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Veterinary parasitology, regional studies and reports2020; 20; 100391; doi: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2020.100391

Serological survey of Neospora spp. and Besnoitia spp. in horses in Portugal.

Abstract: Equine neosporosis is regarded to be caused either by Neospora hughesi or Neospora caninum and equine besnoitiosis is caused by Besnoitia bennetti, both of which are apicomplexan parasites. N. caninum is the only known Neospora species in Europe, where equine N. caninum infections have been reported as being associated to abortion and reproductive failure. N. hughesi is prevalent in North America and was predominantly linked to neurological disorders. B. bennetti is considered an emergent disease in donkeys in North America and evidence for B. bennetti infection was recently reported in Europe. Though N. caninum and Besnoitia besnoiti are prevalent in cattle in Portugal, little is known about neosporosis in horses and, to the best of our knowledge, no information was hitherto available for Besnoitia spp. The aim of this study was thus to carry out a serological survey to determine the seroprevalence of these parasites in naturally exposed horses in Portugal. A total of 385 animals were screened by the Indirect Fluorescent Antibody Test at the cut-off value 1:50 and positive results were confirmed by Western blot. Exposure to Neospora spp. and Besnoitia spp. was confirmed in 9.1% (95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 6.6-12.4%) and 0.3% (95% CI: 0.0-1.5%) of horses, respectively. Considering the putative economic and animal health impact of neosporosis in horses and the consequences of a possible spread of equine besnoitiosis in Europe and elsewhere, more comprehensive studies are needed to characterize the species detected in serological surveys, evaluate the geographical distribution and assess possible risk factors that could favor transmission.
Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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Publication Date: 2020-02-21 PubMed ID: 32448546DOI: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2020.100391Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

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The research paper investigates the prevalence of Neospora and Besnoitia – two parasite species causing disorders in horses – in Portugal by conducting a serological survey on 385 horses. The study revealed that 9.1% of these horses exhibited exposure to the Neospora species, while 0.3% exhibited to Besnoitia species.

Introduction

  • The organisms causing neosporosis in horses are either Neospora hughesi or Neospora caninum, while Besnoitia bennetti causes besnoitiosis. These organisms are apicomplexan parasites.
  • In Europe, only Neospora caninum species is known, and it has been associated with abortion and reproductive failures in horses.
  • N. hughesi predominates in North America and is primarily associated with neurological disorders.
  • B. bennetti, an emergent disease causing agent in donkeys in North America, has also been recently noted in Europe.
  • There is scant information about neosporosis in horses in Portugal, and no existing information about the presence of Besnoitia species.

Methodology

  • The aim of the study was to survey and establish the seroprevalence of these parasites in naturally exposed horses within Portugal.
  • A total of 385 horses were screened using the Indirect Fluorescent Antibody Test (IFAT), with a cut-off value of 1:50.
  • Any positive results were further confirmed by Western blot, a widely accepted analytical technique used to detect specific proteins in a sample of tissue homogenate or extract.

Results

  • The serological survey revealed that 9.1% of the horses (with a 6.6-12.4% 95% Confidence Interval [CI]) had exposure to Neospora species.
  • On the other hand, 0.3% (with a 95% CI of 0.0-1.5%) had exposure to Besnoitia species.

Implications and Future Research

  • The economic and health impacts of neosporosis in horses could be significant, as could the potential spread of equine besnoitiosis in Europe and other areas.
  • The authors recommend more comprehensive studies to characterize the species detected in the serological surveys.
  • They also suggest it would be useful to evaluate the geographical distribution of these parasites and identify any risk factors that could enable their spread.

Cite This Article

APA
Waap H, Volkart de Oliveira U, Nunes T, Gomes J, Gomes T, Bärwald A, Dias Munhoz A, Schares G. (2020). Serological survey of Neospora spp. and Besnoitia spp. in horses in Portugal. Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports, 20, 100391. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vprsr.2020.100391

Publication

Veterinary parasitology, regional studies and reports
ISSN: 2405-9390
NlmUniqueID: 101680410
Country: Netherlands
Language: English
Volume: 20
Pages: 100391
PII: S2405-9390(19)30163-7

Researcher Affiliations

Waap, Helga
  • Laboratório de Parasitologia, Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária, Av. da República, Quinta do Marquês 2780-157, Oeiras, Portugal; CIISA, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida da Universidade Técnica 1300-477, Lisboa, Portugal. Electronic address: helga.waap@iniav.pt.
Volkart de Oliveira, Uillians
  • Departamento de Ciências Agrárias e Ambientais, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, 45662-900 Ilhéus, BA, Brazil; Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Aplicadas, Santo Antônio Monte, Itamaraju 45836-000, BA, Brazil.
Nunes, Telmo
  • CIISA, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida da Universidade Técnica 1300-477, Lisboa, Portugal. Electronic address: tnunes@fmv.ulisboa.pt.
Gomes, Jacinto
  • Laboratório de Parasitologia, Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária, Av. da República, Quinta do Marquês 2780-157, Oeiras, Portugal; CIISA, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida da Universidade Técnica 1300-477, Lisboa, Portugal. Electronic address: jacinto.gomes@iniav.pt.
Gomes, Tiago
  • Escola Profissional de Desenvolvimento Rural de Serpa, Herdade da Bemposta 7830-909, Serpa, Portugal.
Bärwald, Andrea
  • Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Institute of Epidemiology, 17493 Greifswald, Insel Riems, Germany. Electronic address: andrea.baerwald@fli.de.
Dias Munhoz, Alexandre
  • Departamento de Ciências Agrárias e Ambientais, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, 45662-900 Ilhéus, BA, Brazil. Electronic address: munhoz@uesc.br.
Schares, Gereon
  • Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Institute of Epidemiology, 17493 Greifswald, Insel Riems, Germany. Electronic address: gereon.schares@fli.de.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Coccidiosis / epidemiology
  • Coccidiosis / parasitology
  • Coccidiosis / veterinary
  • Female
  • Horse Diseases / epidemiology
  • Horse Diseases / parasitology
  • Horses
  • Male
  • Neospora / isolation & purification
  • Portugal / epidemiology
  • Prevalence
  • Sarcocystidae / isolation & purification
  • Seroepidemiologic Studies

Conflict of Interest Statement

Declaration of Competing Interest None.

Citations

This article has been cited 8 times.
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  4. Waap H, Bärwald A, Nunes T, Schares G. Seroprevalence and Risk Factors for Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum in Cattle in Portugal. Animals (Basel) 2022 Aug 15;12(16).
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