FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 9000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Home / Equine Research Bank / Parasite / Prevalence of antibodies to Sarcocystis neurona and Neospora...
Parasite (Paris, France)2013; 20; 29; doi: 10.1051/parasite/2013029

Prevalence of antibodies to Sarcocystis neurona and Neospora hughesi in horses from Mexico.

Abstract: Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) is a debilitating disease of horses caused by Sarcocystis neurona and Neospora hughesi. Sera from 495 horses in Durango State, Mexico were tested for anti-protozoal antibodies using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) based on major surface antigens of these two parasites. Antibodies to S. neurona were detected in 240 (48.5%) of the 495 horse sera tested with the rSnSAG2/4/3 trivalent ELISA. Multivariate analysis showed that exposure to S. neurona was associated with age, feeding grains and crops, and small herd size. Antibodies to N. hughesi were found in 15 (3.0%) of the 495 horse sera tested with the rNhSAG1 ELISA and confirmed by Western blot of N. hughesi tachyzoite antigen. This is the first report of S. neurona and N. hughesi exposure in horses in Mexico, and it affirms that EPM should be in the differential diagnosis for horses exhibiting signs of neurologic disease in this country. La myélencéphalite équine à protozoaires (MEP) est une maladie débilitante des chevaux causée par et . Les sérums de 495 chevaux de l’État de Durango, Mexique, ont été testés pour les anticorps anti-protozoaires en utilisant des tests d’immuno-absorption enzymatique (ELISA) basés sur les antigènes de surface majeurs de ces deux parasites. Les anticorps contre ont été détectés dans 240 (48,5 %) des sérums de chevaux testés avec ELISA contre rSnSAG2/4/3 trivalent. L’analyse multivariée a montré que l’exposition à est associée avec l’âge, le nourrissage aux céréales et récoltes, et la taille des hordes. Les anticorps contre ont été trouvés dans 15 (3,0 %) des 495 sérums de chevaux testés avec ELISA contre rNhSAG1 et confirmés par western blot de l’antigène des tachyzoïtes de . Ceci est la première mention d’une exposition à et chez des chevaux au Mexique, et montre que la MEP devrait être incluse dans le diagnostic différentiel des chevaux montrant des signes de maladies neurologiques dans ce pays.
© M.R. Yeargan et al., published by EDP Sciences, 2013.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2013-09-10 PubMed ID: 24016396PubMed Central: PMC3767921DOI: 10.1051/parasite/2013029Google 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.
LinkedInCopy
  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't

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 study focuses on examining the presence of antibodies for Sarcocystis neurona and Neospora hughesi, pathogens causing debilitating horse illnesses, in horses from Mexico. Using blood tests, the researchers discovered antibodies for these pathogens in a significant number of tested horses, indicating a potential health issue among horses in the region.

Organisms Under Study

  • The two main organisms under study in this research are Sarcocystis neurona and Neospora hughesi, both of which are known to cause diseases in horses. Sarcocystis neurona causes Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM), a serious neurological disease in horses.
  • Neospora hughesi is also capable of causing this debilitating disease, though it is less frequently identified as the culprit.

Study Design

  • The study was conducted in Durango State, Mexico, where 495 horses’ sera were tested for anti-protozoal antibodies. The researchers used a method known as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) to detect these antibodies. The ELISAs were based on major surface antigens of S. neurona and N. hughesi.
  • The researchers identified the presence of antibodies to S. neurona in 48.5% of the horse sera tested. This finding indicates a significant exposure to this pathogen among the tested horses.
  • The researchers carried out a multivariate analysis and found the exposure to S. neurona was associated with factors such as the horse’s age, the practice of feeding grains and crops, and smaller herd size.

Key Findings

  • The researchers also identified antibodies to N. hughesi in 3.0% of the horse sera tested, a relatively smaller proportion. These results were confirmed with a different diagnostic method known as Western blot.
  • This study represents the first report of exposure to S. neurona and N. hughesi in horses in Mexico.
  • Given these findings, the researchers suggest that equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) should be considered when diagnosing horses showing signs of neurological disease in Mexico.

