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Scientific reports2022; 12(1); 17573; doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-21482-z

The relationship between the intensity of Gasterophilus intestinalis larvae infection and the serum and salivary humoral immune response in horses.

Abstract: Infection with Gasterophilus intestinalis (botfly) larvae often occurs in horses. The aim of the study was to isolate the larvae of G. intestinalis and evaluate the serum and salivary humoral immune response using self-developed ELISA in G. intestinalis infected horses. Blood serum or saliva samples were taken from 125 infected horses and 54 uninfected slaughtered horses. The antigens from G. intestinalis larvae were used for development of ELISA in order to evaluate the intensity of G. intestinalis IgG, IgM, and IgA antibody reactivity in the serum or saliva of naturally infected horses and horses without larvae in the gastrointestinal tract (control group). Serum antibodies against second and third larvae's stadium antigens reacted significantly more intensively in infected than in healthy horses in IgG (p ≤ 0.001; p ≤ 0.05, respectively) and IgA (p ≤ 0.05;p ≤ 0.001, respectively) classes. Salivary IgG and IgA specific's antibody reactivity was significantly higher in horses with moderate (p ≤ 0.01) and severe infection (p ≤ 0.001) compared to the healthy horses. The determination of the G. intestinalis IgG and IgA antibody activity in saliva and serum may be used for detecting horses moderately and severely infested with larvae.
© 2022. The Author(s).
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Publication Date: 2022-10-20 PubMed ID: 36266409PubMed Central: PMC9585061DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-21482-zGoogle 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.

The research investigates the type of immune response in horses, triggered by the infection of Gasterophilus intestinalis larvae, using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) developed with the larvae’s antigens. Variations in the level of specific antibodies in serum and saliva provide valuable information for detection of infection severity.

Objective and Methodology

  • This study was primarily conducted to understand how horses’ immune system responds to Gasterophilus intestinalis (botfly) larvae infection.
  • The researchers developed an ELISA using antigens from G. intestinalis larvae. ELISA is a widely used analytical biochemistry tool, particularly for detecting specific antibodies or antigens in a sample.
  • This developed ELISA was used to measure the levels of specific antibodies— IgG, IgA and IgM, in the blood serum or saliva samples collected from 125 infected horses and 54 uninfected ones. These antibodies are molecules produced by the immune system to neutralize harmful pathogens.

Findings

  • The study showed that the serum antibodies against the larvae antigens reacted significantly more in infected horses than in healthy ones.
  • This increased reactivity was observed in both IgG and IgA antibody classes implying a strong immune response to the larvae infection. The statistical significance results (p≤0.001 or p≤0.05) show these results aren’t due to random chance.
  • When evaluated through saliva, the antibody reactivity, specifically IgG and IgA, was also noticeably higher in horses with moderate and severe infections than in healthy horses.

Implications

  • The evaluations of humoral immune response allowed for a correlation to be drawn between the antibody levels and the severity of the infection.
  • High levels of specific antibodies, IgG and IgA, in saliva and serum, indicate larvae infestation in horses.
  • This study indicates that these measurements can be implemented as an effective method for detecting moderate and severe cases of G. intestinalis infestation. It can help in timely intervention and treatment, improving the health care of equines.

Cite This Article

APA
Pawlas-Opiela M, Jawor P, Galli J, Zak-Bochenek A, Gorczykowski M, Galli J, Sołtysiak Z, Stefaniak T. (2022). The relationship between the intensity of Gasterophilus intestinalis larvae infection and the serum and salivary humoral immune response in horses. Sci Rep, 12(1), 17573. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-21482-z

Publication

Scientific reports
ISSN: 2045-2322
NlmUniqueID: 101563288
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 12
Issue: 1
Pages: 17573
PII: 17573

Researcher Affiliations

Pawlas-Opiela, Monika
  • Department of Immunology, Pathophysiology and Veterinary Preventive, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, C. Norwida 31, 50-375, Wrocław, Poland.
  • Department of Internal Diseases and Clinic of Diseases of Horses, Dogs and Cats, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Pl. Grunwaldzki 47, 50-366, Wrocław, Poland.
Jawor, Paulina
  • Department of Immunology, Pathophysiology and Veterinary Preventive, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, C. Norwida 31, 50-375, Wrocław, Poland.
Galli, Józef
  • Department of Immunology, Pathophysiology and Veterinary Preventive, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, C. Norwida 31, 50-375, Wrocław, Poland.
Zak-Bochenek, Agnieszka
  • Department of Immunology, Pathophysiology and Veterinary Preventive, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, C. Norwida 31, 50-375, Wrocław, Poland. agnieszka.zak-bochenek@upwr.edu.pl.
Gorczykowski, Michał
  • Department of Internal Diseases and Clinic of Diseases of Horses, Dogs and Cats, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Pl. Grunwaldzki 47, 50-366, Wrocław, Poland.
Galli, Joanna
  • Department of Immunology, Pathophysiology and Veterinary Preventive, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, C. Norwida 31, 50-375, Wrocław, Poland.
Sołtysiak, Zenon
  • Department of Internal Diseases and Clinic of Diseases of Horses, Dogs and Cats, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Pl. Grunwaldzki 47, 50-366, Wrocław, Poland.
  • Department of Diagnostics and Clinical Sciences, Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Nicolaus Copernicus University, 87-100, Toruń, Poland.
Stefaniak, Tadeusz
  • Department of Immunology, Pathophysiology and Veterinary Preventive, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, C. Norwida 31, 50-375, Wrocław, Poland.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Horses
  • Larva
  • Horse Diseases
  • Immunity, Humoral
  • Serum
  • Seasons
  • Diptera / physiology
  • Immunoglobulin A
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Immunoglobulin M

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

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Citations

This article has been cited 1 times.
  1. Athanasiou LV, Katsogiannou EG, Tyrnenopoulou P, Gougoulis D, Apostolidis KN, Papadakis SM, Kokkinaki KCG, Papatsiros VG, Tsokana CN. Evidence of Horse Exposure to Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Borrelia burgdorferi, and Leishmania infantum in Greece through the Detection of IgG Antibodies in Serum and in an Alternative Diagnostic Sample-The Saliva. Biomolecules 2023 Sep 11;13(9).
    doi: 10.3390/biom13091374pubmed: 37759774google scholar: lookup
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