Serological investigation of transplacental infection with Neospora hughesi and Sarcocystis neurona in broodmares.

The research explores the transplacental transmission of Neospora hughesi and Sarcocystis neurona from infected mare horses to their foals. It found that there may be higher likelihood of transmission for Neospora hughesi than Sarcocystis neurona.

Research Objective and Methodology

• The study’s primary objective was to assess the possibility of transplacental transmission of Neospora hughesi and Sarcocystis neurona in foals born from mares tested positive for these infections.
• Three broodmares with a persisting infection of N. hughesi were observed. Over seven years, these mares gave birth to eight healthy foals.
• The researchers used an indirect fluorescence antibody test (IFAT) to measure the antibodies before the foals had their first feed of colostrum.
• At a separate farm, the researchers studied 174 foals born to mares with a high prevalence of S. neurona antibodies.

Research Findings

• The eight foals born from N. hughesi positive mares all tested seropositive prior to their first ingestion of colostrum with antibody titers ranging between 640 and 20,480.
• Out of the 174 foals born to mares with a high prevalence of S. neurona antibodies, only one tested seropositive with a pre-colostrum antibody titer of 80.

Conclusions

• The results suggest a noteworthy occurrence of transplacental transmission of N. hughesi from mares that have a persistent infection to their foals.
• Conversely, for S. neurona, the study indicates that transplacental transmission does not seem to commonly occur.

This research is significant as it sheds light on the routes of transmission of these infections, thereby aiding in the development of practices that could prevent such transmissions.