Cite This Article

APA
Yeargan MR, Alvarado-Esquivel C, Dubey JP, Howe DK. (2013). Prevalence of antibodies to Sarcocystis neurona and Neospora hughesi in horses from Mexico. Parasite, 20, 29. https://doi.org/10.1051/parasite/2013029

Publication

Parasite (Paris, France)
ISSN: 1776-1042
NlmUniqueID: 9437094
Country: France
Language: English
Volume: 20
Pages: 29
PII: 29

Researcher Affiliations

Yeargan, Michelle R
  • Department of Veterinary Science, M.H. Gluck Equine Research Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40546-0099, USA.
Alvarado-Esquivel, Cosme
    Dubey, Jitender P
      Howe, Daniel K

        MeSH Terms

        • Animal Husbandry
        • Animals
        • Antibodies, Protozoan / blood
        • Coccidiosis / epidemiology
        • Coccidiosis / immunology
        • Coccidiosis / veterinary
        • Encephalomyelitis / epidemiology
        • Encephalomyelitis / parasitology
        • Encephalomyelitis / veterinary
        • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / veterinary
        • Female
        • Horse Diseases / epidemiology
        • Horse Diseases / immunology
        • Horse Diseases / parasitology
        • Horses
        • Male
        • Mexico / epidemiology
        • Neospora / immunology
        • Sarcocystis / immunology
        • Sarcocystosis / epidemiology
        • Sarcocystosis / immunology
        • Sarcocystosis / veterinary
        • Seroepidemiologic Studies

