Seroprevalence of antibodies to Sarcocystis neurona in horses residing in Ohio.
Abstract: To determine the seroprevalence of serum antibodies to Sarcocystis neurona in horses residing in Ohio. Methods: Prevalence survey. Methods: Serum from samples from 1,056 horses. Serum was collected on every 36th sample submitted to the Ohio State Diagnostic Laboratory for testing for equine infectious anemia. Methods: Serum was frozen at -80 C and analyzed for antibodies to S neurona, using a western blot. Information regarding blood sample collection, age, breed, sex, and geographic location was recorded for each horse. Data were analyzed, using multivariable logistic regression. Results: Horses of 37 breeds from 81 of Ohio's 88 counties were included in the study population. There were 481 females, 133 males, and 442 geldings ranging in age from 3 months to 27 years; > 48% were < 5.6 years old. More than 53% of samples were seropositive for antibodies to S neurona. A gender or breed effect on seroprevalence was not identified. There was a significant effect of age (P < or = 0.0001; with older horses more likely to be affected), and of location (statistical and extension districts; P = 0.02 and P = 0.03, respectively) on seroprevalence. Location effects appeared to be correlated to the number of days with temperatures below freezing (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The high seroprevalence of antibodies to S neurona found in the sample population emphasizes the importance of examining CSF for S neurona-specific antibodies when establishing a diagnosis of equn protozoal myeloencephalitis.
Publication Date: 1997-02-15 PubMed ID: 9040839
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This study investigates the prevalence of antibodies to Sarcocystis neurona, a parasite causing neurological issues in horses, in a population of horses in Ohio. The research indicates high prevalence and underscores the importance of testing for such antibodies in the case of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis, a disease affecting the nervous system of horses.
Methods
- The researchers conducted a prevalence survey with blood samples from 1,056 horses in Ohio.
- The selection of the samples was systematic, choosing every 36th specimen submitted to the Ohio State Diagnostic Laboratory for testing for equine infectious anemia.
- The analysis of the serum was done using a western blot. This technique allows identification of specific proteins (like antibodies) in a sample.
- All collected samples were frozen at -80 C before testing.
- The information regarding every sampled horse – age, breed, sex, and geographical location – was recorded.
- Data analysis was done using a statistical method called multivariable logistic regression which allows to assess the influence of various factors on a binary outcome (in this case, seropositive or seronegative for S. neurona antibodies).
Results
- The study involved horses from 37 different breeds from 81 out of Ohio’s 88 counties.
- There were 481 females, 133 males, and 442 geldings (castrated males) ranging in age from 3 months up to 27 years with almost half of them being younger than 5.6 years old.
- The results showed that more than 53% of samples tested positive for antibodies to S. neurona indicating a high seroprevalence.
- Neither gender nor breed of the horse had a significant influence on the likelihood of being seropositive.
- However, the age of the horses did influence the results. Older horses were more likely to test positive for antibodies to S. neurona. Moreover, the location of the horses (split into statistical and extension districts) also impacted the numbers, likely due to differences in exposure to the parasite based on climatic conditions, specifically the number of days with temperatures below freezing.
Conclusions
- The high seroprevalence of antibodies to S. neurona found in the study underlines the importance of testing for these antibodies when diagnosing equine protozoal myeloencephalitis, a debilitating disease in horses.
- This could direct strategies for future prevention and control of this disease.
Cite This Article
APA
Saville WJ, Reed SM, Granstrom DE, Hinchcliff KW, Kohn CW, Wittum TE, Stamper S.
(1997).
Seroprevalence of antibodies to Sarcocystis neurona in horses residing in Ohio.
J Am Vet Med Assoc, 210(4), 519-524.
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Ohio State University Columbus 43210, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Age Distribution
- Animals
- Antibodies, Protozoan / blood
- Blotting, Western / veterinary
- Encephalomyelitis / epidemiology
- Encephalomyelitis / immunology
- Encephalomyelitis / veterinary
- Female
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / immunology
- Horses
- Logistic Models
- Male
- Ohio / epidemiology
- Prevalence
- Sarcocystis / immunology
- Sarcocystosis / epidemiology
- Sarcocystosis / immunology
- Sarcocystosis / veterinary
- Seroepidemiologic Studies
- Sex Distribution
- Weather
Citations
This article has been cited 9 times.- 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.
- Reed SM, Furr M, Howe DK, Johnson AL, MacKay RJ, Morrow JK, Pusterla N, Witonsky S. Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis: An Updated Consensus Statement with a Focus on Parasite Biology, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention.. J Vet Intern Med 2016 Mar-Apr;30(2):491-502.
- Lewis SR, Ellison SP, Dascanio JJ, Lindsay DS, Gogal RM Jr, Werre SR, Surendran N, Breen ME, Heid BM, Andrews FM, Buechner-Maxwell VA, Witonsky SG. Effects of Experimental Sarcocystis neurona-Induced Infection on Immunity in an Equine Model.. J Vet Med 2014;2014:239495.
- 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.
- Yeargan MR, Alvarado-Esquivel C, Dubey JP, Howe DK. Prevalence of antibodies to Sarcocystis neurona and Neospora hughesi in horses from Mexico.. Parasite 2013;20:29.
- Hoane JS, Morrow JK, Saville WJ, Dubey JP, Granstrom DE, Howe DK. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for detection of equine antibodies specific to Sarcocystis neurona surface antigens.. Clin Diagn Lab Immunol 2005 Sep;12(9):1050-6.
- Spencer JA, Deinnocentes P, Moyana EM, Guarino AJ, Ellison SE, Bird RC, Blagburn BL. Cytokine gene expression in response to SnSAG1 in horses with equine protozoal myeloencephalitis.. Clin Diagn Lab Immunol 2005 May;12(5):644-6.
- Njoku CJ, Saville WJ, Reed SM, Oglesbee MJ, Rajala-Schultz PJ, Stich RW. Reduced levels of nitric oxide metabolites in cerebrospinal fluid are associated with equine protozoal myeloencephalitis.. Clin Diagn Lab Immunol 2002 May;9(3):605-10.
- Liang FT, Granstrom DE, Zhao XM, Timoney JF. Evidence that surface proteins Sn14 and Sn16 of Sarcocystis neurona merozoites are involved in infection and immunity.. Infect Immun 1998 May;66(5):1834-8.
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