers concluded that Neospora spp. are likely of little importance for Brazilian donkeys, given the very low exposure rate.
- They suggest further research to confirm whether Neospora spp. can naturally infect donkeys.
Cite This Article
APA
Galvão CM, Rezende-Gondim MM, Chaves AC, Schares G, Ribas JR, Gondim LF.
(2015).
Brazilian donkeys (Equus asinus) have a low exposure to Neospora spp.
Rev Bras Parasitol Vet, 24(3), 340-344.
https://doi.org/10.1590/S1984-29612015057 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Departamento de Anatomia, Patologia e Clínicas, Escola de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, BA, BR.
- Departamento de Anatomia, Patologia e Clínicas, Escola de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, BA, BR.
- Departamento de Anatomia, Patologia e Clínicas, Escola de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, BA, BR.
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Südufer, Greifswald-Insel Riems, DE.
- Agência Estadual de Defesa Agropecuária da Bahia, Salvador, BA, BR.
- Departamento de Anatomia, Patologia e Clínicas, Escola de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, BA, BR.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Antibodies, Protozoan / blood
- Brazil
- Coccidiosis / blood
- Coccidiosis / diagnosis
- Coccidiosis / veterinary
- Equidae / parasitology
- Female
- Male
- Neospora / immunology
- Neospora / physiology
- Seroepidemiologic Studies
- Serologic Tests
Citations
This article has been cited 4 times.- Tirosh-Levy S, Steinman A, Minderigiu A, Arieli O, Savitski I, Fleiderovitz L, Edery N, Schvartz G, Mazuz ML. High Exposure to Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora Spp. in Donkeys in Israel: Serological Survey and Case Reports.. Animals (Basel) 2020 Oct 19;10(10).
- Silva RC, Machado GP. Canine neosporosis: perspectives on pathogenesis and management.. Vet Med (Auckl) 2016;7:59-70.
- Cong W, Nie LB, Qin SY, Wang WL, Qian AD, Meng QF. Prevalence of Neospora spp. in donkeys in China.. Parasite 2018;25:16.
- Alvarado-Esquivel C, Howe DK, Yeargan MR, Alvarado-Esquivel D, Alfredo Zamarripa-Barboza J, Dubey JP. Seroepidemiology of Sarcocystis neurona and Neospora hughesi infections in domestic donkeys (Equus asinus) in Durango, Mexico.. Parasite 2017;24:27.
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