        References

        This article includes 27 references
        1. Alvarado-Esquivel C, Rodríguez-Peña S, Villena I, Dubey JP. Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in domestic horses in Durango State, Mexico.. J Parasitol 2012 Oct;98(5):944-5.
          pubmed: 22559329doi: 10.1645/ge-3174.1google scholar: lookup
        2. Bártová E, Sedlák K, Syrová M, Literák I. Neospora spp. and Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in horses in the Czech Republic.. Parasitol Res 2010 Sep;107(4):783-5.
          pubmed: 20532561doi: 10.1007/s00436-010-1929-4google scholar: lookup
        3. Bentz BG, Granstrom DE, Stamper S. Seroprevalence of antibodies to Sarcocystis neurona in horses residing in a county of southeastern Pennsylvania.. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1997 Feb 15;210(4):517-8.
          pubmed: 9040838
        4. Bentz BG, Ealey KA, Morrow J, Claypool PL, Saliki JT. Seroprevalence of antibodies to Sarcocystis neurona in equids residing in Oklahoma.. J Vet Diagn Invest 2003 Nov;15(6):597-600.
          pubmed: 14667028doi: 10.1177/104063870301500617google scholar: lookup
        5. Blythe LL, Granstrom DE, Hansen DE, Walker LL, Bartlett J, Stamper S. Seroprevalence of antibodies to Sarcocystis neurona in horses residing in Oregon.. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1997 Feb 15;210(4):525-7.
          pubmed: 9040840
        6. Cheadle MA, Lindsay DS, Rowe S, Dykstra CC, Williams MA, Spencer JA, Toivio-Kinnucan MA, Lenz SD, Newton JC, Rolsma MD, Blagburn BL. Prevalence of antibodies to Neospora sp. in horses from Alabama and characterisation of an isolate recovered from a naturally infected horse [corrected].. Int J Parasitol 1999 Oct;29(10):1537-43.
          pubmed: 10608440doi: 10.1016/s0020-7519(99)00140-xgoogle scholar: lookup
        7. Dangoudoubiyam S, Oliveira JB, Víquez C, Gómez-García A, González O, Romero JJ, Kwok OC, Dubey JP, Howe DK. Detection of antibodies against Sarcocystis neurona, Neospora spp., and Toxoplasma gondii in horses from Costa Rica.. J Parasitol 2011 Jun;97(3):522-4.
          pubmed: 21506839doi: 10.1645/ge-2722.1google scholar: lookup
        8. Duarte PC, Conrad PA, Wilson WD, Ferraro GL, Packham AE, Bowers-Lepore J, Carpenter TE, Gardner IA. Risk of postnatal exposure to Sarcocystis neurona and Neospora hughesi in horses.. Am J Vet Res 2004 Aug;65(8):1047-52.
          pubmed: 15334837doi: 10.2460/ajvr.2004.65.1047google scholar: lookup
        9. Dubey JP, Kerber CE, Granstrom DE. Serologic prevalence of Sarcocystis neurona, Toxoplasma gondii, and Neospora caninum in horses in Brazil.. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1999 Oct 1;215(7):970-2.
          pubmed: 10511862
        10. Dubey JP, Venturini MC, Venturini L, McKinney J, Pecoraro M. Prevalence of antibodies to Sarcocystis neurona, Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum in horses from Argentina.. Vet Parasitol 1999 Sep 15;86(1):59-62.
          pubmed: 10489203doi: 10.1016/s0304-4017(99)00127-2google scholar: lookup
        11. Dubey JP, Lindsay DS, Kerber CE, Kasai N, Pena HF, Gennari SM, Kwok OC, Shen SK, Rosenthal BM. First isolation of Sarcocystis neurona from the South American opossum, Didelphis albiventris, from Brazil.. Vet Parasitol 2001 Feb 26;95(2-4):295-304.
          pubmed: 11223209doi: 10.1016/s0304-4017(00)00395-2google scholar: lookup
        12. Dubey JP, Mitchell SM, Morrow JK, Rhyan JC, Stewart LM, Granstrom DE, Romand S, Thulliez P, Saville WJ, Lindsay DS. Prevalence of antibodies to Neospora caninum, Sarcocystis neurona, and Toxoplasma gondii in wild horses from central Wyoming.. J Parasitol 2003 Aug;89(4):716-20.
          pubmed: 14533680doi: 10.1645/ge-66rgoogle scholar: lookup
        13. Fenger CK, Granstrom DE, Langemeier JL, Stamper S, Donahue JM, Patterson JS, Gajadhar AA, Marteniuk JV, Xiaomin Z, Dubey JP. Identification of opossums (Didelphis virginiana) as the putative definitive host of Sarcocystis neurona.. J Parasitol 1995 Dec;81(6):916-9.
          pubmed: 8544064
        14. Fenger CK, Granstrom DE, Gajadhar AA, Williams NM, McCrillis SA, Stamper S, Langemeier JL, Dubey JP. Experimental induction of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis in horses using Sarcocystis sp. sporocysts from the opossum (Didelphis virginiana).. Vet Parasitol 1997 Feb;68(3):199-213.
          pubmed: 9066066doi: 10.1016/s0304-4017(96)01112-0google scholar: lookup
        15. Gupta GD, Lakritz J, Kim JH, Kim DY, Kim JK, Marsh AE. Seroprevalence of Neospora, Toxoplasma gondii and Sarcocystis neurona antibodies in horses from Jeju island, South Korea.. Vet Parasitol 2002 Jun 26;106(3):193-201.
