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Home / Equine Research Bank / Korean J Parasitol / Seroprevalence and Potential Risk Factors Associated with Ne...
The Korean journal of parasitology2015; 53(2); 163-167; doi: 10.3347/kjp.2015.53.2.163

Seroprevalence and Potential Risk Factors Associated with Neospora spp. Infection among Asymptomatic Horses in Jordan.

Abstract: This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence and to identify risk factors associated with Neospora spp. infection in horses in Jordan. Management related data were collected from each farm and individual horses. Sera from 227 horses from 5 of 6 climatic regions in Jordan were analyzed for the presence of antibodies to Neospora spp. by ELISA kit. The study was performed during spring of 2010. The association between seropositivity and risk factors was analyzed. A total of 7 (3%) of 227 sera had antibodies for Neospora spp. There was a significant regional difference (P=0.018) between the 5 climatic regions. Positive cases were located in Amman and Irbid, while the other regions (Zarqa, Jordan Valley, and Wadi Mousa) had zero prevalence. The use of anthelmintics at least once a year resulted in a significant reduction of the seroprevalence to Neospora spp. (1.6% vs 9.8%). However, this might be a phenomenon by chance and a better hygiene since owners can invest in anthelmintics. Other risk factors such as age, gender, breed, usage, body condition score, grazing, presence of other animals mixed with the horses in the same property, and a history of previous diseases were not significantly associated with the seroprevalence to Neospora spp. infection. This is the first study to report on the presence of Neospora seropositive horses in Jordan. Further studies are warranted to better understand the role of certain risk factors in the transmission of Neospora spp. among horse population and to determine which Neospora spp. are responsible for the infection.
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Publication Date: 2015-04-22 PubMed ID: 25925174PubMed Central: PMC4416377DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2015.53.2.163Google Scholar: Lookup
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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 was aimed at determining the prevalence and identifying risk factors related to the infection of Neospora spp., a type of parasitic protozoa, in horses in Jordan. The results indicated an overall low prevalence, with variations across different climatic regions, and a significant reduction in the seroprevalence due to yearly use of anthelmintics.

Study Design and Data Collection

  • The researchers collected data related to the management of horses from different farms. They included a variety of factors such as the use of anthelmintics, the presence of other animals in close proximity, and the history of previous diseases.
  • This data was then associated with the presence of Neospora spp. infection in these horses.
  • In total, sera from 227 horses from five out of six climatic regions in Jordan were analyzed using an ELISA kit (an enzyme immunoassay used to detect antibodies in the blood).

Prevalence and Risk Factors

  • The results showed that 7 out of 227 horses (3%) had antibodies for Neospora spp., indicating that they had been exposed to this parasite.
  • The prevalence varied significantly across the different climatic regions (P=0.018). Cases were found in Amman and Irbid, whereas in the other three regions tested, no cases were recorded.
  • Among all the factors studied, yearly usage of anthelmintics showed a significant reduction in the seroprevalence of Neospora spp., with a decrease from 9.8% to 1.6%.
  • However, the authors noted that this reduction might be due to better hygiene and care practices, or due to chance.
  • No other risk factors, including age, gender, breed, body condition, presence of other animals, and disease history, were found to have a significant association with the infection.

Implications and Recommendations

  • This was the first study of its kind in Jordan, highlighting the presence of Neospora spp. in horses in the region.
  • The study provides critical insights into the varying prevalence of this parasitic infection across different climatic regions in Jordan and suggests a potential role of anthelmintics in reducing this prevalence.
  • The authors recommend further research to better understand the role of various risk factors in the transmission of Neospora spp. among the horse population and to determine the specific Neospora spp. responsible for the infection.

Cite This Article

APA
Talafha AQ, Abutarbush SM, Rutley DL. (2015). Seroprevalence and Potential Risk Factors Associated with Neospora spp. Infection among Asymptomatic Horses in Jordan. Korean J Parasitol, 53(2), 163-167. https://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2015.53.2.163

Publication

The Korean journal of parasitology
ISSN: 1738-0006
NlmUniqueID: 9435800
Country: Korea (South)
Language: English
Volume: 53
Issue: 2
Pages: 163-167

Researcher Affiliations

Talafha, Abdelsalam Q
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan.
Abutarbush, Sameeh M
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan.
Rutley, David L
  • School of Animal and Veterinary Science, The University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Protozoan / blood
  • Asymptomatic Diseases / epidemiology
  • Coccidiosis / blood
  • Coccidiosis / epidemiology
  • Coccidiosis / veterinary
  • Female
  • Horse Diseases / blood
  • Horse Diseases / epidemiology
  • Horse Diseases / parasitology
  • Horses
  • Jordan / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Neospora / immunology
  • Neospora / physiology
  • Seroepidemiologic Studies

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Citations

This article has been cited 4 times.
  1. Mimoun L, Steinman A, Kliachko Y, Tirosh-Levy S, Schvartz G, Blinder E, Baneth G, Mazuz ML. Neospora spp. Seroprevalence and Risk Factors for Seropositivity in Apparently Healthy Horses and Pregnant Mares. Animals (Basel) 2022 Oct 7;12(19).
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  2. Tirosh-Levy S, Steinman A, Minderigiu A, Arieli O, Savitski I, Fleiderovitz L, Edery N, Schvartz G, Mazuz ML. High Exposure to Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora Spp. in Donkeys in Israel: Serological Survey and Case Reports. Animals (Basel) 2020 Oct 19;10(10).
    doi: 10.3390/ani10101921pubmed: 33086723google scholar: lookup
  3. Jabar Aziz K, Mikaeel FB, Azeez SH, Bilal SJ. Seroepidemiological study of Neospora caninum in equids using c-ELISA in Erbil Province, Iraq. Folia Parasitol 2024 Nov 25;71.
    doi: 10.14411/fp.2024.022pubmed: 39632700google scholar: lookup
  4. Alshammari A, Gattan HS, Marzok M, Selim A. Seroprevalence and risk factors for Neospora spp. infection in equine in Egypt. Sci Rep 2023 Nov 19;13(1):20242.
    doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-47601-ypubmed: 37981658google scholar: lookup
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