Neospora spp. antibodies in horses from two geographical regions of the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil.

The study was conducted to identify the occurrence of Neospora spp. antibodies in horses from two different geographical regions in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil, and to determine any risk factors associated with the infection.

Objective of Study

• The primary goal of this research was to determine the presence of Neospora spp. antibodies, an indication of an infectious disease in horses, within two distinct geographical locations within the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil.
• The study also sought to identify potential risk factors related to the infection caused by this parasite.

Methodology

• A total of 615 samples were analyzed using the immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT) with a baseline of 1:50 to identify the Neospora spp. IgG antibodies.
• The areas of study included both the mountain region and the coastal region of the state.

Results

• The research found that out of the 615 samples, 25 (representing 4.1%) tested positive for Neospora spp. antibodies, indicating the presence of the infection.
• The titers, or quantity of antibodies in the blood, for Neospora spp. varied: 1:50 (13 samples), 1:100 (eight samples), 1:200 (three samples) and 1:400 (one sample).
• When breaking down the results by location, it was found that from the 311 samples taken from the mountain region, eight were positive (2.6%). Meanwhile, among the 304 samples taken from the coastal region, 17 displayed Neospora spp. antibodies, indicating an occurrence rate of 5.6%.
• Even though the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.06704), the prevalence of the disease in the animals from the coastal region was 2.2 times higher than that in the mountain region.

Risk Factors

• Contact with dogs and/or cattle were identified as risk factors leading to Neospora spp. infection in horses, as determined by the (P = 0.007596) statistic.

Conclusion

• This research highlights the presence of Neospora spp. infection in the horse populations across different areas within the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil. The higher incidence in the coastal region calls for further research to identify additional environmental or behavioral factors that might be contributing to this curious geographical variance.