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Prevalence of antibodies to Neospora caninum, Sarcocystis neurona, and Toxoplasma gondii in wild horses from central Wyoming.
Abstract: Sarcocystis neurona, Neospora caninum, N. hughesi, and Toxoplasma gondii are 4 related coccidians considered to be associated with encephalomyelitis in horses. The source of infection for N. hughesi is unknown, whereas opossums, dogs, and cats are the definitive hosts for S. neurona, N. caninum, and T. gondii, respectively. Seroprevalence of these coccidians in 276 wild horses from central Wyoming outside the known range of the opossum (Didelphis virginiana) was determined. Antibodies to T. gondii were found only in 1 of 276 horses tested with the modified agglutination test using 1:25, 1:50, and 1:500 dilutions. Antibodies to N. caninum were found in 86 (31.1%) of the 276 horses tested with the Neospora agglutination test--the titers were 1:25 in 38 horses, 1:50 in 15, 1:100 in 9, 1:200 in 8, 1:400 in 4, 1:800 in 2, 1:1,600 in 2, 1:3,200 in 2, and 1:12,800 in 1. Antibodies to S. neurona were assessed with the serum immunoblot; of 276 horses tested, 18 had antibodies considered specific for S. neurona. Antibodies to S. neurona also were assessed with the S. neurona direct agglutination test (SAT). Thirty-nine of 265 horses tested had SAT antibodies--in titers of 1:50 in 26 horses and 1:100 in 13. The presence of S. neurona antibodies in horses in central Wyoming suggests that either there is cross-reactivity between S. neurona and some other infection or a definitive host other than opossum is the source of infection. In a retrospective study, S. neurona antibodies were not found by immunoblot in the sera of 243 horses from western Canada outside the range of D. virginiana.
Publication Date: 2003-10-10 PubMed ID: 14533680DOI: 10.1645/GE-66RGoogle Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
Summary
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The research article primarily focuses on the investigation of antibodies prevalence in wild horses towards four kinds of coccidians parasites – Sarcocystis neurona, Neospora caninum, N. hughesi, and Toxoplasma gondii, are potentially associated with encephalomyelitis in horses.
Objective and Methodology of the Research
- From central Wyoming outside opossum’s range (Didelphis virginiana), researchers investigated 276 wild horses for the prevalence of antibodies for T. gondii, N. caninum, and S. neurona in horses’ bloodstream.
- Investigation Technique: The detection of antibodies was carried out by Modified Agglutination Test for T. gondii and Neospora Agglutination test for N. caninum and Serum Immunoblot and S. neurona direct Agglutination Test (SAT) for S. neurona.
Key Findings of the Research
- For T. gondii, antibodies were detected only in 1 out of 276 horses with dilutions of 1:25, 1:50, and 1:500.
- For N. caninum, antibodies were found in 86 (31.1%) of the 276 horses with various titers- maximum at 1:25 and minimum at 1:12,800.
- For S. neurona, antibodies were detected in 18 horses by Serum Immunoblot and in 39 horses by using the S. neurona direct Agglutination Test (SAT) with varying titers- maximum at 1:50 and minimum at 1:100.
- Further investigation suggested that the detected S. neurona antibodies in horses indicates either cross-reactivity with another infection or the source of infection being a definitive host other than opossum as prescibed in the existing theories.
Retrospective Study Outcomes
- A retrospective study on sera from 243 horses in western Canada (outside D. virginiana’s range), no S. neurona antibodies were detected with Immunoblot.
- This finding further reinforces the doubts regarding the association of S. neurona infection and opossums and hints towards the possibility of other definitive hosts or cross-reacting infections.
Cite This Article
APA
Dubey JP, Mitchell SM, Morrow JK, Rhyan JC, Stewart LM, Granstrom DE, Romand S, Thulliez P, Saville WJ, Lindsay DS.
(2003).
Prevalence of antibodies to Neospora caninum, Sarcocystis neurona, and Toxoplasma gondii in wild horses from central Wyoming.
J Parasitol, 89(4), 716-720.
https://doi.org/10.1645/GE-66R Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Animal and Natural Resources Institute, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Building 1001, Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2350, USA. jdubey@anri.barc.usda.gov
MeSH Terms
- Agglutination Tests / veterinary
- Animals
- Antibodies, Protozoan / blood
- Coccidiosis / epidemiology
- Coccidiosis / veterinary
- Female
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / immunology
- Horses
- Male
- Manitoba / epidemiology
- Neospora / immunology
- Sarcocystis / immunology
- Sarcocystosis / epidemiology
- Sarcocystosis / veterinary
- Saskatchewan / epidemiology
- Seroepidemiologic Studies
- Toxoplasma / immunology
- Toxoplasmosis, Animal / epidemiology
- Wyoming / epidemiology
Citations
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