          pubmed: 12062508doi: 10.1016/s0304-4017(02)00064-xgoogle scholar: lookup
        16. Hoane JS, Yeargan MR, Stamper S, Saville WJ, Morrow JK, Lindsay DS, Howe DK. Recombinant NhSAG1 ELISA: a sensitive and specific assay for detecting antibodies against Neospora hughesi in equine serum.. J Parasitol 2005 Apr;91(2):446-52.
          pubmed: 15986623doi: 10.1645/ge-395rgoogle scholar: lookup
        17. Hoane JS, Gennari SM, Dubey JP, Ribeiro MG, Borges AS, Yai LE, Aguiar DM, Cavalcante GT, Bonesi GL, Howe DK. Prevalence of Sarcocystis neurona and Neospora spp. infection in horses from Brazil based on presence of serum antibodies to parasite surface antigen.. Vet Parasitol 2006 Mar 15;136(2):155-9.
          pubmed: 16310955doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2005.10.023google scholar: lookup
        18. Marsh AE, Howe DK, Wang G, Barr BC, Cannon N, Conrad PA. Differentiation of Neospora hughesi from Neospora caninum based on their immunodominant surface antigen, SAG1 and SRS2.. Int J Parasitol 1999 Oct;29(10):1575-82.
          pubmed: 10608444doi: 10.1016/s0020-7519(99)00120-4google scholar: lookup
        19. NAHMS 2001. Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM) in the U.S., USDA, APHIS, VS, Editors Fort Collins, CO: Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Health
        20. Pitel PH, Pronost S, Romand S, Thulliez P, Fortier G, Ballet JJ. Prevalence of antibodies to Neospora caninum in horses in France.. Equine Vet J 2001 Mar;33(2):205-7.
          pubmed: 11266072doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.2001.tb00602.xgoogle scholar: lookup
        21. Rossano MG, Kaneene JB, Marteniuk JV, Banks BD, Schott HC, Mansfield LS. The seroprevalence of antibodies to Sarcocystis neurona in Michigan equids.. Prev Vet Med 2001 Jan 29;48(2):113-28.
          pubmed: 11154784doi: 10.1016/s0167-5877(00)00190-2google scholar: lookup
        22. Saville WJ, Reed SM, Granstrom DE, Hinchcliff KW, Kohn CW, Wittum TE, Stamper S. Seroprevalence of antibodies to Sarcocystis neurona in horses residing in Ohio.. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1997 Feb 15;210(4):519-24.
          pubmed: 9040839
        23. Tillotson K, McCue PM, Granstrom DE, Dargatz DA, Smith MO, Traub-Dargatz JL. Seroprevalence of antibodies to Sarcocystis neurona in horses residing in northern Colorado. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 1999;19(2):122–126.
        24. Vardeleon D, Marsh AE, Thorne JG, Loch W, Young R, Johnson PJ. Prevalence of Neospora hughesi and Sarcocystis neurona antibodies in horses from various geographical locations.. Vet Parasitol 2001 Feb 26;95(2-4):273-82.
          pubmed: 11223207doi: 10.1016/s0304-4017(00)00393-9google scholar: lookup
        25. Villalobos EM, Furman KE, Lara Mdo C, Cunha EM, Finger MA, Busch AP, de Barros Filho IR, Deconto I, Dornbusch PT, Biondo AW. Detection of Neospora sp. antibodies in cart horses from urban areas of Curitiba, Southern Brazil.. Rev Bras Parasitol Vet 2012 Jan-Mar;21(1):68-70.
          pubmed: 22534949doi: 10.1590/s1984-29612012000100014google scholar: lookup
        26. Wright PF, Nilsson E, Van Rooij EM, Lelenta M, Jeggo MH. Standardisation and validation of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay techniques for the detection of antibody in infectious disease diagnosis.. Rev Sci Tech 1993 Jun;12(2):435-50.
          pubmed: 8400384doi: 10.20506/rst.12.2.691google scholar: lookup
        27. Yeargan MR, Howe DK. Improved detection of equine antibodies against Sarcocystis neurona using polyvalent ELISAs based on the parasite SnSAG surface antigens.. Vet Parasitol 2011 Feb 28;176(1):16-22.
          pubmed: 21075532doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2010.10.034google scholar: lookup

        Citations

        This article has been cited 2 times.
        1. 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.
          doi: 10.1051/parasite/2017030pubmed: 28730993google scholar: lookup
        2. Dubey JP, Howe DK, Furr M, Saville WJ, Marsh AE, Reed SM, Grigg ME. An update on Sarcocystis neurona infections in animals and equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM).. Vet Parasitol 2015 Apr 15;209(1-2):1-42.
          doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2015.01.026pubmed: 25737052google scholar: lookup
        Subscribe to our newsletter
        Join 99,344 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.