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Home / Equine Research Bank / Trop Anim Health Prod / Seroprevalence of Neospora spp. in horses reared in rural an...
Tropical animal health and production2025; 57(5); 236; doi: 10.1007/s11250-025-04496-3

Seroprevalence of Neospora spp. in horses reared in rural and urban areas in southern Brazil.

Abstract: Protozoan Neospora spp. is known to negatively affect horses reared in rural and urban environments, being studied for causing abortion, neonatal mortality and central nervous system disorders in horses. This study aimed to verify the occurrence of anti-Neospora spp. antibodies in horses bred in rural and urban areas from southern Brazil and the risk factors associated with infection. The study consisted of 400 horses, which 241 were bred in rural areas and 159 in urban areas. The detection of serum anti-Neospora spp. antibodies was determined using Immunofluorescence Antibody Test (IFAT). The epidemiological questionnaire was applied to owners to determine the factors associated with the infection. The total seropositivity of the animals was 11% (43/400, 95% CI = 7,71-13,78%), distributed into 10% (24/241, 95% CI = 6,18-13,74%) in the rural and 12% (19/159, 95% CI = 6,91 - 16,99%) in the urban group (serum titer ≥ 50). There was no significant difference between rural and urban groups (p = 0.642; OD = 1.31; 95% CI = 0.663-2.58). Stallions and geldings in the rural group were four times more predisposed to presenting anti-Neospora spp. antibodies (p = 0.028; OR = 4.36; 95% CI = 1.164; 14.000). In conclusion, the breeding area is not correlated with seropositivity for Neospora spp. and stallions and geldings raised in rural environments from southern Brazil are more predisposed to infection. There are still poorly elucidated aspects of the infection by Neospora spp. in horses of different sexes, reared in different breeding environments that deserve our concern and require further studies.
© 2025. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.
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Publication Date: 2025-05-30 PubMed ID: 40445516PubMed Central: 2717477DOI: 10.1007/s11250-025-04496-3Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

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This research article explores the prevalence of the protozoan parasite ‘Neospora spp.’ amongst horses bred in both rural and urban areas within Southern Brazil, along with associated risk factors for infection. The study found an overall seropositivity rate of 11% amongst tested horses, with no significant difference found between rural and urban groups. However, it did find a higher predisposition to infection amongst stallions and geldings raised in rural environments.

Objective and Method

  • The objective of this study was to investigate the occurrence of antibodies against the parasite Neospora spp., known for causing various health problems in horses, amongst horses bred in rural and urban environments of Southern Brazil.
  • For this purpose, the researchers collected data from 400 horses—241 from rural and 159 from urban areas.
  • They tested the serum of these horses using the Immunofluorescence Antibody Test (IFAT) to determine if they had developed antibodies against Neospora spp., which would indicate exposure to the parasite.
  • The researchers also conducted an epidemiological survey, engaging with the horse owners to determine associated risk factors for Neospora spp. infection.

Findings

  • The total seropositivity, or percentage of horses that tested positive for the anti-Neospora antibodies, was found to be 11% (43 out of 400 horses).
  • The seropositivity was distributed as 10% in the rural group (24 out of 241 horses) and 12% in the urban group (19 out of 159 horses).
  • Statistical analysis of these results demonstrated that there was no significant difference in seropositivity between rural and urban horses (p=0.642).
  • Nonetheless, the study found that stallions and geldings (castrated male horses) reared in the rural environment showed a four times higher predisposition to have anti-Neospora spp. antibodies, indicating a significantly higher risk of infection (p=0.028).

Conclusion

  • Contrary to conventional beliefs, the breeding area (rural or urban) was not significantly correlated with seropositivity for Neospora spp.
  • It was found that the sex and reproductive status of horses, specifically stallions and geldings in rural areas, might play a crucial role in the susceptibility to infection.
  • However, the researchers conclude that there are aspects of Neospora spp. infection in horses, particularly in relation to genders and breeding environments, which are still unclear and warrant further study.

Cite This Article

APA
Granella MCS, Mendes RP, da Silva Casa M, Ribeiro GSN, Sangioni LA, Vogel FSF, Braünig P, Ferian PE, Salbego FZ, Schwarz DGG, Fonteque JH. (2025). Seroprevalence of Neospora spp. in horses reared in rural and urban areas in southern Brazil. Trop Anim Health Prod, 57(5), 236. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-025-04496-3

Publication

Tropical animal health and production
ISSN: 1573-7438
NlmUniqueID: 1277355
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 57
Issue: 5
Pages: 236

Researcher Affiliations

Granella, Milena Carol Sbrussi
  • Santa Catarina State University, Lages, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
Mendes, Rubens Peres
  • Santa Catarina State University, Lages, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
da Silva Casa, Mariana
  • Santa Catarina State University, Lages, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
Ribeiro, Gianlucca Simão Nadal
  • Santa Catarina State University, Lages, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
Sangioni, Luis Antônio
  • Santa Maria Federal University, Santa Maria, Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil.
Vogel, Fernanda Silveira Flores
  • Santa Maria Federal University, Santa Maria, Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil.
Braünig, Patrícia
  • Santa Maria Federal University, Santa Maria, Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil.
Ferian, Paulo Eduardo
  • Santa Catarina State University, Lages, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
Salbego, Fabiano Zanini
  • Santa Catarina State University, Lages, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
Schwarz, David Germano Gonçalves
  • Santa Catarina State University, Lages, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
Fonteque, Joandes Henrique
  • Santa Catarina State University, Lages, Santa Catarina, Brazil. joandes.fonteque@udesc.br.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Horses
  • Brazil / epidemiology
  • Horse Diseases / epidemiology
  • Horse Diseases / parasitology
  • Neospora / isolation & purification
  • Seroepidemiologic Studies
  • Female
  • Male
  • Coccidiosis / veterinary
  • Coccidiosis / epidemiology
  • Coccidiosis / parasitology
  • Risk Factors
  • Antibodies, Protozoan / blood
  • Rural Population
  • Urban Population

Grant Funding

  • FAPESC - EDITAL DE CHAMADA Pu00daBLICA FAPESC Nu00ba 04/2018 APOIO u00c0 INFRAESTRUTURA PARA GRUPOS DE PESQUISA DA UDESC - 2019TR608 / Fundau00e7u00e3o de Amparo u00e0 Pesquisa e Inovau00e7u00e3o do Estado de Santa Catarina

Conflict of Interest Statement

Declarations. Ethics approval: This study was approved by the Ethics and Animal Experimentation Committee (Comitê de Ética e Experimentação Animal – CETEA) of the Center for Agroveterinary Sciences (Centro de Ciências Agroveterinárias—CAV) of the Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina (UDESC), protocol nº 1.09.15, and by the Ethics in Human Research Committee (Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa com Seres Humanos—CEPSH), protocol nº CAAE 47416615.0.0000.0118. All animals included in this study were used under informed consent from their respective owners and caretakers, agreeing with publishing of the resulting data. Conflict of interests: The author(s) declare no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, funding and/or publication of this article.

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