Seroprevalence of Neospora, Toxoplasma gondii and Sarcocystis neurona antibodies in horses from Jeju island, South Korea.
Abstract: Parasite-specific antibody responses to Neospora spp. and Toxoplasma gondii, antigens were detected using the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) and immunoblot analysis in a korean equine population located on Jeju island, South Korea (126 degrees 12' E and 33 degrees 34' N). For comparison, a naturally infected Neospora hughesi horse and an experimentally inoculated T. gondii equid (pony) were used. In addition, all samples were tested for antibodies to Sarcocystis neurona by immunoblot analysis. A total of 191 serum samples from clinically normal horses were evaluated. Only 2% (4 out of 191) and 2.6% (5 out of 191) of the samples had showed reactivity at 1:100 using the IFAT for Neospora spp. and T. gondii, respectively. For T. gondii, two samples matched the antigen banding pattern of the positive control by immunoblot analysis. No sample was positive for N. hughesi by immunoblot analysis in this study. Overall, there was a 1% seroprevalence for T. gondii antibodies in the horses tested based on immunoblot analysis. The seroprevalence for S. neurona and N. hughesi antibodies was 0%. We concluded that these horses are either not routinely exposed to these parasites or antibody titers are not sufficiently elevated to be detectable. It is most likely the former explanation since Jeju island equine farms are isolated from the main land, and the horses were all less than 3 years of age. This naïve population of horses could be useful when evaluating S. neurona serodiagnostic tests or evaluating potential S. neurona vaccines since exposure risks to S. neurona and closely related parasites are negligible.
Publication Date: 2002-06-14 PubMed ID: 12062508DOI: 10.1016/s0304-4017(02)00064-xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This research paper studies the presence of antibodies to certain parasites in the horse population on Jeju Island, South Korea. The study found that only a very small percentage of horses had antibodies for these parasites, suggesting that they were either not regularly exposed to the parasites, or that their antibody levels were not high enough to detect.
Methodology
- The study tested for antibodies of the parasites Neospora spp., Toxoplasma gondii, and Sarcocystis neurona in the horse population of Jeju Island, South Korea.
- The researchers used two methods to detect these antibodies: the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) and immunoblot analysis.
- The antibodies were being sought in a total of 191 serum samples collected from clinically normal horses.
- For comparison purposes, naturally infected Neospora hughesi horse and an experimentally inoculated T. gondii equid (pony) were also used.
Findings
- The results of the study were quite low with reactivity at 1:100 using the IFAT found only in 2% of samples for Neospora spp. and 2.6% for T. gondii.
- For T. gondii, two samples matched the antigen banding pattern of the positive control by immunoblot analysis, indicating a seroprevalence of 1% based on this method.
- None of the samples were found to be positive for N. hughesi according to the immunoblot analysis.
- The seroprevalence for antibodies to S. neurona and N. hughesi was found to be 0%.
Conclusion
- The researchers concluded that it’s likely that horses in this location are not regularly exposed to these parasites, rather than their antibody titers being too low to detect.
- This conclusion is attributed to the geographical isolation of Jeju Island’s equine farms from the mainland, and the young age of the tested horses (all less than 3 years old).
- The relatively unexposed horse population on Jeju Island could potentially be useful for evaluating diagnostic tests or potential vaccines for S. neurona, since the risk of exposure to this parasite and related parasites seems to be very low.
Cite This Article
APA
Gupta GD, Lakritz J, Kim JH, Kim DY, Kim JK, Marsh AE.
(2002).
Seroprevalence of Neospora, Toxoplasma gondii and Sarcocystis neurona antibodies in horses from Jeju island, South Korea.
Vet Parasitol, 106(3), 193-201.
https://doi.org/10.1016/s0304-4017(02)00064-x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Connaway Hall, 1600 East Rollins Dr., Columbia, MO 65211, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Antibodies, Protozoan / biosynthesis
- Antibodies, Protozoan / blood
- Blotting, Western / veterinary
- Coccidiosis / epidemiology
- Coccidiosis / parasitology
- Coccidiosis / veterinary
- Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / veterinary
- Female
- Geography
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / parasitology
- Horses
- Korea / epidemiology
- Male
- Neospora / immunology
- Neospora / isolation & purification
- Sarcocystidae / immunology
- Sarcocystidae / isolation & purification
- Sarcocystis / immunology
- Sarcocystis / isolation & purification
- Sarcocystosis / epidemiology
- Sarcocystosis / parasitology
- Sarcocystosis / veterinary
- Seroepidemiologic Studies
- Toxoplasma / immunology
- Toxoplasma / isolation & purification
- Toxoplasmosis, Animal / epidemiology
- Toxoplasmosis, Animal / parasitology
Citations
This article has been cited 14 times.- 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).
- Kim JY, Kwak YS, Lee IY, Yong TS. Molecular Detection of Toxoplasma Gondii in Haemaphysalis Ticks in Korea.. Korean J Parasitol 2020 Jun;58(3):327-331.
- Razmi GR, Abedi V, Yaghfoori S. Serological study of Toxoplasma gondii infection in Turkoman horses in the North Khorasan Province, Iran.. J Parasit Dis 2016 Jun;40(2):515-9.
- 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.
- Tavalla M, Sabaghan M, Abdizadeh R, Khademvatan S, Rafiei A, Razavi Piranshahi A. Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora spp. Infections in Arab Horses, Southwest of Iran.. Jundishapur J Microbiol 2015 Mar;8(3):e14939.
- 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.
- Miao Q, Wang X, She LN, Fan YT, Yuan FZ, Yang JF, Zhu XQ, Zou FC. Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in horses and donkeys in Yunnan Province, Southwestern China.. Parasit Vectors 2013 Jun 6;6:168.
- Hosseini M, Moraveji M, Tahamtan Y, Rahimian A, Mohammadi G, Namavari M. Seroprevalence of Neospora spp. in Horses in North East of Iran.. Iran J Parasitol 2011 Jun;6(2):64-8.
- Boughattas S, Bergaoui R, Essid R, Aoun K, Bouratbine A. Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection among horses in Tunisia.. Parasit Vectors 2011 Nov 22;4:218.
- Bártová E, Sedlák K, Syrová M, Literák I. Neospora spp. and Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in horses in the Czech Republic.. Parasitol Res 2010 Sep;107(4):783-5.
- Karatepe B, Babür C, Karatepe M, Kiliç S. Seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in horses in Niğde Province of Turkey.. Trop Anim Health Prod 2010 Mar;42(3):385-9.
- Dubey JP, Schares G, Ortega-Mora LM. Epidemiology and control of neosporosis and Neospora caninum.. Clin Microbiol Rev 2007 Apr;20(2):323-67.
- Dubey JP. Review of Neospora caninum and neosporosis in animals.. Korean J Parasitol 2003 Mar;41(1):1-16.
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